The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-14
WHEN NE BROUGHT THE BLACK ,.jIE
The One Thing In Life For Which M.A
Young LOnged Came Too Late.

zhe One Thing In Life For Which Ma
Young Longed Came Too Late.
1t ms 10 very eXartiHy ambition t.iat
Robert Young's mother had cherished
all her life. She lived very quietly on
.,le western prairie farm to which ne
and her husband had &c together
when they were both yoc..g. She did
not expect to he rich or ever think abort
it, She was content with the ho,neiy
found of her daily life. Sometimes he:
husband used to say that if they had
only happened to go here or there, where
some Of the friends Of his youth had
found copperor silver. or struck oil. they
also might have been worth millions, but
the wife always answered: 1T want to
be. John:it want to be. And we've done
pretty well. as things go, but l should "a
like one good black silk DRESS
This was the only wish that Robert
Young had ever heard his mother ex-
press. and he used to say TO himself when
he was a boy:
BLESS the dear mother! She shall have
it the very first money l earn"
Roberts father, too. planned in his
mind the same thing. but n year
the harvest turned out badly. and an
other the children had diphtheria, and SO
it was that the coed black silk had never
been bought.
1t was a strange thing that the son of
John and Rachel Young should have
been an artist. But Robert began to
draw before he could write. and at last
he got hold of a box of colors through
the kindness of one of his Sunday school
teachers, and then he made pictures that
dazzled the eyes Of his prairie neighbors.
As he grew older he got orders for
portraits from proud parents who We're
willing to give s. for a daughters or a
sons likeness. and he saved these small
sums until by the time he vas 1S he had
enough money to take him to Boston,
where he hoped to find a good teacher
and to do something really worth while.
His struggle in the city was hard
enough to begin with. Every snowstorm
was a friend to him, for wherever he
shoveled off steps and sidewalk they
were sure to want him again. he did his
work so cheerfully and SO well.
He paid for his lessons by taking care
of the studio of the artist under whom
he studied. He was ready to do any
honest thing to earn an honest penny,
and at last. even in Boston. people found
out that he had a special talent of his
own and began to buy his pictures.
There were SO many things at first to
do with the money that he earned! He
must have a little studio of his own
where people could come, and it would
not answer for the artist who had his
studio to live like the youth who
used to shovel off sidewalks. He did not
forget the good black silk dress or the
mother who was to wear it: he only
waited.
At last came a spring when he had
been fairly prosperous. and he planned
to go home for his mothers birthday in
August and to carry the dress with him,
but just then he received All invitation
that fattered him. His former teacher
was going to Ipswich for a summer Of
sketching and asked Robert to go with
him.
1t seemed an opportunity toe good to
be lost. So he went to Ipswich, and the
summer few by as if on wings, and Rob-
CIV All lol ~ iOliC III uSNs AO ouAy
wrote "a letter.
1t was October before he started for
the faroff prairie farm. Once on his
way, he hurried forward by night and
day until he reached the little station
that was nearest to his home. He had
written when he should arrive, but he
did not see his father waiting for him as
he had expected. He felt a momentary
sense of injury, but just then an old
neighbor came up.
Il s'pose you might as well ride home
long with me-" he said. Il told 'em I'd
fetch We, as long as yer pa couldn't"
Couldn't! Why
WAL, l sort er hate to tell .ye, but
yer mother, she had a shock er palsy
yesterday. and yer father dent like ter
leave her jest yit."
There was a strange choking in Robert
Young's throat. The good back silk
dress was in his ~valise, but he had
brought it too late.-Youth's Companion.
Drawn Together.