The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-11-26

At 4 o'clock Matilda Springer awoke
She hurriedly dressed and called Budd.
He went out and hitched up the two
horses to the old democrat wagon and
removed the back seat.
He led the horses up to the back
porch and called to his mother. She
came out dressed in a brown poplin,
and on her wavy gray hair rested her
best bonnet, a little affair of jet, with
violets on one side and strings to tie
under the chin. Around her shoulders
she had wrapped a shawl.
'T-I-can't hardly wait" she said,
half to herself.
Budd helped her into the wagon and
climbed in after her. He drove over
the dusty country road and across the
old wooden bridge with one hand hold
ing the reins, for she clasped the other.
She did not speak often during that
drive. There are times when the heart
is too full to allow of the forming Of
words. This was one of those times.
The mothers heart was filled to over
flowing with love for that boy whose
face she had not seen for so many,
many weary weeks, whose brown eyes
had not looked down at her for oh, so
long.
The wagon rolled down the last hill
in the road and around the curve at the
bottom. Budd drew up the horses at
the depot platform. "Yew stay here an
hold 'em," said his mother. "I'll go
over there an sit on that truck til tn
train comes"
She got out of the conveyance and
walked around the station house to the
other side. Unobserved hy Budd she
wiped her eyes and then she sat down
on the truck.
BY and by the young agent came and
unlocked the door of the building and
went inside. Out upon the cool morn
ing air was waited the "click. click" of
the telegraph instrument.
Mrs. Springer rose from her seat and,
entering the building. walked over to
the ticket window.
rs tn train from tn north on time?"
she asked.
Three minutes late at Silver Lake"
was the answer.
"Heow long afore it's dueT' There
was little tremor in the voice.
It'll be here in eighteen minutes"
the operator replied.
BY and by from away up the track
came the rumble of an approaching
train. Nearer and nearer, and then
around the curve above the station the
engine swerved.
The bell changed and the train
stopped. Mrs. Springer ran back to the
passenger coaches. One or two sleepy
! heads were pOked out of the windows,
but no one got off. The woman's jaws
fell. No, there was no one in the rear
cars for Evans Crossing, the brakeman
told her.
"Ain't they some soldiersT she
cried. her face all white.
ooh. soldiers" he said. 'theys some
up in the baggage car"
The woman turned and ran down the
platform. AS she reached the forward
end of the first passenger coach two
soldiers lifted a long pine box from the
car ahead and laid it on the platform.
The woman cried out to them
"Where's Jim, my boy jim? He was
comm on this train! Where is he?"
"Whoy' asked one Of the men in uni
form quietly.
MY boy, Jim Springer"
The soldier did not answer. He
stopped and glanced down at the little
white card tackled on the lid of the long
pine box.
Il can't tell her, Bill" he whispered
to his companion.
The engine bell rang.
The train was moving.
"Why-why--wh don't you tell me?'
cried the woman.
She rushed toward the two men. She
glanced down at the box. The care
read the words written there. Thel
. she stood up straight, her face white
her mouth open, her eyes staring a
nothing.
z A cry cut the ARA keen, piercing
gashing cry-and the woman fell upol
her knees beside that box and, throw
, Ing her arms over the top, sobbed anC
beat her head against the lid an,
scratched the rough boards with he
nails.
] And just then the sun broke through
. the clouds and the dewdrops on tn
p grass, the leaves, the trees and every
e. where sparkled like diamonds. All ma
f ture seemed to mock a mothers agony
= Detroit Free Press.
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