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

/
He was cabinet maker, who worked
all day in beautiful sheets of rosewood
and black walnut. She was book fold
er. They had become acquainted on
that stormy autumn night when the wind
turned her umbrella inside out and she
had to run half block after her flying
dinner basket. And then they met once
or twice at church and at the Bible class
of Sunday afternoon, and old Mrs. Ty-
son, the minister's wife, asked them both
to tea. She had been young herself, and
she understood the signs and symptoms
SO they were married and hired a neat
little flat, furnishing it as best they could.
/" Isn't it nice p said Emmy. "Oh .
Ralph, don't you wish we had some one
to visit us? ~
:" If it would be company for you, dear, y
said Ralph Crystal, smiling.
=" But there's no one that | know Of"
said Emmy, except some far away cous-
ins in Dakota. And | never knew much
about them. Oh Ralph, haven't you
any relations 20
His face clouded over.
81 don't know whether have or not"
said he. "Oh, Emmy, God help me I've
left my past behind me-
He had sunk into chair, with his head
in his hands. She went silently behind
him and laid her cheeks against his fore
head.
"Tell me, Ralph" sail she, "what is
it? Why have you never spoken to me
about it before?''
8 Because" he answered, Il didn't
want to appear like a savage Although
don't think have claim to be called
anything else"
What is it, Ralph ~ she repeated
| ran away from home when | was
IL, Emmy" he replied, moodily. "Fath-
er was strict and cross with me- don't
say be was right, but now, as look back
To it, | know that also was wrong"
ran away from home and | came to
to the city to fight my way for myself
And when | had earned enough to make
a little home l went back to get my
mother out Of the atmosphere that wasn't
natural to her any more than it was to
me-
/ was fool to suppose that time was
going to stand still for my convenience.
When got back to Hickory Falls father
no one knew where. Emmy, | can't
tell you how felt when heard it,
But, Ralph" soothed the young wife,
you will find her. No one could ever
be lost"
1--we tried, Emmy-Iv'e tried my best,
and it's of no use," he sighed.
Emmy was silent for a second or two
I've always wanted a mother" she
murmured half to herself, and Ralph's
mother would be all the same as my own
After that she secretly devoted herself to
the task of restoring to her husband the
dear old mother whom he had loved and
lost.
One day this little Mrs. Crystal, being
economically disposed, was searching
through a secondhand establishment for
coal-scuttle and firearms
"rm not going to pay outrageous
prices when I can get bargain only a
little used" said she, thriftily.
Couldn't i sell you something else,
mA'am," said the dealer, with that insinu-
ating smile which is peculiar to proprie-
tors of the secondhand shops. I've set
of red damask curtains"
Emmy shook her head.
No, said, she" need no curtains" :"
Half a dozen dining room chairs,
then ?" suggested the man. cor a pair
of real old-fashioned girandoles with cut
glass drops ?"
But Emmy Crystal did not hear what
he was saying; her eyes were fixed in
tently on a certain old bureau of ancient
mahogany, darkened with age, almost to
the semblance of ebony, with odd, brass
ornaments under the draw-handles, and
curious claw-legs. Just such a one in
truth, as Ralph was making in the odds
and ends Of his time at the shop, because,
as he said, his mother had a bureau like
that.
Where did you get that bureau 20 she
asked, quickly.
"Ma'am % gasped the dealer.
{" mean who sold it to you?''
" 1t was brought in yesterday from a
place out on the Sound-one O. them lit
tie one horse settlements where they don't
have no second hand emporiums. But
assure you, ma'am," huttering over the
leaves of his ledger, you won't get it no
cheaper by going to the principals. I'VE
bought it out and out"
81 don't wish to purchase it, said
Mrs. Crystal "But would like to see
the person that-that sold it to you."
! "There was a lot of other truck from
the same place." said the man. "They're
breaking up house, guess Oh, I've no
objection to give you the address, ma am
There amt nothing underhand in my way
of doing business" and he wrote off a
few words on a slip of paper. sits an
old woman with a hooked nose and a
tongue like q mill-whetl"
Mrs. Crystal, however, did not allow
herself to be discouraged by this unpre-
possessing description, but pretending to
Ralph that she was going somewhere to
attend an auction sale for the purpose of
acquiring some table furniture, china,
cutlery, and such like, she took the horse
cars to Harlem, there changing to another
line, which, creeping gradually out
among the elms and sycamores, took her
to the edge of the Sound, where there
was q struggling settlement of little
houses around . tall factory. In the
farthest of them ALA queer little cabin
where the spray sparkled its chimney
stack at the equinox tides, and . row Of