The Osceola times., 1888-12-15

am afraid they have outgrown me in
. way. as they have outgrown their
knee-trousers and their childish de-
pendence upon me. When they were
little lads. l truly think they could not
have slept without their goodnight
kisses to mo. while now-but | shall
only hurt your kind little heart with
this sort OF letter. OF course they love
me, Sadie, they must! And it is
only natural. ! suppose, for boys,
as they grow up. to lose their loving
little ways. They are not like girls.
II l had a daughter, it might be differ
ent perhaps; but mother love is
strong, and | feel fairly starved some-
times; even little Fritz iorgets to
snuggle up TO mamma's knee as he
once did, and TO pat her tired old
hands. 1t has made me feel like q
machine. though the duties once had
were heavy compared with the slight
demand upon my time now"
Then followed details as 70 1sne sr-
rangements Of the trip, the friend who
had volunteered to keep house, and
expressions Of gladness that Sadie, too,
would be home, TO brighten .hings up
for the dear big boys.
Tho dear big boys had grown rather
misty about the eyes. Sadie sndde-ly
refolded up the iettsr and Caught up
her hat "there's Lou at the gate.
Good'bye, boys. Forgive me being
entirely frank with you. I'll see you
again about this business"
When she had gone the boys were
singularly silent you will oblige
me. Jack, il you'll fall on me and
break all my bonesm Stanford said
slowly. Jack was "the biggest OF the
big among the boys and weighed a
hundred and forty,
al could crawl through knot-hole. :"
he replied.
mo you couldn't" Eugene said, and
though it was favorite joke, obody
smiled.
Fritz. with his eleven years, his
dimple and is''lithp" had disappeared.
There was hot gingerbread again
when the tea-bell rang, and 1t seemed
TO him less endurable than before.
What was the matter with the
boys" Mrs Beman asked her bus-
band that night.
ats never worth while 70 study the
motives Of the boy, my dear. The
gcet, the spider, the kangaroo, are all
laid down in natural history, but the
boy"-and he wiped his hands with a
gesture full OF meaning.
''lt is on my mind, | don't care, >
Mrs. Beman reiterated. Whenever
she didn't care, she was taking things
seriously. 81 promised their good
mother that I'd sec to those boys---the
house was a minor matter in fact
must investigate the trouble to-mor.
row, for trouble there is, | am sure
They hadn't even appetitcs. Think
what an anomaly, boy without az
appetite! Mrs. Vance said hot ginger
bread would comfort them in any dis
tress. Why, Arthur" and the littl'
lady looked quite despairing, "onl.
one Of them touched it, Stanford. an'
he choked and left the table"
Trouble indeed! The boys pretended
to sleep at once that night They has
nothing TO say to each other. Eacl
supposed the others asleep. Eacl
tried to lie very quiet and each groane'
AT the thought that the dear patien
mother had been deeply hurt at thei
treatment OF her, when they woul
have resented the slightest snnoyanc
caused her by any other. Love her
Each groaned harder at the reHectio
that his own conduct was to blame TO
her doubt of it. Suddenly there was
stir in the far corner. Fritz hai
bounced out OF bed and down upon hi
knees. There was dim light in tn
room. Three boys might have bee
discerned raised upon their elbows
staring. Fritz at his prayers a secon
time!
"Shows his good sense" said Stan
ford, in a subdued whisper TO Eugene
with whom he slept
"Well. I've had that out" said Eu
gene. "Did some good. too. No mat
ter how dull my head is. as sure as
get to my knees, the Lord sends m
some spick and span idea I'm goin
to sleep now. I'll divulge the plan to
morrow"
Sadie came again next day.
"I've an ideaw Eugene exclaimed
with some force.
"Dew tell!" and Sadie laughed, mel
rily. mot all by yourself, EugenoP"
well. no, not all by myself" an
Eugene looked wisely at Stamford
at came from our best Friend las
night. Let me tell you, Sadie. we ar
going to do an old German trick to begi
our new conduct toward mamma. w,
are going to give her a real littl
demonstration as welcome home.
remember the time she got back iron
that district mission convention an,
we were all playing ball on the lot
and didn't even come in to see her til
tea time. 1t wasn't because we didn'
love her; 1t was"
because we we're blind fools,
Stanford intarrllDtad