The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-05-08

u ~1hI rc1l Be iaIlcrcd = must
have meant ~ u,edicfneI It's tine 70
tairn 4. norTf feel ecnctinaes th1t -
board 10 brild ne up yetI When he
cooler neatter Comes III get nsqru rert.
And thtn7- Irepeated. a he poor
bog hesitated
e.OhfI7l get better theSnl- be added
hopefully "Brt yon d0nt beiierc
that, kno~. Yet Rabe ean tel 700
I've been far worse than you sec ne
now
took his hot fingers into ny own
'.Isarton jerome. have Jon : mother1-
s'Yes. his answer bot whisper.
And ron bred her cnceT
'.D3n't say thati lore her sffllf' Ne
cried, passionateiy. 'sBut IRE got 70
die without without hcri o Col
i Is hardf-'
"why without herr persisted
because she does not know my
whereabouts because dare not let
her InowI And she could not come 70
me. II n dill Is too iztei Too later
His white face was buried deep ii
The rough pillow.
suppose We write 70 her. sng-
gested "A true mother can forgive
and forget any and everything
rEo. nois he gaspcd You must noe
wrttei Rube does not Know, no one
knows Il herr. butt am fugitive
from iustireF-
did not say I thought As much; that
would have been positive crueltyi Bus
drew poor Barton Jerome's wasted
face 70 my breast and plliowed Il
there.
You are good man, OF you wouitln.t
do that" be faitered at last Mother
used % hold me IN her arms just 20
VIXEN was q little fellow. But father
was always cold and sterni lcouidn't
have done what I did IL he had been
different I'll want 70 tell ron about
IL before 70. Yon can write 20
mother when ali Is oyer-bnt not now.
not now. might get well. and Il
sonid not do.
He had another 81 Of coughing then,
and | laid him back on the cot, white
and exhausted
1T won't be long Domr' sighed Rube
Sawyer, stealing In on tiptoe. .An'
wouldn't II nigh about kin his mother
70 see him Iyin' sol After all. it's Just
as well she doesn't know III watch
him tonight o. careful As she would
herself Yon can sleep there in the
other bunk II need you III call :
So retired from Barton Jerorne's
cotside. II proved long. long night.
for could not sleep And neither did
our patient lie moaned and tossed
about. and once be again spoke aloud
Rube and ] both caught the wortis
They were. Mother. father--forgivc.
II reckon they would. [" the miner
whispered wish they could see him
now. What's the boy done. anyhow
lie VIII tell mo ret" answered.
''ifhc lives long enough
And the next day. Barton jerome
rallied. lie was even strong enough 70
sit up for an hour. by the open door. II
was then he told Rube and me the
whole story Of his blasted life lie
kept nothing back. and he did not try
TO excuse himself Ii the least IL was
briefly this He was IN only son, and
be had been carefully brought up and
educated But soon after leaving col
lege. he had learned TO gamble. Then
he lost heavily, and to cancel the bad
debts incurred he deliberately opened
his fatler's safe, and took therefrom
Thousand dollars After confessinR 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,
out In tho Mubas foothills where /
had found him the day before.
When he finished his not uncommon
story. made no commenta They
were not necessary. He was young,
and erring. and he was also dying.
i want to make restitution, I" he said
at last II can do 1t now. thanks 70
Rubel lie made some investments for
MS both that have turned out we'll, and
| can pay father back. ten-fold You
must send It at once. | will make ont
check for all have. My bank book Is
in that coat behind the door Sorry
put of writing 50 longl I'm not equal
to d letter nowl But you can say all
wish him to know Don't mention my
being VI I'LL It would only worry
mother
"You must write to them yourself"
said, decidedly, IF It is only the one
word forgive-here are pen and paperi'
"You think that would do. STRIP
Most assurcdly."
he took the pen then, and traced the
beautiful word In q scrawL lie tried
to sign his name. but could not His
sudden strength deserted him, and he
fell bnsk In faint. Rube and were
long time In restoring him to con-
sciousncss Indeed we once thought he
had left MS forever, Bnt Barton Jerome
lived full fortnight longer. and
have never regretted my stay
In that remote and far-away
camp We had many a precious
talk together. and he died at last d
thoroughly rcpentant lad, wholly al
peace with his Maker. wrote to his
parents, making the restitution he de-
sired, and also inclosing his letter Of
one word. Forgive" For he was ney.
er strong enough afterwards 70 write
more. And their loving answer came
4 the very morning he passed away
They gave him their fun and free for
givencss, and oh. how they begged him
10 come homei His dying lips were
pressed 70 the letter again and again
Forgiven by God. Gnd father and
| mother, tooia he whispered .'Oh, ii
I was too much to hope for. and now to
think It is truei You'll bury thisletter
with fnc?"