The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-10
Rfa1dvaad 8elps,
PUBLISHED
"WEDNESDAY AT
! Vs1V6es2y, S. e.
THE POOR OLD MOTHER.
No Room for Kor in tho Homes Of He
Rich and Fashionable Daughters.
Ve1I6es2y, S. {

Going north, madam 2
No ma'am.'
Going south, then p
i don't know, ma am
Why, there are only two ways to
CO.
i don't know. was never on the
cars. I'm waiting for the train to
John"
'Joknp There is no town called
John. {" Where is it p
'Ohl Johns my son. He's out in
Kansas on claim
Il .am going right to Kansas my.
self. y You intend to visit 2
mo, ma'am."
She said 1t with q sigh SO burdened
that the" heart of the stranger was
touched.
john. sick
NO.
The evasive tone, the look of pain
In the furrowed face, were noticed
by the stylish lady as the gray head
bowed, upon the toil.marked hand.
She wanted to hear her story to help
her.
i'lGxcuse me, John in trouble r
NO, no--I'm in trouble. Trouble
my old heart. never thought to sec.'
The train does not come for some
time. Here, rest your head on my
cloak.'
You are kind. If my own were SO
I shouldn't be in trouble tonight
What, is your trouble : Maybe I
can help, you
Its hard to tell it to strangers,
but my heart is too full to keep it
back. When r was left q widow with
three little, children thought it was
more than could bear, but it wasn't
bad asthis.'
The stranger waited until she re.
covered her voice to go on.
4 had only the cottage and my
willing hands. l toiled early and
late all the year till John could help
me. Then we kept the girls at
school,. John and me. They married
not long ago. Married rich, as the
world goes. John sold the cottage,
sent me to the city to live with them
and he went West to begin for him
self. Ho said he had provided for
the girls and they would provide for
Inc now
Her voice choked with emotion.
The stranger waited in silence.
I went to them in the city. |
went to Mary's first. She lived in a
great house with servants to wait on
her---a house many times larger than
the little cottage, but ] soon found
that there wasn't room enough for
me
The tears stood in the lines on her
cheeks. TIE ticket agent came out
softly, stirred the fire and went back.
After pause she continued:
i went to Martha 's-wcnt with a
pain in my heart never felt before.
I was willing to do anything go rs
not to he burden. But that wasn't
it. l found they were ashamed Of
MY bent old body and my withered
face; ashamed Of my rough, wrinkled
hands-made so, toiling for them
The tears came thick and fast now.
The strangers hand rested caressing.
ly on the gray head.
AT last they told me that must
live at a boarding house. and they'd
keep me there. I couldn't say any.
thing back. My heart was too full
Of pain. l wrote to John what they
were gong to do. lie wrote right
back. long kind letter for me to
come right to him. I always had a
home while lie had roof, he said.
10 come right there and stay as long
as lived. That his mother should
never go out to strangers. So I'm
going to John. He's got only lis
rough hands and his great warm
heart--but there's room for his old
MOTHERHOOD bless him
The stranger brushed a tear from
her fair cheek and awaited the con.
clusi0n.
Some day when l am gone where
I'll never trouble them again, Mary
and Martha will think oft all. Some
day, when the hands that toiled for
them are folded and still; when the
yees that watched over them through
many weary night are closed for
ever; when the little old body, bent
with the burdens it bore for them, is
put away where it can never shame
them
The agent drew his hand quickly
before his eyes, aud went out as if to
look for the train. The strangers
jeweled fingers stroked the gray locks,
while the tears Of sympathy and the
tears Of sorrow fell together. The
weary heart was unburdened. Sooth-
ed by touch of sympathy the
troubled soul yielded to the longing
for rest, and she fell asleep. The
agent went noiselessly about his
duties that lie might not awake her.
AS the fair stranger watched, she
saw "a smile on the careworn face.
The lips moved. She bent down to