The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1888-02-04

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| To turn US luck at last, %
| Let's do our BEST and we will feel
| No sorrows for the past G.
Going to John.
"Going north, madam ?"
"No, ma'am." a
"Going south, then ?"
81 don't know, ma'am."
81 never was on the cars. I'm wait
ing for the train to go to john"
"JohnP"
ooh! Johns my son. He's out ir
Kansas on claim"
"I'm going to Kansas myself. You
intend to visit ?" SO 1tr.
"No, ma am
She said it with sigh So heart-bur
dened the stranger was touched.
"John sick?'
emo"
The evasive tone, the look of pain ir
the furrowed face, were noticed by the
lady who asked these questions as the
gray head bowed upon the toil-marked
hand. She wanted to hear her story,
and to help her.
"Excuse me-John in trouble ?"
"No, no-I'm 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" x.-... ..., ..,.-~.-.-.s
"You are kind. If my own were SC
| shouldn't be in trouble"
"What is your trouble7 May be
can help you."
"It's hard to tell it to strangers, but
my heart is too full to keep it back
When l was left widow with three
children, l thought it was more than
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. 1 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 ,ne now."
Her voice checked with emotion.-
The stranger waited in silence.
81 went to them in the city. I went
to Mary's first. She lived in great
house with servants to wait on her; q
house many times larger than the little
cottage-but l soon found there a0asn'l
room enough for me"
The tears stood in the lines of hel
cheeks. The ticket agent came ou'
softly, stirred the fire, and went back.
After pause she continued:
"I went to Martha 's-went with {
pain in my heart l never felt BEFORE =
1 was willing to do anything so as moi
to be burden. But that wasn't it.
l found they were ashamed of my bent
old body and my withered face-asham
ed of my rough, wrinkled hands-maa'
SO telling for them"
The tears came thick and fast now
The strangers hand rested carelessly or
the gray head.
"At last they told me I must live a
a boarding house, and they'd keep me
there. l couldn't say anything. M
heart was too full of pain. wrote tt
John what they were going to do. HI
wrote right back, a long, kind lette
for me to come right to him. / Away
had a home while he had roof, h
said. To come right there and stay a
long as 1 lived. That his mother SAOnA
uever 90 Out to strangers. So Pm goins
to John. He's got only his rough
hands and his great warm heart-61
there's room tor his old mothe'-Gol
6leSS-htm-"
The stranger brushed tear from he
cheek and waited the conclusion.
"Some day when 1 am gone where II
never trouble them again, Mary ant
Martha will think of it all. Some da.
when the hands that toiled for them ar
folded and still when the eyes tina
watched over them through many
weary night are closed forever; whel
the little old body, bent with the bur
dens it bore for them, is put away aOse'
it neyer can shame them"
The agent drew his hand quickly be
fore his eyes, and went out as if to loo
for the train. The strangers finger
stroked the gray locks, while the tear
of sorrow and sympathy fell together
The weary heart was unburdened.-
Soothed by touch of sympathy tn
troubled soul yielded to the longin
for rest, and she fell asleep. The ager
went noiselessly about his duties thu
he might not wake her. AS the fa
stranger watched she saw smile on tn
care-wor face. The lips moved. Sh
bent down to hear.
"Z'm doing it tor Mary and Marthl
They'll take care of me same time"
! She was dreaming of the days in tt
little cottage-of the hopes which il
! spired her, long before she learned
, with a broken heart, that some day ST
! would, homeless in the world, go