Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-06-18

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work. Where is he now"
LES n rich man now, an n gentle
man," she said proudly and yet with
wistfulness that made me glance quick
y at her face.
If 1 could only get that expression, L
thought, and went to work with perfect
frenzy on the face.
How is it that you are not n fine
lady then, Maggie?" I asked.
''That's what ed make meme, dye
ear? who's scrubbed floors for 80 year!
But I'd only shame i'm, an folks'd say,
Dear, dear, an dye know is mother is
a charwomanr An then ed only be
ashamed o. me. No, no, no, 1 couldn't
stand that, an 1 tol i'm So"
There was an awkward pause, in
which 1 could think of nothing to say
to the poor thing, so glanced at her COM
passionately and thoughtfully mixed
some sepia on my palette.
Eye see, sir, twas this way Maggie
went on after awhile. After Joe died
we 'ad nothin, not ha'penny to buy
bread, so l sent the boy to the 'ome for
poor children an began scrubbin floors.
1t was ard to let Dick go, but tried
not to soITcr over it, for l knew
couldn't keep i'm. didn't see i'm for
quite awhile then-not till e was
year for they wouldn't let visitors in
ON Sunday, an l was workin all the 9TH
ar days.
Il went up there with my scrubbin
things an all one night, for I'd jest come
from my work, an e didn't know me,
sir! e ran away an id when l tried to
kiss i'm. Well, after that 1 went up
whenever l could get away after my
work was done at night, though l was
awfully tired, an e got kinder lister
me an liked to build tents by putin up
my broom an mOps an wrappin my
J shawl round en- E ulster call my mop
Doctor, cause e said the end was like
| Dr. Dicks whiskers. DR.. Dick was the
regular doctor at the ONE, an ed took
shine to my little Dick.
Zone day | was washin windows in
an office on Turner street, an i'll walks
DR.. Dick Well, we 'ad n talk, an the
end of it was . took my Dick to fetch
up for is son. e was nice, kind gen
tleman, an 1 knew he thought sight
o. Dick. but it was ard for me, for Tad
to promise not to see Dick after o left
the 'omc. But I'd no money to fetch
| i'm up ON, an DIR. Dick d make i'm a
gentleman, an l couldn't stand in the
boys way. Ed soon forget me, though
! it nearly killed me when thought of it
THAT must "a been near 30 year ago,
but somethin hurts ere, - touching her
heart, when think of the day l said
goodby."
| There was another pause i'll which l
painted furiously.
"What days today? The 18th. isn't
it? Well, twas just five years ago that
! Dick found me out, an l was still scrub
bin l didn't seem to have no art to
get anything better to do after let Dick
go. What was tho use?
| DIR Dick was dead an 'ad left my
| Dick lots O. money an n letter that told
i'm all about me, so ed come to look
me up an take me to live with i'm. e
was good, but awful cold an still-hke
an wore kid gloves an finer close nor
| Joe ever 'ad. But l ought not 'er say
that, for e alters is very good to me,
Jest as if 1 was lady, but you see e
was different, an l never could love i'm
like little Dick.
$50 told i'm e must leave me where
l was, for couldn't be Apply in a big
'ousc with fine close an would only
shame i'm before folks. An old woman
| like me! | was too old TO change. I'd
scrubbed all my life an was goin to
scrub to the end. An, said l, we
mustn't como to see me on week days
when I'm workin either, cause
'twouldn't do no good, an folks d only
| wonder.
"'E got q little mad at that, but
fancy he was kinder glad way down. l
said e could como ON Sundays an we'd
spend that day together if e wanted
to-"
| $50 now g comes every Sunday an
takes me to church, an l rig out in the
fine shawl an bunnit an things e keeps
givin me an try 10 be like a great rich
lady.
cts kinder hard sometimes to think
'e's really my boy, for e don't talk like
me or seem to belong to me some ow,
but s'poso it's all right, an 'e's real
fine gentleman, is Dick, " she finished,
with pride, which poorly concealed the
aching mother heart beneath.
Peer Maggie" said softly under
my br9lth.
why do you say that?" she cried
almost ficrccly. Il amt sorry bout
anything, an Dicks as good to me as
e can be, Mighty few women's got
such n son, rcckon!''
After thst we neither spoke till the
clock struck 6, and l stepped back to
view my work.
1t was truly the best thing had ever
done, and another hours work would
have finished it. but the light was going
fast, so 1 began to put away my paints
and brushes, and Maggie gathered up
her things to leave
Il wish there was something l could
| do for you, " said l as l slipped coin
into the old woman 5 hard palm. 1 felt
more sympathetic now that my work
was done, and her story seemed to mean
more to me than when l was wondering
whether to use gray or brown for her
faded eyes
Her face frightened at the words.
''Somo time" she faltered, slowly,
''if you could paint Dick-jest little
thing for mo-
GLADLY" 1 answered, but when
and where can see him?"
| why, e. She stopped "Somo
time p'haps you'll see my Dick, an 1
'ope you'll like i'm. 1 should like to
ave you know my son, Mr.. Carroll.
Good night, sir. "
And she was gone.
had just got back from dinner when
there was a knock at my door. and DR..
Davis came in unceremoniously. I was
used to having him drop in about that
time in the day and rather enjoyed o
chat with my gentlemanly landlord, for,
though outwsrdly grave, almost to sad
ness, he displayed at times q grim hu-
NOR that was vastly entertaining and
was, moreover, a man Of education and
refined tastes He rarely spoke of him
self and kept his cloak of reserve well