The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-11-27


men came down by rail to visit her,
and she drove with them in her
snowy carriage past Mattie's humble
home and threw upon the sad face,
bent owe" some work at the window,
such looks of scorn as might have
been Matte s due had she been
very wicked creature, but which
under the circumstances were quite
uncalled for.
All this went on for two years at
least, and by that time Mrs. Waters
boys years old she called him, but
he hardly looked 3-was running
about the grounds and escaping
from them whenever he could into
the bargain.
Oddly enough, whenever he got
free, he made straight for the strip
of green land that lay between the
house that Matte dwelt in and the
river. It was the water that tempt
ed him, and his delight was to launch
q tiny boat with paper sails upon it.
At first Matte ran away when she
saw him. Then she began to watch
him, thinking how like he was to
the captain, with that head of clus-
tering yellow curls, thinking him
like also to what her boy would
have been had he lived-for she
never doubted that he was dead
until her heart softened, and one
day she opened the door and tempt
ed him in with cake as one might a
bird. I'll. ..
After that he used often to come
to her. All Rudleigh was scandal
lied by the fact, and Mrs. Waters,
ignorant of it, until she one day
came upon the two at the rivers
edge the boy with his arms around
the woman's neck. She was in her
! carriage when she saw them, but
she was out of it in an instant, peril
ing her life in the jump And she
struck the child blow and called
Matte by an evil name, and no one
who saw her face forgot it as she
drove away again with the scream
| ing child.
Matte went into her poor home,
broken hearted, and her maiden
aunt berated her woefully, and Mat
tie could only weep. -.... ..{..s..
"Where is your PRIDE said the
spinster, ''your decency2" 49,"
And Matte sobbed: l." Nv.
"He is so like Frank-so like
Frank, aunt. Don't be angry with
me- -..
The old nurse was we'll berated
also, and for awhile the boy was
kept within bounds, but he hada
will of his own, and at last, one
warm autumn day, mamma out for
a drive as usual, and nurse doing,
the great gate swung behind him,
and he battered down the green bit
of land and peeped into Mattie's cot
tage door. ~. l. 80
She was at an upper window, but
| she did not call to him-she dared
not-and he wandered away to the
waters edge. There he launched his
boat and padded in to bring it out
again and splashed and wet himself
and soiled his fine clothes with the
mud and was happy beyond express
sion. .'.' ~.
Matte yearned for him, but she
sat still and only looked until the
tears filled her eyes, and she hid
them in her apron and fell to weep
ing bitterly. But from this shrill
cry aroused her. She started to her
feet. The child was no longer on
the bank, but out in the water
cleaned a yellow head and two tiny
arms, and a cry of ''Mamma!' came
to her.
| 1t was as though her own child
called. She flew from the room and
down the stairs and out toward the
river Others were rushing that
way, but she was first. She never
paused to think, but plunged into
the water recklessly. -. .<E,t5
In another moment she was out Of
her depth, but she had the boy fast
by his little waist and did her best
to reach shore with him. Men were
near by this time, and the two were
drawn to land together, and in the
midst Of the crowd Matte stood
holding the dripping child to her
breast when the whirl of carriage
wheels smote her ear. '''.. aga
A harsh voice cried, whats all
this?" and there once more was Mrs.
| Waters.
Matte gave a scream, but held
the child closer The woman, with
look of hate which had some ter
Tor in it, sprang to her feet. -,
| The horses plunged and reared.
For heavens sake, sit still,
ma 'am!' cried the coachman, but
the warning was unheeded.
Mrs Waters attempted to leap to