The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-03
GOING TO JOHN

mo, ma'am."
"Going south, thenT,
81 don't know, ma'am."
81 never was on the cars I'm waiting
for the train to go to john"
"John?'
"Oh! Johns my son. He'sout in Kan
sas on claim"
"I'm going to Kansas myself You in
tend to visit"
"No, ms'am."
She said it with a sigh SO heart bur-
dened the stranger was touched.
"John sickP"
"No"
The evasive tone, the look of pain in
the furrowed face, were noticed by the
lady who asked these questions as the
gray head bowed upon the toll marked
hand. She wanted to hear her story
and to help her.
"Excuse me-John in trouble?"
"No, no-Tm in trouble. Trouble my
old heart never thought to see."
"The train does not come for some
time. Here rest your head upon my
cloak"
"You are kind. II my own were SO
shouldn't be in trouble"
"What is your trouble? May be I can
help you"
Its hard to tell it to strangers, but my
heart ie too full to keep it back. When
1 was left widow with three children, l
thought it was more than I could bear;
but it wasn't bad as this"
The stranger waited till she recovered
her voice to go on.
81 had only the cottage and my hands.
I toiled early and late all the years till
John could help me. Then we kept the
girls at school-John and me. They
were married not long ago. Married
rich, too, as the world goes. John sold
the cottage, sent me to the city to live
with them and he went West to begin
for himself. He said he had provided
for the girls and they would provide for
me now"
Her voice choked with emotion. The
stranger waited in silence.
81 went to them in the city. went to
Mary's first. She lived in great house
with servants 10 wait on her; house
many times larger than the little cottage
but 1 soon found there wasn't room
enough for me-"
The tears stood in the lines of her
cheeks. The ticket agent came out soft
ly, stirred the fire, and went back. After
a pause she continued:
81 went 10 Marths's-went with pain
in my heart never felt before. L
was willing to do anything SO as not to
be a burden. But that wasn't it. /
found they were ashamed of my bent old
body and my withered face-aehamed
of my rough wrinkled hands-made SO
toiling for them"
The tears came thick and fast now
The strangers hand rested carelessly on
the gray head.
cat last they told me 1 must live at a
boarding house, and they'd keep me
there. couldn't say anything. My
heart was too full of pain. 1 wrote to
John what they were going to do. He
wrote right back, long, kind letter for
me to come right to him. l always had
home while he had roof, he said. To
come right there and stay as long as 1
lived That his mother should never go
out to strangers. So I'm going to John.
He's got only his rough hands and his
great warm heart but there's room for
his old motherhood bless-him-"
The stranger brushed tear from her
cheek and waited for the conclusion.
"Some day when I'm gone where I'll
never trouble them again, Mary and Mar
tina will think of it all. Some day when
the hands that toiled for them are folded
and still; when the eyes that watched
over them through many weary night
are closed forever; 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, and went out as if to look for
the train. The strangers fingers stroked