The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-15

ed. and dunne tlc ~ ci tist 7.eif 7N
dropped the abrupt witticis1ns for
tremulous eageDe-s-
.D.d ye know l had son, Mr. Car
roIleH
NO answered, intent on my
work. .sWhere + he now2n
arE's rich man now, and gentle
man. - she said proudly and yet with
wistfulness that made me glance quick
" at her face.
II could only get that expression,
thought, and went to work with per-
feet frenzy.
.How Is II that yeu are not fine Ia
dy then. Maggie | asked.
ssThat's what ed make meme,
dive ear who's scrubbed floors for -
wears. But I'd only shame i'm an
folks "a say, Dear, dear, an dye know
mother j. a charwomanr An then ed
only he ashamed Of me No, no, no,
I couldn't stand that, and ] told i'm
so.u
There was an awkward pause in
which could think of nothing to say
the poor thing, 20 l glanced at her
compassionately and thoughtfully mix
ed some sepia on my palette.
s.Ye see, sir, twas this way, Maggie
went on after a while. "After Joe died
we'ad nothing, not a ha' penny TO buy
bread. 20 1 sent the boy 10 the 'ome for
poor children and began serubbing
fioors. II was hard to let Dick go, but
I tried not 10 sorrow over il, for !
knew / could not keep i'm. / didp't
see i'm for quite a while then-not till
e was year, for they wouldn'tlet viz
itors in on Sunday, an ] was workin
all the other days.
''I went up there with my -orubbing
things an all one night, for I'd jest
come from nv work, an e didn't know
me. sir, e ran away and i'd when |
tried 10 kiss i'm. Well, after that
went up whenever 1 could get away af-
ter nv work was done at night, though
I was awfully tired, an e got kinder
uster me an liked to build tents 10y put
ting up my brooms and mOps an wrap
ping my shawl round 'em, II Ulster
eaIl my mop doctor. because e said the
and was ike DIR. Dicks whiskers- DR..
/ Dick was the regular doctor at the 'ome,
an ED took shine TO my little Dick
zone day / was washin windows IN
an Office ON Turner street an in walks
/ DIR. Dick. Well. we'd a talk an the
end Of il was e took my Dick to fetch
up for his son. r was nice, kind
! gentleman, and knew he thought a
sight of Dick, but il was ard for me,
for 'ad to promise not 10 see Dick
after e left the 'ome. But I'd no
money 70 fctbh him up on, an Dr.
Dick "a made i'm a gentleman, an l
couldn't stand in the boys way. Ed
soon forget me, though it nearly kill
ed me when thought Of it.
'eThat must have been near thirty
wears ago, but soniethin hurts ere,
touching her heart, when ! think Of
the day / said goodbye"
There was another pause in which /
painted furiously.
..What days to-day? The 18th isn't
it? Well, it was just five years ago that
Dick found me out, an I was still
scrubbing. 1 didn't seem 10 have any
art TO get anything better TO do after
let 90. What was the use
..Dr. Dick was dead an 'ad left my
Dick lots o. money an a letter that
told i'm all about me, 80 ed come "a
look me up and take me 10 live with
i'm. f was good, but awful cold and
still like an wore kid gloves an finer
close nor Joe ever 'ad. But / ought
not to say that, for e alters i very
good TO me, jest if was a lady, but
!, Won zee e was different, an / nevel
could love him ike little Dick
80 | told i'm e must leave m,
where was, for couldn't be 'appy in
a big 'ouse with fine clothes AN would
only shame i'm before folks.
An old woman like mel was To,
old to change Ia scrubbed all IN,
life and was going 10 scrub to the end
said /, We mustn't come to see me on
week days when I'm workin either
, cause 'twouldn't 30 no good, an folk
d only wonder
'"E got a little mad at that, but
fancy he was kinder glad way down
/ said e could come on Sundays, al
we'd spend that day together if :
wanted 10.
/ 80 now e comes every Sunday an,
takes me to church, an / rig out in tn
fine shawl an bunnit an things e keep
, givin me an try to be Ike great ricl
lady
ats kinder hard sometimes L
think 'e's really my boy, for 'e don
talk ike me or seem to belong to m
now, but s'pose its all right, an e
a real fine gentleman, i Dick" shl
finished with pride, which poorly con
ees,led the aching mother heart be
: meath.
'Poor Maggie" said softly unde
my breath.
"Why do you say that?'i she criel
almost fiereely. 81 amt sorry abou
anything, an Dicks as good TO me a :
can be. Mighty few women got sucl
, a son, reckonr'
After that we neither spoke till tn
clock struck 6, and | stepped back t
view my work.
1t was truly the best thing had ey
er done. and another hours work woul,
have finished it, but the light was 20
ing fast, - began TO pat away m.
brushes and paints, and Maggie gath
cred up her things 10 leave.
;, Il wish there was something coul'
!, do for You, said as Slipped col
into the old woman's hard palm. fel
more sympathetic now that my worl
d, was done, and her story seemed I
7 mean more 10 me than when / Wa
wondering whether TO Use gray c
n brown for her faded eyes
! Her face frightened at the words.
''Some Time" she faltered, slowly