Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-11-19
Democratic Northwest,
AND HENRY COUNTY NEWS.
Writ en- for the Northwest
THE BANK CASHIER.
BY ORA SHEFFIELD.

'Elmlry!
The voice was feeble, shak ken, but
with lingering power and sweetness
in the tremulous tones that told Of
sometime melody.
We'll, father2'
The answer came from an adjoin-
ing room, and presently woman ap.
peared in the doorway, tea-towel and
cup in hand.
A pathetic figure, stopped and bent
with age and toll a pathetic face
framed In silvery hair, and deeply
lined with care; pathetic eyes. clear
and true, but with patient sadness
in their quiet depths, that spoke elo-
quently Of heavey burdens b?rce un.
complainingly, and in silence.
A true mother face, the index Of :
heart that bears all willingly, gladly,
with no thought Of return; such heac..c.
have borne the burdens Of tho world!
We'll, tather?' she said inqliring,y,
and the old man looked up with eager
eyes. %, wife, see what Tom has
writtenl' She took the paper from
his trembling hand, and read the
name in hourishing, bold, letters at
the bottom of the half sheet
Thomas B. Scott, and faint finsh
tinged her withered cheek.
Yes, that was Tommy that was
her boy! Then she turnet back an |
read the letter, but slowly, as one uu-
used to the task.
Clear through, down to Your af-
fectionate SON, then she folded the
paper carefully, ,as if it were something
precious, and looked up to meet her
husbands eager gaze.
He wants US to come to the
Worlds Fair, she said slowly, doubt
fully.
The old man looked at her with
wistful eyes.
do you think we could manage it,
mother?' His voice sounded almost
appealing, like little child's.
lit wouldn't cost us cent, Tom
would see to all that, he says, and,
Just think of that music in Festival
Hall, 0, motherl the old mans voice
faltered and broke, while he turned
away and looked from the window at
homely farm scene, now subdued and
softened by the gathering twilight.
Mrs. Scott hesitated for an instant,
with far away look in her eyes, as
of one rapidly reviewing ways and
means.
4 could not co. she said at last,
1T would be impossible for us both to
leave home, and could never stand
the crowd, it would be the death Of
me, but if you could stand it?-'
Il could stand most thing Elmiry,
for the sake of hearing that musical!
0 wife, wife, if you only knew how l
long and thirst for It'll Sometimes,
in the night when | can't sleep, | lie
for hours with the most wonderful
melodies running through my brain.
If | could hear them played out on
all those hundreds of instruments,
why, it would be like Heaven!
AS he talked, the old mans dim
eyes had grown bright, his STOPPING
figure stood almost erect, and his wife
In fancy could see again the husband
OF her youth, full Of high hopes and
proud ambitions
i know you can't understand it,
Elmiry,' he went on half depreciat-
ingly, and yet you have been so pa
tient with me, and believed in me,
even when lost faith In myself. l
could never have stood all these
struggling years but for you. Elmiry!'
She came and laid one trembling
hand on his shoulder.
1T does me good to hear you say
so, Thomas, she said simply, though
the sweet old face grew lender, and
the soft voice sounded as If tears
were not far away, for have always
felt as if things might have been diff
ferent if you had married some else;
some one who could have helped you
more. But mere the old man broke
in eagerly.
NO, no, Elmiry, be said earnestly,
4No wife could have done more than
you have, nor been more Of . help;