The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1888-02-11


poor old heart is too full to keep it
back. When was left widow with
the three children. l thought it was
more than.I could bear but it wasn't
as bad rs this
The stranger waited until she had
recovered her voice.
81 had only the cottage and my will
ing hands. 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 new.7
Her voice was choked with emotion.
The stranger waited in silence.
81 went to them in the city. l went
to Mary's first. She lived in great
house with servants to wait on her;
house many times larger than the lit
tie cottage-but l soon found there
wasn't room enough for me."-
The tears stood in the lines of her
cheeks. The ticket agent came out
softly, stirred the fire. and went back.
After pause she continued:
IL went to Martha 's-went with a
pain i'll my heart never felt before.
l was willing to do anything so as not
to be burden. But that wasn't it. l
found they We're ashamed of my bent
old body and my withered face
ashamed OF my rough, wrinkled hands
made so toiling for them.n
The tears came thick and fast now.
The strangers hand rested carelessly
on the gray head.
''At last they told me 1 must live
at a boarding-house, and they'd
keep me there. l couldn't say
any thing back. My heart was
too full of pain. [ wrote to
John what they were going to do.
He wrote right back, a long, kind let
ter for me to come right to him. al
ways had home while he had roof,
he said. To come right there and
stay us long as lved. That his moth
er should never go out to strangers.
So I'm going to John. He's got only
his rongh hands and his great warm
heart-but there's room for his old
mother-God bless-him'-
The stranger brushed tear from
her fair cheek and awaited the con-
clusion.
''Some day when am gone where
III never trouble them again, Mary
and Martha will think of it all. Some
day when tie hands that toiled for
them are folded and still; when the
eyes that watched over them through
MANY weary night are closed for
ever; when the little body, old, bent
with the burdens it bore for them. is
put away where it can never shame
them
The agent drew his hand quickly be-
fore his eyes, and went out as if to look
for the train. The strangers jeweled
fingers stroked the gray locks, while
the tears of sorrow and the tears of
sympathy fell together. The weary
heart was unburdened. Soothed 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 he might not dis
turb Ler. AS the fair stranger watch
Cd she saw smile on the careworn
face. The lips moved. She bent
down to hear.
''rm doing it for Mary and Martha
They'll take care of me sometime"
She was dreaming of the days in the
little cottage-of the fond hopes which
inspired her, long before she learned,
with q broken heart, that some day
she would turn, homeless in the world,
to go to JOhn.-Pdrenological Journal.
| Louisiana has just recovered a iudg-
ment in the Court Of Claims for over
44O, 900 due her from swamp lands
sold by the United States.