The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-11-10

as much as do Tor 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 20 her
room in silence and with burning
cheeks. When they called her to sup
per she said she was not hungry, and,
as 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 sullzy.
If she had been milder with father
they would have lived more like other
people," said Matilda, indifferently,
when explaining the cause of her moth
er's absence.
81 wouldn't keer so much" the old
lady was sobbing to herself upstairs,
''if 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.
'But wouldn't a had 'em if it hadn't
been for love of pap. an don't think
he'd ort to forgit me nowl''
Down in the city the warm spring
days awoke new restlessness in old
Mr.. Paine. His daughter Jane was as
kind to him as kind daughter could
be. Her children were taught to adj
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 so determined to have
her own way. Then twinge of con-
science tola 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
funny sort of little dudgeon. Then as
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 a
fine boy. He'd a-been the finest we got
if he'd a-lived, for he seemed to hev
more sense an good-heartedness, some
ways. don't know as blame her,
after all, for bein' so bound to hev him
go to college"
And, the barrier of stubborn reproach
once loosened, some way everything
began to look different, and when he
hobbled back to the house the old gen.
tleman was very heart-sick to see the
wife he had treated so brusquely the
past many years.
He went straight to his old satchel
and took out a well-cared-for book, but
one of an old binding and print. 1t
was Latin grammar, and had been
his secret and most carefully-preserved
treasure for over thirty years.
AS the mother had gone to the grave
of her most ardent ambitions, so 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-sweetheart
-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 onctw
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 if 1 can't rent it.
They's nice garden patch with it, and
tain't too late yet to put in garden
stuff, an'-an'-don't ye 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 could make
enough with the garden fur her an me,
an you children could help us. Idon't
believe Henry would want us to live
this way; do you?"
mo, father
That night, an hour or SO after the
express thundered past the station, a
couple of miles from the crossing,
Grandfather Paine walked up Matilda's
front yard and around to the back door,
where the old grandmother was put
ting away the nights milk.
Grandmother gave little glad cry
and dropped the crock of milk all over
the tabby cat, and threw her arms
around his neck.
81 just couldn't stand it no longer,
Mary, an lowed as you and me he'd
run it this long we might stick togeth-
er for the few years that's left to us
An mother, Pm powerful sorry 1 fit
you like l alters did about Henry's
goin to college"
Matilda started to oppose the new
arrangements She said they weren't
ht to be left alone at their age and
would be an endless trouble to the
children.
But for once Matilda was overruled
and In few days grandmother was
busily engaged in "fiXin' up" the little