The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-04-04

1Not oops AhhN ~ -
thought, sir. I'd just come myself and be
the first to give We the good news. Laddie.
laddie," with a slap IN the back which
contrasted oddly with the respectful
Sir" "go your ways, man, and thank the
Lord for all His mercies. Your wife's do
ing well; and we've got 4 BARN"
"My wife," Roderick sprung up like a
shot.
lou, ay, she's fine; and it's a lad BARN.
She babe Janet come and tell We. She
wadna haze We flashed about it till all was
over. My certie! but she's n brave wom-
ana woman in q thousand, is young Mrs.
Jardine."
The old fellow drew out his snuff-box,
took several pinches, and blew his nose
with great violence, deliberately turning
his back upon the young man, as perhaps
was best.
"Thank God!" Roderick said at last.
quietly and gravely. "Have l Il son or a
daughter? 1 forgot. 1 did not quite
hear"
"a son. sir. Another Jardine Of Black
hall. They tell me-I've been up at the
house mysel-that he's such a grand
BARN that his mother is so proud of him"
Ellis mother-my SON.: how strange it
sounds
Roderick put his hands over his eyes.
vainly trying to realize that great change
in a young mans life. when he has actu-
ally given hostages to fortune and sees
himself not merely as himself, but as the
father of Il race to come. who will carry
down his name. laden with curses or
blessings. to remote posterity. A certain
momentary terror-or less terror than
awe-came over him. Then, as if accept
ing the responsibility which no good man
need fear, and which most men in their
secret hearts are rather proud of. he
shook hands with Mr.. Black, put his ac-
count books aside-luckily they were near
ly finishcd-and prepared to go home at
! once.
1t was a wet night, had been pelting
rain all day; truly the small Jardinc of
Blackhall got but Il weeping welcome into
this "wearifu' world But the young
father never noticed it. He was fully and
overpowcringly happy. The fear which
half unconsciously had hung over him
like a cloud for weeks was now all
changed into a delicious hope and joy.
Bidding a CHEEKY goodnight to Mr..
Black ("By the by. l had Il line from your
wife yesterday. but that's no matter now"
said he. as they parted, Roderick walked
rapidly up the brae-the familiar walk,
with the light in the parlor window shin
ing ahead all the way. 1t was dark now,
but there was a faint glimmer from the
room upstairs. his wife's room. His heart
swelled almost to bursting as he looked
ut it.
"My son. our son. Another Henry Jar
dine. If my father had only known. And
my mother. shall l write to my mother:
Perhaps. No."
Choking down the pain that would rise.
turning resolutely from the ~ever-lurking
shadow which no sunshine of JOY could
quite Danish. the young man passed
through the dark garden to the hall-door.
Faithful Janet was there TO open it:
only she. All was safe now. but il had
been an anxious day. The house felt
quiet-painfully quiet. its master thought.
as he went into the empty parlor. They
would not let him speak to his wife, but
only look at her as she lay asleep, like a
marble image. Her eyes were closed.
but a sweet smile fitted about her mouth.
and her left hand was extended outside
! the coverlet, over a small heap. a little
helpless something. What Il slender, soft
hand it seemed, with the w~edding-ring
shining upon it, and yet how strong it
~was-strong and tender-cssentially a
mothers hand.
The young husbands eyes were dim,
but he had self-control enough to obey or
ders and creep quietly downstairs, not
even asking to see his little son; in truth,
just then he hardly thought of him at all
as a human entity, but only of the moth
err, the precious life imperiled and saved.
And he had known nothing-nothing. all
this time. With what silent courage had
she sent him away at breakfast time,
and kept him ignorantly content at his
work all that long day; that terrible day.
Just like her. She never thinks of her
self. but of me. My %darling-my only
darling!"
BY and by she awoke, and he was al
lowed to kiss her, without speaking; in
deed, she made n attempt to speak, only
smiled-her own ineffably peaceful smile.
Then he settled himself in the parlor,
which looked frightfully empty, all the
more SO that so many of her things were
lying about-her garden shawl and hat,
which she had taken off when she came
in the evening before, her work-box, heI
desk-carefully left open, with a little
heap of addressed envelopes placed on
the top of it. so as to save him all posi-.
BILE trouble. There We're even the foreign
stamps ready affixed to the Neuchatel
letters. No one at home had been for.
gotten; neither Mrs. Grierson nor Lady
, Symington-nOt even Mrs. Alexander
Thomson. AT which Roderick again NUT.
tered, Just like her But there was nc
letter-how could there be-addressed tc
Mrs. Jardine.
Best not he said, with a thrill Of
anger, the sharpest he had ever yet felt
I'VE bore all our sorrows alone. we will
not make her a sharer in our JOY. 1t is
nothing to her. and she is nothing TO us
now"
But even while he said it Roderick's
heart melted. 1t seemed as if. now he
was a father himself, he felt all tho
more ycarning toward his mother-tho
mother who bore him. Nothinp conl1 al