The morning call., 1892-09-04

Ing Wnicn seemeu 10 grow stronger
every year, for the. little New Eng
land village, where his early life and
middle age had been spent "And do you
never long for it as welP' / asked, in a
pause of her talk. The rose pink deepened
In the faded cheeks. "W omen can better
but il was plain to be seen that her home.
and therefore her heart, was wherever
"father" happened to be. She went on to
tell me how, some twenty years before.
"iather" had had his one attack in life
time of worldly ambition, and had sud
denly taken 1t into his head to try his for
| tune on the gold coast. He was a shoe
maker by trade, and in their little Eastern
home, among friends and neighbors who
| had known them from babyhood, as people
are known only in those small towns, he
had attained to modest independence
of fortune, or what passed for such
in that minute life. All their small
| savings, however, had been expended in
| transferring themselves and their house
| hold goods across the continent and in
| meeting current expenses until father"
succeeded in working uD something OF q
patronage at his trade. lie had never done
very we'll out here, though. He had made;
the mistake Of settling IN the city instead OF
seeking some small interior town. and had
clung to his error until 1t was too late TO
rectify it, and he was too old TO work. He
| had troublesome cough that was aggra-
waited by bending over as he sat upon his
bench, and for tie last five years he had
been unable TO do anything at his trade
He possessed the secret of the manufacture
of certain combination OF herbs, tonic
the old lady called it, sort of panacea
for various human ills. To obtain the
necessary ingredients he often went curing
tile spring on such digging expeditions RS l
had witnessed, sometimes making trip to
the outlying hills, but usually finding all he
needed in the little parks about the city.
Union square was one of his fay0rite hunt
ing-grOunds. He made his tonic and it had
some little sale, the Income from which she
eked out by doing little fine washing for
the ladies at tie TOneshire. one of the big
family hotels in the neighb0rhood. and they
managed to get along very comfortably and
took great pride, 1t was evident. in having
the whole OF the tiny three-roomed cottage
to themselves. 1t was such nice
Ssat0p the near s5ueh the hG and ne1s2 as2
could be happy far from church;
he had been a professor all his life. |
fancied from her tone that here was one
point she did hot hold with father" bat
she said nothing to that effect, and. just as L
was thiuking Of taking my leave the front
door was thrown nOislly open and in an in-
slant the room was full of children, half
dozen, at least, little dirty-faced tots, all
clamoring at once. I'M ther Blair, Mother
Blair, Freddie's hurt his hand" In an in
stant she old woman, wlfo. she told me, had
of all motherhood. over the dirty little
urchin VINO held up bruised, bleeding
little paw for inspection. lie had fallen
and hurt it on the pavement. / almost
felt as il ! could Willingly have done the
same with my own hand TO be comforted
and cared for rs that little chap was. ShR
bathed the soiled little fingers in clean
warm water, and had them tied up and
comfortable in no time at all, and soon the
children we're all dismissed, each with q .
Klo- Ito. . taf
dictoa; and just as the lastone trOaped out
OF doors father came home. He was a
little pale and shaky, but decidedly COM
PLEASANT over his adventure. The, doctor
had Injected cocaine into the surrounding
Tissues and performed the necessary opera
tion with scarcely any pain at all TO the
subject He sat th0ughtfully contemplate |
ing his bandaged wrist
'God is very good to me, mother,e he said
at last "My lungs are so had Icould never
have stood it to take ether. but ne has pro-
vided this other wonderful remedy against
pain, and | have not suffered at all."e
Yes, father" tlfe old woman said. ten 4
DERBY, "God does care for his children"
Then the old man turned suddenly TO mp, j
his face was agl0w with a fine spiritual
light II am impelled.,' he said, 80 return
thanks 10 God for his lhercies. will you not
Join Us "' '':
We knelt down and he proceeded 10 pour
out his gratitude for his great deiveTance.
He thanked the Lord for the accident,
avOwing his faith that IL was sent TIA mercy;
he thanked'him for my timely presence, in
such Language as moved me to wonder
whether / had not been born into this /
world fer the sole purpose of being in that
particular place al just that hour. so reader
that trifiug service. He blessed the divine
wisdom and foresight that bad brought the
practice of surgery TO its present state
and raised up surgeon at the right
IN minlSt4r To him tie
Lords chiid, and again he returned /
thanks for he blessing OF the cocaine that
had been used and Of which he seemed to
have heard for the first time--in fact, he !
seemed to believe that II had been provided
fresh frgm natures laboratory just at that
Instant for the relief of his pan.: He was
net. arrogant about 1t. His gratitude and
humility wege really pathetic, bat his as ]
symptoms were none the less tremendous. =
Then his tone changed, aud / could scarcely
believe the evidence ot my senses. tie. was
pleading with che divine mercy, lmplOring
it Ia enighten and Lave pity upon mothers 1
SOUL" and LEAD II. by this new evidence Of +
heavenly compassion, TO knowledge OF
the truth. -;
His devotions over. hastened 10 denart,
not daring to look at the old lady until Just
as was bidding her g0od-by, when, EaisiItg
my eyes to her face, i beBeld not a:cbange
In the calm, steady glow of her eyes or the
firm sweetness OF her mouth and ShesIuled
tenderly as she glanced frhin me TO her bus :
band, standing beside her in the d60Eway. =.
After that | made q practice Of taking uy
daily constitutional in Union square aud
met the little man who gathered herbsQuite
frequently. l had number of long talks
with him, all leading inevitably, even when:
had predetermined that they should not.
up to the subject Of religion. He:w&s truly.
and devotedly p Ous, aud the one great ser-
row OF his life was that ''moi her" had DUR
ing the forty years OF her married life stead
fastly declined to embrace the eyaugeIGaf:
faith. Sheabounded In geod deeds, so far
as her means allowed. i. learned that not
from him but fren a friend at the Fone-,
high. noble life had: been a, blessing
to every. one who crossed It's. humble
pathway, but she had remained all her
lite firm In her adherence to her: rty
liberafteaching. The old man nsver spoke
other than tendeFly, serrowfully Of tits.