Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-12-04
SHE SAW HIM OFF.

Down in Texas several years ago a
middle-aged man was convicted Of
horse-stealing in a regular court and
sent to the penitentiary for long
term. He was duly sentenced and the
sheriff fixed a day upon which he
should be taken to the State prison.
The day arrived and the official, with
string of convicts hand-cuffed to-
gether, was at the station waiting for
the train.
While the group sat in the depot, a
little old woman in black, with face
in which the fingers Of sorrow had
pinched great furrows, appeared at
the door She looked at the string of
prisoners intently, then light of rec
ognition came into her face. She
stepped over to the group of unfortu
mates and laid her hand on the arm OF
big, coarse fellow with heavy, red
muslache. The man turned and
looked at the little woman.
Moth ,r ~ he exclaimed. That was
all. Big tears came to his eyes. They
did not stay there, but crowded one
another out to chase down the rough
face, now red with shame. They ran
into the big mustache and off at the
ends of it. Then he recovered him
self. The little woman was not cry
ing-people sometimes get beyond
that.
you--doing p
the big man sobbed.
II came, my son" said the little wo-
man with the burrows in her face, Ito
see you off,"
ITO see me off ~ The man was
dazed.
"Yes, Henry. When you were such
little boy that you had never been
out of the home yard alone l went to
the gate with you the first day you
ever went to the store by yourself. |
watched you the three blocks Of the
distance until your chubby feet car
ried you into the little country store
that your father kept. Then when
you were six and started for school,
went to the gate with you again, and
told you how to act in the school
room. You went away on a visit
when you were ten, and went to the
depot with you and your uncle, then.
And / kissed you goodbye before the
cars started"
How the tears were flowing from
the big mans eyes
Yes" and the little woman sighed
bit. "Then you got to be sixteen
and wanted to go off to st. Louis. 1t
was hard to part with you, but we
did it-your father and land ! went
to the little depot with you again and
kissed you again. You remember
don't you?'
The other prisoners were interested
now, and the sheriff himself was TAX
ing in every word.
Then, you were married, Henry. |
went to see you bound by law and
God to that sweet, dear Mary, who is
now
Don't t-don't-don't, cried the big
man.
Yes" the little woman went on,
unheedingly, "and now you are going
away again, and l must kiss you. The
train is coming, Henry kiss your old
mother"
The sheriff had not moved. Ordi-
narily he would have told the man to
hurry on. But he waited now. The
big man bowed and tried to hide his
manacled hands.
kiss me, Henry" the old lady re
peated. The head moved lower, and
the big, red mustache almost covered
the little face with the furrows in it.
Then the gang started for the train.
As the cars began to move out the
little woman stood on the platform.
She caught glimpse of her big son
through the car window. She waved
a little black -bordered handkerchief
at him.
Goodbye, Henry" she called out,
feebly, and through force Of habit
formed when she sent her little son to
school she murInured:
"Be-be a good boy"
One of the gang OF prisoners told
me afterward that the little scene in
the depot was greater punishment
to each man there than his respective
farm of imnrisnnmant -