Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-12-20

But somehow she could not forget 1t
much, though she did try. Her eyes
grew bright but that look that came
when father died never went away,
and her face grew thin and by and bye
she could not go about any more.
They took her to the hospital, and
the Sisters said she was so patient and
good that it wasn't any trouble to take
care of her.
/ used to go and see her every day,
and she grew thinner and thinner and
weaker and weaker. and she used to
talk to me and hold my hand in hers,
that was so thin and hot.
One moryIing they sent for me early.
There Srar, i light in her eyes just as
if the morning that was just beaming
in the east, was kindlin' in them too.
She kissed me and she says 'My poor
little Jack, be a good boy; be good
and true man just such as your father
wanted you to be and when / see him
l will tell him you have always been
good and / am sure you will always
be honest and true. Then she kissed
me again and pretty soon mother was
gone, too, and l was all alone Nobody
left. Nobody.
They said mother died Of consump-
ton, but / know she died because her
heart was broke, she couldn't live on
that way any longer no how.
When they buried her somebody
brought lots of lovely white flowers
and laid on her coffin. Wasn't / glad
But they weren't no whittier not bit
than mothers whole life had been.
/ tell you Ben, the whole. world SEEM
ed empty then. Nobody nowhere for
me and Just wished l was dead. too.
Then I began to think what father
and mother had said: BE true man. ~
The world looked awful black, but
playing the coward and wanting to
creep out before / had call to go
wasn't what they wanted me to do
SO, l said there was something to live
for. To do what they wanted Inc to do
So / am going to rustic. Expect ii
will be rough shedding, but Ill do my
very best, and / don't believe it will
be for nothing; any way, I'll try. But
it does seem kinder hard when 1 think
tomorrow is Christmas, and such lots
of boys and girls have so many to love
them. l don't care so much for the
pretty things, but it makes me think OF
the difference, you see.
A gentleman had halted q little way
off. He caught something of what
Jack was saying, and became interested
He listened, then he came up, and hand,
ing Jack Il card, said: after you have
eaten your turkey tomorrow, come to
that address, won't you? / would like
to see you by daylight and talk little
with you. VIII you come"
Eyes, sir" answered Jack prompt
ly, Il amt very pretty, but can stand
the daylight. I'll come, sir"
Jack went. 1t was a beautiful home
in an aristocratic quarter and it's lux
urious appointments he thought must
look like the palace of king.
Mr.. Phillips, the man whose card he
had taken, assured him that he thought
he did not lose anything by being seen
in the daylight, and that if he would
be true to the convictions he heard
him express the night before, he thought
he could help him carry out. the wishes
of the good father and mother whose
memory he was glad to know he rev
erenced.
And he did, and in the sweet motherly
heart of Mrs. Phillips he found warm
corner which no children of her own
had come to fill.
The years are rolling past and though
when Christmas comes the holy memoir
les Of the bitter past sweep over his
soul, Jack knows there is something to
live for, something in heaven, and
something on earth knows that there
are strong, earnest, tender hearts in
his beautiful home, that care for him
special"