The Washington times., 1894-09-02

Ambrose, make fire honey and a moment
later. because we had put warm flannel on
her she fancied the fire was made. That's
good boy, you was allus good boy, sonny;
when l git better - but she didn't finish
the sentences she smiled and turned her head,
and when we looked at her again she was
gone.
Mrs Carroll. you are not eating any
thing"
''ithink I forgot myself in the story" said
Mrs. Carroll. please do go on, Miss Keith;
what did the boy do?'
Miss Maria glanced at Mrs. De Forest who
had not once raised her eyes from her tow
els; it appeared to Mrs. Carroll that she drew
the thread in and out with suppressed We
hemence.
The boy?" repeated Miss Maria. II felt
so sorry for him: he was so fond of his mother
so unusually fond, indeed not willing to
60 to sleep lest she should want him, and so
plainly anxious about her. l thought |
would not tell him until morning; it is so
much harder to suffer at night. But he
walked up. and l saw him sitting up in bed,
and beckoning to me. He pulled me down.
'How's mawl he whispered. She is better.
Ambrose l said. Has she took her milk?'
he said. staring at me, with an anxious look
that found it hard TO meet. 4 gave her her
milk, Ambrose When? said he. Some
time ago He let his bony little arms drop
and gripped his poor little narrow chest with
both those claw-like hands. Something
seemed TO choke him before he could speak.
is nav dead?' he whispered-such whis-
per! Such pitiful eyes staring out of his lit
tie starved face! II couldn't tell him.
said Miss Maria, catching at her voice for a
second. Il took him in my arms and l be-
lieve l very nearly cried over him.
But he pushed me away to run to his
mother, and all the grief. child as he was, he
lad stified lest it should disturb her, broke
forth with frantic violence-I didn't dream
that child could suffer so. He fell on the
floor and chung to my dress. oh my good
woman he shrieked amt there some way
of raising from the dead? There was a man
don't you know?-maw tole me about it
and he had Two sisters, and they got him
raised from the dead. He was q good man,
but nav was q good woman-oh, she was,
she was!' And then with tears and sobs. he
poured out the story of their hardships; it
was cruel story. such things make one Won
der why they can be permitted. It seemed to
me that dead woman was martyr; she had
worked until she fell and died, only thinking
of her child; and to the hideous end never
giving up her simple code OF principles. That
woman had sweet and heroic soul no matter
how squelid her surroundings'
Yes. she had said Mrs. De Forest.
The red rushed into Miss Marias cheeks.
She flashed a glance at her sister full of
emotion. but beyond the others deciphering
''What did you do with the boy?' asked
Mrs. Allison.
''We found a home with good farmer in
! the neighborhood for him when he got well,
but he was i'll with the fever long time. He
grieved so for his mother it nearly killed him.
| remember one might've moved him to the
house, and he had the next room to mine
heard him moving about and went in to
| him, and will you believe that poor little
| creature had crawled about and was trying to
dress himself? oh, my heart my heart feels
like it jest got to jump out, it hurts me SO, he
walled, clutching at himself Let me go,
lady, please let me got
"'Oh. jest got to go back to the house in
the woods and build a fire and hang maw's
dresses round, and maybe 1 won't feel so
! lonesOmel Oh. did try to take care of her,
| / did, did But was so little and 1 didn't
know, and I stole them things and made her
| feel bad, and she sayd: Ambrose, if you ev'
! do hook anything agin I'll bust you haidl'
/ Oh. my dear nav, she new did speak to me
| aginl' He repeated the words with the most
/ heart-breaking intonation-such singular
words to treasure; yet he was right The
roughness did not mean anything. l told
! him the last words that she did say, which
seemed to comfort him, and took him in my
arms and soothed him to sleep. Just before
he went to sleep Re patted my cheek and said
! You face feels like maw's. Will you let me
be you little boy?' And 1 said yes"
Mrs Carroll and Mrs. Allison were both
wiping their eyes; Mrs. De Forest sat dry.
eyed, but with strained look of excitement
in the face. She began to speak when Miss
| Maria hesitated.
You may as well hear the rest of the
story" said she. MY sister nursed the child
through the fever; he was. have been told
avery attractive, manly, and passionate boy
l did not see him, so l cannot speak excep
from other peoples opinions. Maria became
very much attached to him; she''-Mrs. d.
Forest swallowed and set her lips more
flrmly-'she wanted to adopt him. wa
not willing. I suppose l have too much fam
lily pride, for one thing. II suppose l wa.
jealous of anything coming between Marie