The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-05-13

ing your hand, is the sweetest day ever
had. Malviny."
He said no more. He held her hand,
and died at sunset
The neighbors virtuoCsly hoped that
now Widow Holt was left alone, Charlie
would do better, especially as he was get
ting so well-grown. He was sixteen
now.
But he did not do better he did
worse. He stayed away whole days from
the farm. The milking, and all the hard
chores fell upon one little, sorro~ing
woman. She tried to have Lice meals.
but Charlie was seldom at home to eat
them, and the things were put away IN
tatsted. Soon she would have nothing
to eat, she knew, if Charlie did not
help.
Many rumors were shoat about Char
lie- Some Of the neighbors' boys were
becoming reckless and unmanageaole.
It was all due to Charlie, the neighbors
said, and there was talk of driving him
out Of the country.
One night Charlie came dashing up on
his horse, pale and breathless. and there
was great welt from a wAiplash on his
neck and cheek. He broke into the lit
tie room, and said
=" I'm going. Barnes and CIaek and
Hall met me on horseback at the Corners
and Nat Halls run away, and they say
It's my fault Barnes cut me with his
whip, and they say they're coming up
here by midnight, and if Pm not gone /
they'll horsewhip me out ofthe county"
The boys eyes were like sparks Of IRE, /
and his face was white With rage, bat not /
so white as the little woman's who grasp [
ed the chair-baek-
d" I've loved you so-Chariie !" she /
said, in voice ike cry,
The boys throat worked the color /
came into his face and left It his hands I
clenched, and then, with a grean, he 1
threw himself on the bed. His strong +
young shoulders shook, and he sobbed I
in a storm of tears.
She knelt down beside him. All she
could say was, Charlie my little Char
lier' She did not know how to talk to
him.
won't CO." he said, after an hour.
They can horsewhip all they like, but
l can't leave you. III be good oh, I'm
so bad-so bad u"
He put his head in her lap, and she
smoothed it as she did at night when
she thought he was asleep Il want-to
take care of ysu-but I'm so bad :"
She sat there and soothed him until he
fell asleep. She waited until y CLOCK,
but no one came.
Then she looked and looked on the
face she loved so mueh-the square fore
head, the tanned, fresh-colored cheeks
ou that dreadful welt, the firm chin. the
mouth she thought so beautiful, the
brown hair, with the waves in it, the
long lashes on the cheek. 1t was reck-
less face, but it looked like such a good
face to her-it always had looked good I
to her, no matter what he did
His brows drew together, and ne mur-
mered in his sleep, Just as he did the first
night he came. He was only boy. after
all he said he would be good
as love the greatest thing in the
world? Can my love for him, and his
love for me, aud Gods love for both,
make him a good boy2 Ifit can, love i
the greatest thing IN the world"
In the morning, when he awoke, she
was sitting beside him, halfafraid to
have him waken for ho was a good boy I
when Le was asleep.
He seemed dazed at first. Then he 4
flushed, and looked square into her Oyes [
said, with a new tone in his boyish voice,
"You love me; don't your Well, I'll I
show love you-you see r.
She did see. He was as good work /
er as any man around, and he knew it. /
He began his farming on small scale, /
so that he could do everything himself I
so she" could live comfortable like"
The little woman could not under
stand the summer that followed. A /
different look came into her eyes, and /
Charlie said there was color in her cheeks. I
Perhaps it was true, for it was a wonder
ful thing to have happy voice asking
what she wanted, and telling her not to
do this or that, but rest.
Charlie found time to do 80 many new
things They had garden with lettuce
and tomatoes snd sweet peas-things
they never had before.
He said that the one room with its
shed kitchen was not ft for her to live
in, and he worked early and late, and
made trade with carpenters, until be ad
ded a kitchen and porch and two rooms
for bedrooms.
Then came that wonderful day, the
most frivolous day in all that little wOm-
ans life, when they took the horses and
wagon and started before sunrise for
Topeka, and came back by moonlight
with bed, great rockingham, look
ing glass, a carpet, and some dishes.
At night, when everything was all
done, and Charlie could hardly contain
himself for pleasure, the little woman
felt sickIing in her throat, and wonder
ed if she was going to cry while she was
frying eggs in the new frying pan.
Such night as that was, and such
supper-justlthey two Charlie was hap
py, and looked lovingly at the little
woman opposite him
/ He was very solemn toward bedtime
He hung over her chair, and held her
face in his two big hands, and kissed
her, and said
+You think love you now, don't you,
mother? And We think what you sing
don't we-that love is the greatest thing
in the world ?''-Yosrh's Companion.
Ottr Traror7e