The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-05-13

| woman who bad sold the claw footed bu
reau TO the dealer in second hand furni
ture. The minute Mrs. Crystal saw bel
6eak shaped nose peeping through the
crack of the door she knew she had come
to the right place.
49," Anything pa'tickler wanting ?" said
Mrs. Pepinstali "Bscause I'm mortal
basy to-day a-movin'. I'm goin' to live
with his folks up in New London, and
I've got all the hard things to pack and
my boarder to send off to the poor-house
afore | can set down to rest II you're q
book agent or one o them travelling pho
tograph people. There comes Simon
boarder."
She bounced back into the house like
an India-rubber ball, but Emmy pushed
past her into the carRstlessy ,eniber sun. !.
shine printed off the pattern of the win
dow -panes on the boards of the floor with
a sort of forlorn glory.
Is your boarder an old lady r'ssaid
she.
You'll find her in the back room" "
screeched Mrs. Pepinstall, settin' all
ready!'
And sure enough, in the back room
covering in the scant warmth OF the sun
beams, sat little old lady in a black
silk, quilted hood, snuff-colored cloak and
mittened hands, crossed meekly over each
other, as If waiting for some expected
summons. Her wistful eyes raised them
selves piteousy in the direction of the
newcomer
is it the wagon from the poor-house ?"
she asked. " I'm ready-yes, quite ready
didn't think should ever come to this :;
but I'm an old woman-a very old wo-
man. My money is all spent, and I've
neither kith nor kin in the world-and
Pm an old woman ~
81 hate to send her to a place like
that, said Mrs. Pepinstall, reappearing
on the scene with bandbox and two
bundles, but it's just as she says-her
moneys all gone, and she hasn't no folks
of her own, and what be | to do? His
folks up in New London don't want to
take in no outsiders"
Emmy Crystals eyes shone through
tears. She held out both her hands to
the poor little shrunken figure in the silk
hood and the snuff-colored cloak.
"Come with me" she said softly
W no are You = asked the old woman,
wonderngly.
/ am Ralph's wife. You are Ralph's
mother
Ralph ran away faltered the old
woman, her lips beginning to quiver. a
always said his father was too hard on
him. Ralph ran away and never came
back
But You are going to him. said Mrs.
Crystal. Come with me-"
s. BE you her folks p said Mrs. Pepin-
stall. Well, | never did,
Simon Doolittle's one-horse wagon
drove away from the door without its ex-
pected passenger, and the little old wo-
man tradssd along to the horse-cars ON
Emmy Crystals arm.
ou're not afraid ?" soothed the
younger woman, as a little shiver went
through the doll-like frame of her COM
panion.
No. said the other, I'm not afraid
OF anything any more. I'm an old wo-
man. 1t Ralph had come back they never
wonld have taken me to the poor-house.
for Ralph always loved me-"
That night when Ralph CRYSTAL came
home to supper he called cheerily to his
wife from the back room, where he was
washing his hands
We'll, Emmy, what did you buy ?"
The old woman started to her feet with
dilated eyes and figure projected breath
lessly forward. Evidently she recog-
nized the voice Mrs. Crystal, with her
arm tenderly around the wasted figure,
answered:
"Come here and will show YOU"
And entering the room Ralph Crystal
came face to face with his mother.
Ralph Ralph - she cried, grouping
in the air with her slender, withered
hands.
Mother" he gasped, and fhen they
were in each others arms.
Emmy stole away with mist of tears
before her eyes.
From that time until the day of her
death old Mrs. Crystal sat by her sons
hearth, serenely happy, in Ralph's love
and Emmy's tender care The past and
the future were alike blank to her-she
dwelt in the present alone.
Ralph ran away!'' she kept repeating
to herself, " long, long ago! But he has
come back l always knew he would come
back: and Emmy is here too, and al
though am an old woman, they are good
to mer'