The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-27

questioned her kindly about herself, and
she finally told me her story.
The old woman had evidently taken
q great fancy to me, and wish l could
remember tho quaint words in which
she told me of her girlhood in London
and her ooE6tship by man poor like
herself, though much above her in sta
tion--a newspaper writer, she said he
was
"When we were first married, we
took little country 'ouse that made
me think of billed dinner, for twas
painted in red an green an deep yaller-
jest like that paint you re mixin up now
--carrotty. Then the baby came. i"
Her whole voice and manner changed.
and during the rest of the story she
dropped the abrupt witticisms for Q
tremulous eagerness
did ye know 'ad son, Mr.. Car
roll?''
NO." 1 answered, intent on my
work. where is he now?"
"'E's a rich man now, an gentle
man, she said proudly and yet with
wistfulness that made me glance quick.
ly at her face.
If l could only get that expression,
thought, and went to work with perfect
frenzy on the face.
''How is it that you are not fine
lady then, Maggie?" l asked
That's what ED make meme, dye
ear? who's scrubbed floors for 80 yearl
But I'd only shame i'm, an folks'd say,
Dear, dear, an dye know lis mother is
a charwomanp An then ed only be
ashamed O. me. No, no, no, couldn't
stand that, an l tol i'm 80.
There was an awkward pause, in
which l 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 60 but l tried
not to sorrer over it, for | knew
couldn't keep i'm. didn't see i'm for
quite awhile then-not till q was 5
year, for they wouldn't let visitors in
ON Sunday, an l was worlzin all the 9th
er days.
81 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,
sirl e ran away an i'd when l tried to
kiss i'm. Well, after that l went up
whenever l could get away after my
work was done at night, though l was
awfully tired, an e got kinder ulster
me an liked to build tents by putin up
my broom an mops an wrappin my
shawl round 'em. 'E ulster call my mop
Doctor, cause e said the end was like
DR.. Dicks whiskers. DR.. Dick was the
reg lar doctor at the ONE, an ED took
a shine to my little Dick.
Zone day | was washin windows in
an Office ON Turner street, an in walks
DR.. Dick. Well, we 'ad talk, an the
end of it was e took my Dick to fetch
up for is son. E was a nice, kind gen.
tleman, an l knew he thought sight
O. Dick, but it was ard for me- for Tad
to promise not to see Dick after e left
the 'ome But I'd no money to fetch
i'm up on, an DR.. Dick ID make i'm a
gentleman, an | couldn't stand il the
boys way. ED soon forget me, though
it nearly killed me when l thought of it.
''That must "a been near 80 year ago,
but somethin hurts ere, F" touching her
heart, "when think Of the day l said
goodby."
There was another pause in which l
painted furiously.
"What days today? The 18th, isn't
it? Well, twas just five years ago that
Diok found me out an l was still scrub
bin. / didn't seem to have no art to
get anything better to do after let Dick
go. What was the use?
"Dr. Dick was dead an 'ad left my
Dick lots O. money an 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-like
an wore kid gloves an finer close nor
Joe ever 'ad But ought not 'er say
that, for e alters is very good to me,
Jest as if l 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
1 was, for 1 couldn't be Apply in big
'ouse with fine close an would only
shame i'm before folks. An old woman
like me! 1 was too old to change. I'd
scrubbed all my life an was goin to
scrub to the end. An, said l, 'ye
mustn't come to see me on week days
when Pm workin either, cause
'twouldn't do no good, an folks ID only
wonder.
"'E got a little mad at that, but
/ fancy he was kinder glad way down.
said g could come on Sundays, an we'd
spend that day together if e wanted
to.
$50 now e 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 to be like great rich
lady
''Its 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'pose it's all right, an 'es real
fine gentleman, is Dick" she finished,
with pride, which poorly concealed the
aching mother heart beneath.
Poor Maggie" said softly under
my breath.
"Why do you say that?'' she cried
almost fiercely. 81 amt sorry bout
anything, an Dicks as good to me as
e can be Mighty few women's got
such a son, l reckonP"