The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-02-18
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TIFF W0RhD'S
# # # STORY DEPARTMENT. A :


iysr ADJ yes ne IAlItfcIs musk
have meant my lnedici1cl It's Tins 70
take Il. now 4 feel sometimes that it's
bound 70 build me up yet. When the
eoolcr weather cones ri get more rest.
and then"
And then?- Erepcatcd. as the poor
boy hesitated
s'Ohi IN get better thenf- re added.
hopefully .f,ut you don't believe
that, know Yet Rube can tell you
i've been far worse than ron see me
now
! took his hot fingers into my own.
''f:arton jerome, have you a mother7''
Yes his answer but whisper.
-And you loved her once2-
DON'T say that love her stillr' he
cried, passionately but I've got TO
die without her without heri o Cod
II Is hardif'
.'iYhy without her2v persisted
because she does not know my
whereabouts because dare not let
her knowi And she could not come TO
me, II dill Il is too latcl too later
His white face was buried deep In
the rough pillow
suppose we write to her. ! sug-
gcsied "a true mother can forgive
and forget any and everything"
'sSo. nor he gasped "You must not
writcl Rube does not know. no one
knows ii here, butt am a fugitive
from insticel''
! did not say ! thought as much; that
would have been positive crueltyl But
drew poor Barton Jerome's wasted
face 70 my breast and piiiowed II
there
Yon are a good man, or you wouldn't
do that. he faitered al last Mother
used u hold me IN her arms Just So
when was little fellow. But father
was always cold and sterni couldn't
have done what did II he had been
different IL want 10 tell You about
Il before 70. You can write 10
mother when all is over-but not now,
not now. J might get well, and il
would not do. Z
lie had another ct Of coughing then,
and Laid him back on the cot, white
and exhausted
sit won't be long nowf' sighed Rube
Sawyer. stealing in on tiptoc. .An'
wouldn't It nigh about kill his mother
M see him lynn sol After all. it's Just
as we'll she doesn't know. I'll watch
him tonight as careful as she would
herself You can sleep there In the
other bunk. II need You I'll call
So ] retired from Barton Jcrome's
cotsidc II proved long. long night,
for could not sleep And neither did
our patient He moaned and tossed
about, and once he again spoke aloud
RUDE and both caught the words.
They were: Mother. father--forgiye.
u reckon they would the miner
whispered. wish they could see him
now. What's the boy done, anyhow
lie win tell me yet, answered,
III he lives long enough.
And the next day, barton jerome
rallied. He was even strong enough to
sit mp for an hour, by the open door. It
was then he told Rube and me the
whole story Of his blasted life. He
kept nothing back. and he did not try
to excuse himself in the least It was
briefly this. He was an only son. and
he had been carefully brought up and
educated But soon after leaving col
lege, he had learned to gamble. Then
ne lost heavily. and TO cancel the bad
debts incurred he deliberately opened
his fathers safe. and took thercfrom a
thousand dollars After confessing all
to his still loving mother. he fed from
home, and did not stop until he reached
the Pacific coast. There he drifted
from bad to worse, until he finally
brought up at the little mining camp,
ont In the Mubas foothills, where l
had found him the day before.
When he finished his not uncommon
story, ] made no comments They
were not necessary. He was young,
and crring, and he was also dying.
II want to make restitution, /" he said
ut last. ~ can do it now, thanks TO
Rubel He made some investments for
us both that have turned out well, and
can pay father back. ten-fold You
must send 1t at once. will make out a
check for all have. My bank book IS,
In that coat behind the door. Sorry
put of writing SO long i'm not equal
to letter nowl But-you can say all /
wish him to know Don't mention my
being So ILL II would only worry
mother
you must write to them Yourself
said. deciaedly, IF IL is only the one
word forgive h@ge are pen and paperi''
You think thatassenld do. STRIP
Most assuredly,"
He took the pen then, and traced the
beautiful word ina scrawL He tried
70 sign his name, but could not. His
sudden strength deserted him. and he
fell b-sk in faint Rube and were
q long time in restoring him to con-
scionsnegs Indeed we once thought he
lad left us forever Bnt Barton Jetome
lived full fortnight longer, and
| have never regretted my stay
IN that remote and far-away
camp. We had many precious
talk together, and he died at last a
thoroughly repentant lad. wholly at
peace with his MakeE / wrote to his
parents, making the Nastitution he de-
sired, and also inclosing his letter Of
one word Forgive For he was new
er strong enough afterwards TO write 4
more, And their loving answer came
the very morning heS passed away
They gave him their fall ana free for
giveness. and oh, how they begged him
toEcone homcl Ills dying lips were
pressed to the letter again ana again.
Forgiven by God, aud father and
FaofNher, tool he whispered '.oh, II
was too much to hopc for, ana now to
think it's trnei You'll bury this letter