The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-11-05

rior to those exhibited by any other
infant In the wide world. Ted was
not u commonplace, everyday baby,
not lie. Ills wOrdlcss babblings were
full Of wisdom, only we poor ordinary
mOrtals could not understand the
mysterious language In which they
were altered.
= y
! laid down my knitting and in the
red Goals OF the open fire crate read
the coming years, bringing the newt
able changes for Ted and his mother.
The boy Is not satisfied to live within
the clasp Of those sheltering arms.
He must see life, bc free, to go out in.
to the world and Judge for himself.
The mothers eyes are dim with gath
ering tears and she trenlbles with fore.
bodings. Her boy, her little Ted, is
out there, away from her love and
watchful care. lie may be cold, or
weary, or Ill. The great world Is pitt
less, and there are many snares. She
reads the papers and trcmbles ut every
sensational items. 0, II she could
only have kept him as he was, little
innocent child, when she knew his
thoughts and directed his actions.
Her solitude Is far more lonely than
mine, and for the moment am glad
that the tiny sock 10 my lap is for
lIelen's child, and not for mine.
y 4
But as the years spin on l see Ted, a
man; nO longer needless child; the
comfort and support Of his mother.
He has gone through the fires and
come back to her, with his boyish fan.
cies, his egotism and ignorance re.
placed by the quiet decision and self.
reliance Of the. mature man. How his
mother appeals to him, defers to him,
and anticipates his wishes! In her
eyes he is the wisest aud the hand
soonest young man in the town. She
Is proud Of his lover.like attention to
her, and with q flush on her cheeks
and an added brilliancy In lier dark
eyes, she looks but few years his
senior. These are happy days, but in
the height Of their enjoyment the
shadows come stealing. 1t is. at first,
only a thought. an imagined prefer
ence, but it is soon deepcned into q
realty.
=
Ted's mother believes in marriage.
She would say 50 II you or should
ask her. She believes in 1t as the tru-
est and happiest condition for man
and woman kind. She has deliberate.
ly and firmly studied the question,
and decided that there Is not single
girl in the town who would make a
good wife for her boy. There are good
girls, pretty girls, accomplished girls,
but not one whom combines the nee.
essary gifts and graces. Lately there
has been a difference 10 Ted. He has
not talked so freely at dinner, and has
been strangely absent.minded. He
surely cannot be attracted by frivol-
Gus little Miss FlOssie, the only and
pettcd darling OF DR.. Everett? Ted's
mother always admired her sons taste
until now, but in this most vital choice
she cannot understand him. In vain
she appeals to his reason. lie says
little and acts much. Though he re.
spects his mothers opinions, she is
forced to see that she Is alternating him
at each expression OF them. So she
decides like sensible woman to make
the best Of things.
Miss Fl0ssic Is invited to spend Il
quiet afternoon with her prospective
m0ther.in.law. She is found To pos.
sess a shrewd little head, a warm
heart, and a charming manner.
After all that has been said and
done they decide to make the most OF
each other, and In the intertwining
0f my balls of heecy yarn l see the
parable OF their united lives. The
last stitch on the last needle is bound
of, and the playful kitten ia rolling
the bright remnants on the hearth
rug.
The State Board Of Health filled 1t!
professional places On the coast will
young doctors from the interior o
the State. Without disparagemen
to the young men. may we not ask |