Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-04-23

late VlSlCOr.
"Bless my life," said the old parson,
''who can be coming here at this time
of night? Shouldn't wonder if Dea-
con Spencer's taken worse, and I'll
have to drive out to his place, and the
mares cast a shoe, and
But by this time Grace had opened
the door and admitted lady.
Goodness gracious, Mary Besant!''
Miss Ruth CALCULATED, holding up her
mittened hands in an ecstacy of sur
prise. "What in the name Of wonder
has brought you out of doors in the
dead of night?'
It was barely ten o'clock by the Con-
necticut time-piece which licked over
the mantel-piece, but it was ''the dead
Of night" to the village of Meltonburg,
whose silent streets at this hour showed
never a light, save when in some cot
tage window, where sickness was, a
lone lamp cleaned like solitary star.
The visitor was handsome woman of
forty years, who carried her age so well
that she might have passed for a decade
younger, notwithstanding her tear
stained cheeks.
She ignored Grace's caressing greet
ing and Miss Ruth's inquiry, and turned
y
minister, who stood uncomfortably ex-
pectant.
Then, with world Of reproach in her
accents, she said:
"You have done your work well, sir
my Frank, my boy, is going to enlist.
He has told me the bitter truth tonight
have gone down on my knees before
him and prayed him not to leave me-;
but he is obdurate."
The minister was speechless. Even
the consciousness of having simply
done his duty was unbalanced by the
infinite pity he felt for the unhappy
mother; but Ruth was actuated by no
sniff of defiance, boldly advanced to her
brothers rescue.
''Hoity -toity!' she said. Here's a
pretty TODD about nothing, Mary
Besant. I'd be ashamed of myself, if I
were you, making such a fuss over the
lad. Is he made of different clay from
other young men, that he should be
| tied to his mothers apron-string, when
| his country needs his services? Do you
| think that Stephen Williams and
Johnnie Black, and score of others in
the place who have gone to the front,
| hadn't mothers to weep for them-just
as fond of them as you are of your
Frank-aye, and proud to think they
have strong sons willing to defend
them. Not go to the front, indeed!
Pshaw, if it wasn't for the absurd pre-
judice of the age, I'd shoulder a
muslzet myself. You have done your
living best to spoil that boy of yours,
and tell you to your face that 1 am
| glad you've failed. If Frank is going
a-soldiering he is doing just what he
ought to do, and you should go down
| on your Bonded knees-not to him, but
to God, to thank Him for having given
you a son with such spirit. Tears, in
deed! If he was my lad, this would be
the proudest moment of my life
This was a day Of surprises to the
minister's friends. In the morning he
had astonshed those who had known
him for years by his display of oratory;
tonight he literally paralyzed Miss
Ruth, whose tongue heretofore had
| been accustomed to wag in perfect I'M
restraint, by a sudden assumption of
authority.
''Silence, Ruth he commanded.
''Mrs. Besant came here-where she had
a right to cOme-for consolation in the
hour of need, and will not have her
annoyed by your senseless gable"
Senseless gable! For thirty years
Ruth Brentwood had ruled her brother
with uncontrolled austerity, and now
he had turned upon her with rude
ness and vulgarity which so over
powered her that she sank upon a sofa
in speeches. Indignation.
"And now, Mrs. Besant,'' the pastor
began, soothingly, turning to the
widow, 'let me ask you
ASK me nothing, sir,'' was the pas
sionate reply. Tell me, simply, will
you try to undo the evil you have done?
,, 1t is not too late even now; you have
great influence over my boy, and a