The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-02-12
She GaS " Him or.

bne saw him ous
Down in Texas, several years ago, q
middle aged man was convicted of horse
stealing in a regular court and sent tc
the penitentiary for q long term. He
was duly sentenced and the sheriff fixed
aday upon which he should be taken Ia
the State prison. The day arrived and
the official, with string OF convicts
handcuffed together, 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 burrows, appeared at the door. She
looked at the string of prisoners intently
then light of recognition came into hel
face. She stepped over to the group Of
unfortunates and laid her hand on the
arm Of a big, coarse fellow with heavy,
red mustache. The man turned and
looked at the little woman.
"Mother!" he exclaimed. That was all.
Big tears came into hir eyes. They did
not stay there, but crowded one another
out to chase down the rough face, red
now with shame. They ran into the big
mustache and of at the ends of it. Then
he recovered himself. The little woman
was not crying-people sometimes get
beyond that.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.? ?" the
big man sobbed.
II came, my son, said the little woman
with the burrows in her face, ito see you
off,"
"To--to see me OFF," The man was
dazed.
ayes, Henry. When you were such
little boy that you had never been out of
the home yard alone went to the gate
with you the first day you ever went to
the store by yourself. watched you
the three block of the distance until your
chubby feet carried you into the little
country store that your father kept.
Then when you were and started for
school, l 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 10, and went to the depot
with you and your uncle, then. And
kissed you goodby before the cars
started"
How the tears were flowing from that
big mans eyes! ..t vi
ayes, and the little woman sighed
bit. "Then you got to be 16 and wanted
to 60 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 your"
The other prisoners We're interested,
now, and the sheriff himself was taking
in every word.
"Then you were married, Henry. I
went to see you bound by law and God
to that sweet, dear Mary who is now
-" ...F ..H
"Don't-don't-don't, almost shrieked
the big man. ..- .r.-
"Yes, the little woman went on, un-
heedingly, "and now you are going
away again, and must kiss you. The
train is coming, Henry; kiss your old
mother.
The sheriff had not moved. Ordinarily
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 burrows in it. Then
the gang started for the train.
AS the cars began to move out, the lit.
tie woman stood on the platform. She
caught glimpse of her big son through
the car window. She waved little
black bordered handkerchief at him.
"Goodby, Henry" she called out fee
bly,, and then, through force of the habit
formed when she sent her little son to
school, she murmured:
"Be-be a good boy"
One of that gang of prisoners told me
afterward that the little scene in the de-
pot was greater punishment to each
man there than his respective term Of
mprisonment.-Detro Free Press.