The Press., 1895-05-30

the wolf stalked in. On her way to the almshouse--she showed her ticket of ad- mission-the trembling old creature ex- plained that she didn't expect ever to leave it, or even to live beyond few weeks; so she thought she'd come and ask just once'' if anybody ever had heard anything of ''her boy" q
 As the woman told her name, the time of the lads entrance to the asylum and of his going west, startled look came into the superintendent's face He was plainly under some unusual excitement It was quickly controlled, however, for he saw that there was case before him requiring diplomacy. The feeble, shak- ing, despairing creature sitting before him would never stand any sudden transi- tion, albeit the change was from sorrow to gladness; so he began a journey round Robin Hoods barn." He told her that they nearly always heard from their boys and girls. The truth is they always do; agents living in the neighbor- hood are employed to look after them, and woe be unto the man or woman who fails to keep the promises made in black and white before any of these, the city's adopted children, are indentured.
 Many of them write to us," he went lu, one dies, Onr agent informs us, it is put on record"
 Did my boy die ?" she asked, pitifully.
 Mot that we've heard of" was the cheery answer; "but, to show you how some Of them get along, I'll read you @ letter or two which pve received lately Here's one that came only this week listen"
 Then he read letter which, were it permitted, the writer would copy yer batlm as an example, first, of the law of the survival of the Attest; second, of the rising, Phenix-like, of long dormant, llhal love from the ashes of neglect, sep aration ,aead t,.e ,rss@5rbing purpose, para mount in all ambitious minds, to make a place for ones self in the world.
 or course, the question ere this has presented itself to every reader, as it did to the writer: Why did this mother wait fifteen years before inquiring for her chile? and why was it that the same number of years elapsed before a spasm of rcsurrected tilial love seized and drove him to an effort to find and care for her?
 To particularize a little, however, the young man went on to tell the superin- tendent that he had stayed out his time with the family where he was placed, had obtained fairly good education, had been successful in business, had a sweet, loving wife and darling little daughter two years old, and added that only one thing was lacking to complete his happi- ness, that was, to find his old mother, and, if living, to bring her to his home and care for her always; if dead, to have the sad satisfaction of marking her grave. "Can you help me?" he asked, in closing. The superintendent could help him.
 Long before the letter was finished tho old wOmans sympathy with that other mother, whose son wanted her so much had opened the tioodgates, tears rained down her thin checks, and fragment of her faded apron was brought into requi- sittOn. "Did you find herr" she asked hrokenly, between the sObs. ''Yes, we've found her." said the superintendent
 "Did she go?'
 "l think she will go," was the answer. "GOu see, we only got the letter this week. Wouldn't you go if your son sent for you ?"
 Me! I-whatw she faltered.
 "l mean-l mean," stammered the su- perintendent, if that letter had been wrh- ten by your son, don't you think 'tw0tlId be best to gratify him? It isn't so very far-only to Illinois,"
 "Oh, yes"-slowly- -"Pd go toto any place, if my son had writ that letter."
 "Well," parleyed the superintendent, you haven't asked me who wrote it; maybe you don't care to know"
 "Oh, yes, I do," she answered, sadly, though don't s'pOse 'twould make bit of difference"
 The reader must not call her stupid, that she had no susD after all this. She had had so much IT,uble, no wonder her senses were benumbed-t that her mind worked slowly. Besides, she never ex- pected anything so good as this could come tn her.
 To the superintendent the moment had come, and over lump in his throat he blurted out: "Well, twas your boy that wrote the letter, and it's you we're going to send to him before the weeks out ; There was the least bit of a chuckIe in his voice as he added, "And we had her there by Saturday night too"
 Afterward he said "I was in that part of the country few years later, and went to see them. The old lady recognized me when half way across the lawn, and came to me. Glad Well, really, l didn't know one spell whether I'd get away whole or in pieces, but certainly never saw a hap pier being than she was. Yes, their pho tos are in that album, but I can't point them out to you, or tell you their names They might not like it, you know"