The Van Buren press., 1893-11-11

college Henry was converted 10 reilglon
and decided to study for the ministry
then he was stricken with typhoid
fever, and the greater part OF his moth
er's heart was buried with him in the
village cemetery.
The poor little faded mother sat there
recalling the long-lost years, now with
thrill. now with q pang, earthly am
bitions and death-despairs strangely
mingled, and not noting the silence in
the rooms below until the sun was near
setting. Then Matilda's voice was call
ing through the house and the mother
awoke from her reveries and went down.
stairs
"Where are the children" demanded
Matilda, sharply. Z
Now, declar l dunnor' confessed
her mother, shamefacedly.
"Well, mother. 1t does seem to me,
as much as do for you, you might look
after them better. It's all you've got
to do There's no telling what mischief
they're in!"
And again the old lady went to her
room in silence and with burning
cheeks When they called her to sup
per she said she was not hungry, and,
rs Lucy and George were in dire dis
grace and sent to bed supperless. Ma
tilda and her husband ate alone.
Mother always did have such disa-
greeable temper-stubborn and sully.
II she had boen milder with father
they would have lived more like other
people, said Matilda, indifferentIy,
when explaining the cause of her moth
er's absence.
II wouldn't keer so much." the old
lady was sobbing to herself upstairs,
III only pap he'd sent me some little
word that he wanted to see me Chill
dren's most alters ungrateful any ways,
specially them that's he'd the most
done fur 'em, an I've wor ked my life
out for mine
Z "Dut wouldn't had 'em II it hadn't
been for love Of pap, an l don't think
he'd ort to forgit me now!"
Down in the city the warm spring
days awoke new restlcssness in old
Mr.. Paine. His daughter Jane was as
kind to him as kind daughter could
be. Her children were taught to ad-
dress him respectfully and to wait on
his every wish because he was their
grandparent. But the warm sunshine
called up visions of the country home
where the grass would be just deepen
ing into green again and the maple
boughs bursting with buds
He had always had lettuce bed just
through at this time. And the spring
longings recalled the days Of youth and
the little children who had played
about him as he weeded and hoed in
his garden, and the busy mother often
taking time from her own work to help
him. But she had always scolded SO
much, he muttered defiantly to himself,
and was ever 30 determined to have
her own way. Then q twinge of con-
science told him her way had generally
been the best, for she was clearer
sighted than he, and he picked up his
cane and hobbled away to the park in a
funny sort Of little dudgeon Then us
he sat in the park he thought Of Henry
and tears came to his eyes In spite of
him.
Hes mighty fond Of his mother-an'
she was good mother, too; I'll say
that for her anyways Henry was q
fine boy. He'd a-been the finest we got
If he'd a-lived, for he seemed to hev
more sense an good some
ways don't know as blame her,
after all, for bein' SO bound to lev him
20 to college"
And, the barrier Of stubborn reproach
once loosened, some way everything
began to look different, and when hs
hobblcd back to the house the old gen
tleman was very heart-sick to see tn.
wife he had treated so brusquely ths
past many years.
He went straight to his old satche
and took out o well-cared-for book, but
one of an old binding and print. 1,
was Latin grammar, and had been
his secret and most carefully.preservsd
treasure for over thirty years.
As the mother had gone to the grave
OF her most ardent ambitions, 10 he
now turned the pages Of his boys
book, one word OF which he could not
understand, but could only regard with
awe. Then he came to page on the
margin of which was much fine writing
in elegant script. 1t was not hard for
him to read, little book learning as he
had.
"Mother-dear mother Wife and
mother, mans truest friends-guardian
angels In death. Mother-swcetheart
-wife-Edith."
"He must a-been in love with some
body himself" mused the old father,
"but he didn't forgit his mother, neith-
er. She was my sweetheart onct!"
Before grandfather went to sleep
that night he had formed fresh deter
mination
"Jennie." he said to his daughter in
the morning, 'you know the Barkin
cottage up to the Crossings? Well, I'm
goin' up and see II can't rent 1t.
They's nice garden patch with 1t. and
faint too late yet to put in garden
stuff, an'-an'-don't We think mother'd
be willin' fur to cook fur me-"
Eyes, father; you know she always
sends you her respects" There were
tears in James eyes, despite the smile
on her lips.
AN I'm pretty sure I could make
enough with the garden fur her an me,
an you children could help US 1don't
believe Henry would want us to live
this way; do youY
mo, father"
That night, an hour or 80 after the
express thundered past the station, q
couple of miles from the crossing,