The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-02-23
MARKED DOWN.


low has given his promise, it hadn't orter
to be broken specially TO his mother.
"Wall, mebbe yer right as far as the
old woman is concerned, but them's tHe
boss'5 orders, No man leaves these shops
till this machine is finished, which won't
be afore 'leven, if it amt higher twelve,
an yer know well 'nough whatll follow;
you'll be marked down, and lose yer
job. | won't promise You another.
And the rough, middle aged machinist,
Joe Walton, drew his brawny, SCOT be-
grimed bare arm across his wrinkled
forehead, whistled softly and applied
himself closer to his task
Jem Mather was a slender youth. aged
II, learning his trade, and receiving also
paltry stipend, little enough for him
to exist dpon, but from it he had saved
enough to bring his little pale faced
mother from the crowded city Of New
York to his western home.
The world had not dealt fairly with
Jem and bis mother.
Walter Mather, the father, was an
honest, intelligent hard working me-
chanic, who had put something by for a
rainy day for his little family; but it so
happened that the very day the kindly
father was killed by an explosion at the
mills the bank wherein his little savings
lay was declared insolvent
Jen was 10 years old then, and for
four years he did what he could to help
his mother keep ''the wolf from the door.
He was, like his mother, never strong,
and the lines of want and care became
engr1ven forever upon his young face,
At "A a gentleman became interested
enough in him to send him west, and to
give his mother place in his home to
do plain sewing.
Three years had passed.
Jem was apprenticed for four years
He had one more year to serve, and then
he would be earning and receiving the
wages Of a man,
One year more. How Jem said it over
and over to hinseIf Then he would
send for his mother, aud they would be
so happy.
The wife Of Mr.. Hart the gentleman
who sent Jem west and with whom bTrs
Mather made her home, failed in health
and died, and Mr.. Hart decided to go
abroad. To break up his home. Eie
recommended the little woman to other
friends, but just then came such heart
hungry letter from her one lamb her
boy Jen. that she decided to go to him
Mr.. Hart hardly approved, but he sa5
the mothers aching heart shov
through her eyes, and placing 500
her hand and procuring ticket for
he saw Eer safely aboard tae tra
the west. Mrs Mather had care
saved nearly every penny Of her eg
ings since Jem's absence, so she toit
quite rich in "a small way, and oa 80
rich with happiness to think She should
soon clasp her boy to her heart!
AS for Jem, whose every thought and
wish was for his little mother, he was
jubilant. He, too, had saved, and felt
sure they woull get on somehow until |
another year, aud then they would never .
want again. so he wrote her gay let
ter ending with tine promise, Il viii not
fail to meet you at the train He did
not dream Of anything to prevent nim. .
The shops closed at o'clock, and the
eastern train was not due until s. Plenty /
Of time was his thought as he busted |
himself putting finishing touches to the
two small rooms he had procured for /
their future home. Everything was very
simple, even meager, but very clean,
and some Of the ''boys" at the shop had .
made Jem few presents in the shape of
! rocking chair for his mother, several /
pots Of flowers and a few cheap chronos. .
They added not little to the brightness
and comfort of his home, and when he
closed the door and turned the key to 90
10 his work in the morning it was not
little feeling Of pride.
They were all in the world to each
other, this fond mother and loving, du-
5iful son.
And now this order had come, mo
nan to leave the shops until this ma
chine is finished Jems heart gave
pound and he gulped down dry sob.
If it had been any other night, thought
lem, "or | could in any way let mother
inow;' but that seemed impossible So
le confined to his friend Joe his guam
larry, though for that matter every man
n the shops was interested and knew of
Mrs. Mather's coming, and nearly all
we're wondering what Jem would do
when the order was given.
Jem's steady habits and kind, obliging
ways had won the hearts of most of the
Eorkmen, and his love for his mother