The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-11-23
WHEN HE BROUGHT THE BLACK SILK
The One Thing In Life For which Mrs
Young Longed Cnme Too Late.


1t was no very exacting ambition that
Robert Young's mother had cherished
all her life. She lived very quietly on
the western prairie farm to which she
and her husband had gone together
when they were both young. She did
not expect to be rich or even think about
it. She was content with the homely
round of her daily life. Sometimes her
husband used to say that il they had
only happened ogo here or there, where
some of the friends of his youth had
found copper or silver. or struck oil, they
also might have been worth millions, but
the wife always answered: ut want to
be. John;it want to be. And we've done
pretty well, as things go, but 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
ne was n boy:
"Bless the dear mothcri She shall have
it the very first money earn"
Roberts father. too, planned in his
own mind the same thing, but one year
the harvest turned out badly, and an
other the children had diphtheria, and 80
it was that the good 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 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 were
willing to give S5 for daughters or a
sons likeness, and he saved these small
sums until by the time he was 1S he had
enough money to take him to Boston,
where he hoped to find good teacher
and to do something really worth while
His struggle in the city was hard
enough to begin with. Every snowstorm
was friend to him, for wherever he
shoveled otf 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 no had special talent Of his
own and began to buy his pictures.
There We're so many things at first to
do with the money that he earnedl He
must have little studio of his own
where people could come, and it would
not answer for the artist who had his
own 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
10 go home for his mothers birthday in
August and to carry the dress with him,
but just then he received an invitation
that flattered him. His former teacher
was going to Ipswich for a summer OF
sketching and asked Robert to go with
him.
1t seemed an opportunity too good to
be lost. So he went to Ipswich. and the
summer flew by as if on wings, and Rob
ert did not go home in August; he only
wrote 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 momentary
sense Of injury, but just then an old
neighbor came up.
81 s'pose you might as well ride home
long with me-" he said. II told 'em I'd
fetch ye, as long as yer pa couldn't"
Couldn't Why?"
WAL, ! sort er hate to tell ye, but
yer mother, she had shock er palsy
yesterday, and yer father don't like ter
leave her jest yit."
There was a strange choking in Robert
Young's throat. The good black silk
dress was in his valise, but he had
brought it too late.-Youth's Companion.