The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-09-10
DARK DAYS PAST.

them"
Where do you live, my boy?"
Away outside the city in little cot
tage. We have real flowers too. i have n
Hover patch of my own, and mother let's
me plant just what / please But won't
you buy bunch of these, sirp They are
only 25 cents, and they will not fade as
soon as the live flowers"
p" Yes, l will buy two punches of you IL
you will bring me "A bouquet of flowers
out of your garden tomorrow. Here is "a
half dollar for these and another half for
the flowers you are to bring tomorrow.
| Don't fail. | shall expect you at this hour
here in this saloon, where 1 generally
drink my cup of chocolate"
The little fellow thanked the man and
| was of in a moment.
The man bought the flowers. Why had
he questioned the lad about his mothers
dwelling placer He could not account to
himself for it,
The next day after his conversation with
the boy the man came half an hour sooner
than was his won't, and he seemed impa-
tient and excited. He had not long TO
wait, for the little fellow had evidently been
as anxious to bring the flowers as the gen
tleman was TO get them. After one glance
mt the beautiful bouquet he said, more TO
| himself than to the child, who seemed TO
be expecting IA word of praise for his
promptness or the beauty of his pets:
Il thought was not mistaken. No one
knew how to arrange bouquet as she
could. And the resemblance of this child
My God Could /, after all, have been de-
ceivedY 1t cannot be. i must have certain
ty." Rising hastily from his chair he
grasped the astonished child by the hand
and said: Come show me where your
mother lives, my boy. l must see her. J."
"But mother never sees company, sir
She only lets the gardener into our house
to tend TO the flowers once in awhile"
"But l must see her. Stopl What Is
your mothers name? l might have
thought of that before.
Mrs. Norton, sir. 3"
A shade of disappointment flashed over
the mans face, but only for moment.
81 must see your mother, child, else
your face, too, deceives me-"
Tho lad made no more objections. IF
we take the shortest road home" he said,
1--WE must go through the market house
here, and then the other streets will soon
be passed.
The walk was quite long, and especially
so to the gentleman, who was travelling it
for the first time. At last they came in
sight of a little cottage surrounded by a
garden. The house could hardly be seen,
so thickly was it covered by vines and
creeping plants, but one glance showed to
an observer that no unskillful hand had
been at work, and an uncommon mind
must have planned the whole to make the
place so complete q paradise. Opening
the gate the child led the way up the grav-
eled walk toward the house. On the por-
tico, which was not only concealed by
vines, but by two splendid chestnut trees,
he was received by voice of surprise:
"Why, Harvey Back already? And
your flowers you have brought back. What
has happened?"
"Mother, dear, don't be angry. The
gentleman who wanted my flowers said he
must sec you. Here he is.
AS he said this the boy pointed to the
gentleman, who was just stepping up on
the portico. He had stopped at the sound
of the voice and then reeled as If about to
faint; but, rallying himself, he walked on
until he confronted Harvey's mother. The
lady looked at the gentleman and was
about to turn away, but one more look,
and then cry, and she would have sunk
to the floor had not the strong arm of the
She was only overcome for moment.
Harvey, dearest is it you, or do l
dream?"
p" Yes, my beloved wife, 1t is l. After a
whole years search have at last found
you, through what l now know as our
boy, whom left as n babe" After mu-
tual explanations the gentleman said, |
"Ah, those were bad days when l had TO |
laava yo,, nd o,,r do r1ipe, HOY co factit1ta
through the failure of that bank. +"
"Did our creditors seize alls"
eyes, all except your jewels.
"But why did you let me mourn you as
dead all these yearsp Tell me that first. -
Darling, wrote so often and never re-
ceived a reply-not word of encourage
ment in all these weary years of toll and |
trial You know left for China. l wrote
to you from every port where we stopped,
and with every returning ship or steamer |
sent you letters. After my arrival at
Picking l wrote to you again to take heart
as had the good fortune to get a situa
ton In an American tea house, and would,
as did, send you half of my salary, which
was to be deposited semiannually at the
Bank of New York"
"It must be there yet then, for l have
never drawn any nor heard word from
you, and mourned you as dead, as you can
see by me wearing widows weeds yet.
When turned my jewels into money,
labored hard for more than year at
millinery store, sister taking care of our
boy. That was the hardest of all, to be
separated from him so much, but did it,
and after had learned the art of flower
making got along very comfortably, for
sister Ruth assisted me so faithfully. AT
last had accumulated enough to lease
this little place, which was at that time
perfect wilderness, and you see what -four
years of patient toll have made of It, We
had ample time to make our artificial flow
ers, and for more than year Harvey has
been in the habit of selling them for us
Yesterday, do not know why, l arranged
some branches as used TO do for ycu and
gave them to Harvey TO sell F"
"And 1t has been the means of my find
Ing you, for I had made inquiries for you
and no one knew of your
Thank the kind Lord who
aided mel We will purchase this place, for
have ample means, and the good Lord
willing, we will forget I'm our future hap
piness the dark DAYS that are past. '--Ex- |