The Republican., 1891-11-13

was out of all question her remaining
in that gloomy old house all alone.
So one sad day, overpowered by the
sons and daughters, who meant to be
kind, grandma went softly to and fro
over the old house taking leave of it
all, and the last of the farewells was
the visit paid to the two mounds under
the oak, where John slept and the first
born little son. Then, with feeling
that the world had come to an end,
grandma drove away to the fine big
residence-thcy don't call them homes
nowhere Henry and Henry's wife,
who, for all her kindness, rather over
powered grandma with her fine ways,
had given her Il stately room, and,
what Was most dreadful, Il maid. A
maid that called her Madam and for
Yes" said ''Oui!'
Yes, they meant to be kind to her,
but the gray stone pile and the maid
gave the old lady the feeling that she
was in an asylum and had keeper,
and, in spite of all her grandeur, grand
mas wrinllled checks lost their soft
pink, like that Of Il half-withered rose,
and she grew feeble and worn. though
every one was so busy that it passed
unnoticed. She was pining for the old
home, though she felt it would be un-
grateful to say so, and somehow to
pray in the magnificent church, where
she sat i'll velvet-cushioned pew, did
not seem to give her help, for God was
not close to her, she thought, as He
used to be when she knelt at home. If
she could only go back and tell her
friends all about it just once, kneeling
where John seemed to come and join
her! This feeling grew and grew,
though, as there was no one to tell it to,
she shut it up in her own lonely heart.
One morning the French maid came
running down to the family with great
excitement in her dark face. and in
broken English informed them that
Madam had slept not in her couch,
nor could Celeste find her anywhere
though She search, she search every
where!'
Then Henry rccollccted all at once
that he had rather neglected his mother
lately. Mrs. Henry forgot her "cul-
turcd' calmness and joined in the search,
weeping bitterly. Jane came running
in with reproaches for herself and all
the others. Joe left his desk for once
and set telegraph wires to work, and
confusion and grief reigned supreme,
while the sons and daughters found
their minds running back to childhood
and mother" as they had not done for
years, and | think they learned over
again, and far more perfectly, the
lesson of filial love.
Hours passed, and no news came of
the missing, and fears grew graver and
stronger, till at last Henry, walking
the floor in anxiety, exclaimed sudden
ly, as the idea struck him: shes gone
home and running to Il drawer in his
desk, where keys of every size and
form lay punched and singly, he turned
them hastily over.
"Ies, the key is gone and she has
wandered back home. I'm sure of it.
Why we did not think of it before,
cannot think. Oh. mother. you never
wanted to leave it, the dear dear old
house where we were born, and which
sheltered us all so faithfully. And we
dragged you from it, selfish dolts.'
Too impatient to wait for trains not
due for hours, they set off across the
country in carriages. AS they drew
near the old house they found news of
the lost one. She had passed only an
hour before plodding wcarily along