The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-01-25

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the better"
'But, father, l have sprained my arm,
you know. l couldn't handle a shovel to
save my life." cried Ralph. Cant I hire
old Moses to do ito"
mo, it is your work and you must do
it,"
'But father
'Not another word, sir, interrupted his
father, in a tone which always sent the
blood from Ralph's heart. 81 want the
work done, and | want you to do it. Your
sprained arm is merely an excuse for being
idle. If this stable is not cleaned when |
return tonight l will give you cause to re-
greet it; and | positively forbid your al
lowing old Moses to touch its
He sprang on his horse and rode off at a
gallop, needless that his son had sunk upon
a heap Of laths, and had covered his face
with his hands to conceal the starting
tears.
Mrs. Darrow had been standing BY the
kitchen window and had heard all that had
passed. She now came to where Ralph
Law, and bent lovingly over him. at
would not be possible for you to use your
arm, I know, my son. she said. at
would be of no use to try"
"Oh, mother, it gives me pain to move
it ever SO little. But what can | do? You
know how terribly father will whip me if
the work isn't done, and he won't believe
I'm not able to do it."
Don't worry about it now, Ralph. We
will try to find a way out of it. want you
to go to Greenfield after some groceries /
need, aud when you return we will talk
about the stable
Talking won't do any good, I'm afraid,
mother" replied Ralph. as he rose and
went to put the harness on Dolly. "And
l must take the whipping, / suppose"
He drove. to the kitchen door on his re-
turn from the village two hours later, and
lifted from the light wagon the basket of
groceries he had brought. "Where is
mother?n he asked of his little sister Jen-
ME, who was skipping rope in the back
yard.
Il don't know-she's been gone ever so
long," answered the little girl. 81 guess
she's in the stable hunting eggs"
As old Dolly's hoofs struck the stones of
the paving at the entrance to the bsrnyard,
the doors of the stable were thrown open,
and Ralph saw his mother standing inside.
a shovel in her hand.
Back so 0 Ralph?'' she said, cheer
lily. But Ralph did not answer. He
sprang from the wagon, gave a hurried
look about the stable, and then, with a
ST. range, choking sensation in his throat,
threw himself upon a pile of hay by the
barn stairs and burst into tears.
Ralph! Ralph! my dear boy" and his
mother BENT over him, her own tears fall
ing fast. sob, mother! mother. Why,
why did you do ito" he cried, when be
could speak.
because | love you, my son, and would
save you from a punishment you do not
deserve. 1t was not so much to do, my
utAi. L Gill IlOt 81 tflCd as you ouppOSE.
mot very much, Oh, mother, it was a
hundred times too much to do for me, "
and Ralph sat up, and, with his arms
about his mothers neck uttered in broken
words that apology he had longed but been
too proud to make. And what a load was
off his mind when it was done, and his
mothers tender kiss of forgiveness was on
his cheek. You may be sure that as long
as he had a home beneath his fathers roof,
Ralph never again neglected a duty to his
mother.
1t has been over forty years since this
incident happened which | have related,
but in telling it to me only a few days ago,
Ralph-grown gray and wrinkled-could
not restrain his emotion as he spoke of the
long-dead mother to whom he owed the
only love and tenderness of his childhood