The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-24

stond up in long line IL front Of You.
hut one day IL seemed to me your eyes
staved fixed upon my face for long
time. oh. SO long a time, and then you
smiled and beckoned me to your side
and smoothed my hair and asked me my
name and told you, and then 1 tried TO
nut nv arms around your neck, for you
seemed so sweet and good, but the ma
from pulled me away and whispered:
no. no. child, don't do that; go back to
your place!"
The tears had been gathering In
Molly's eyes as the sailor lad ran on this
way with his "reminiscences OF the Wal
ter home, and had not Zach's stern face
been fixed upon her she would most
surely have reached out and taken hold
of the boys hands
"And oh, dear lady," resumed God
frey, II can't tell you how glad was
when they told me that you were COM
ing to Sydney, to look after Capt. John
Allaire. have tried TO think out some
good reason why he doesn't come home,
for know he must be alive somewhere
/ know itr'
Molly started up as II awakening from
n dream and caught the sailor Lad by tho
hand. For a moment her lips moved,
but she was powerless to utter a word.
deeper pallor spread over her face, and
she seemed upon the point of falling
into a swoon, when suddenly slender
but strong arm was passed around her
waist. 1t steadied her and held her ten
derly and firmly upright.
Poor lady, cheer up" said Godfrey.
Don't worry; everybody says that
Capt. John is living with the natives
somewhere in the wilderness, and that
he is such brave and strong man that
he'll get away from them yet Don't
cry, mother"
"Mother" repeated Molly, in q smoth-
cred tone Of joy, as her hand passed
caressingly over the thick black curls
that grew in wild profusion on the lads
head. "Mother?"
"Why, yes, lady," said Godfrey, sur
prised at the effect of his words, that's
what we used to call you at the home.
Our mother, our dear mother to whom
we children owed everything in the
world, our home, our clothes, our food,
our education!
Overawed by the stern look and
wrinkled brow of the seaman who
stood with twitching hand and trem-
bling lips following every changing
phase of this strange and moving
scene, Molly drew herself in and
showed calmer exterior.
"My lad" she asked almost In .
whisper, what Is your name?"
"Why, I've told you, lady, Godfrey"
"No, no, your full name-the name
of your family?"
II have no other name, madam"
"But your parents-who were they?"
81 don't know, dear lady, can't re-
member them. / can only remember
my nurse and wouldn't be able to do
that only she was so black, oh, so
black, and her teeth were SO big and
white and sharp. Yes, I remember
her!"
"But who took you to the Walter
home?"
IL can't tell you, dear lady, l only
remember being there when 1 was a
little toddler. / think was the small
est one of your family, mother!"
AS this word again fell from God
frey's lips, Molly lost all control over
herself. Her bosom heaved convulsiEe-
as her breath came and went In sob
like catches. She turned, and thrbw-
ing both her arms around the sailor
lads neck, drew his head~with wild
and impassioned outburst of feeling
close and tight against her bosom.
For n few seconds there was deep
and painful silence, broken only by
the sound of Molly's breathing, then
with little joyful cries mingled with
ill-suppressed sobs, that mothers
heart emptied out its long pent up
grief in shower of kisses and ca
resses, which Godfrey was neither loatb
nor slow TO return. Zach looked on
with wide-opencd eyes and parted
lips, seemingly paralyzed by what was
being enacted before him.
"Oh, the poor woman! the poor wom-
an" he groaned. What will become
of her!'
Suddenly Molly, with an almost SUI
perhuman effort, drew herself to-
gether and succeeded in checking this
outburst OF feeling. Then with her
arm wound affectionately around God
frey's neck, she led him TO the door,
kissed him, and said:
$50, my dear child, go. ! need TO be
be alone. I'll see You again soon
very soon"
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