The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-03-09


shutters were closely bowed and tied
with broad black ribbons, a lady was
unfolding and stroking with tender
hands the contents of n small trunk.
Not packed for O travellers comfort,
the trunk contained only the posses
sions OF babe year old, who had
''gone before" to the heavenly home
For six months the bereaved mother
had made weekly visit to the trunk,
unfolding and refolding every baby
garment, packing carefully the baby
toys and stroking tenderly every tiny
object endeared by the touch of the
little one she had lost. Yet, on the
day when the sixth month had rolled
by, her tears fell upon the dainty EN-
broideries, the worn socks, the broken
toys as fast as on the day when she
first put aside the clothes Baby Willie
would never wear again. Her dress
of heavy black, loaded with Grape.
suited well her pale, tear-stained face,
heavy eyes and grief-drawn mouth.
While she was yet busy ut her
mournful task the door opened softly
and two beautiful boys OF four years
old, her twin sons, Eddie and Charlie,
came into the room. Seeing their
mother busy, they softly stepped to
her side and stood quiet until Eddie
spied tin horse and wagon on the
floor. A moment later he had grasped
it and was pulling IL down from the
summit of pile of little garments.
Down toppled the whole pile, the
cart rattling noisily. The mother
looked around with quick frown.
"You naughty. heartless boyl" she
cried, sobbing. "How can you touch
your poor, dead brothers things? 1
think you are old enough to know
poor Willie is gone, never to come
back, and mamma is so sad-so--"
Here the sobs choked her, and the
children, terrified, began to cry. too.
Eddie sorry" one sobbed; ''don't
ky, mamma"
SIS Charlie bad boy, too?" asked
the other, with piteous wall in his
voice, that should have gone straight
to the mothers heart.
"Go to the nursery" she said, and
the little ones trotted of, hand in
hand, vaguely conscious that they
were in disgrace and ready to be COM
forted by rosy-cheeked Mamie, their
nurse.
"And, dear knows" said that warm
hearted individual to the cook, ''it is
n shame for the poor darlings. It's
not blaming Mrs. Aiken 1 am for cry
ing her eyes out for the beautiful boy
she lost. Didn't 1 love every curl OF
his hair, the pretty pet. But look at
the two that's left. Wouldn't they be
q comfort to anybody, aud Mrs. Aiken
only speaks to them now to set them
crying. Sure she can't expect babies
like them to remember their brother
more than six months, and If they
were downright wicked she couldn't
be harder than she is If they laugh OF
romp. She'll break their spirits en-.
tirely."
And the mother, rocking to and fro,
with the picture Of her dead boy
clasped to her heart, was thinking:
Everybody is forgetting Willie but
me. But will never forget. I will
never, never cease to mourn for my
darling. Oh, Willie! willier'
Breaking In upon her sobs came q
whistle,ea merry whistle of q popular
tune, and the door OF the dsrkene Cd
room opened again noisily.
"Where are you, Susy? OH"
Voice and face fell, and Mr.. Aiken
stood. silently at the door, his eyes
o1oxvJy ookb IN =, ~ N ,v or,ce,,I ox--..
sion suited to the funereal aspect OF
the scene before him.
'T was hoping you had gone out
when did not find you in the sitting
rOom," he said, but Mamie told me
you were upstairs. I wish you would
not spend so much time in this room,
Susy. It is wearing away your
health"
ooh, Fred" the mother sobbed,
show can you whistle! / don't expe o.
sorrow or sympathy from the children,
but you-I thought you loved Willie
80 dearly"
80 I did, Susy, but I made mos,
fortunate investment in business 9
few weeks ago, and today was able
htO pay off the mortgage on the house.
did feel light-hearted when thought
I had secured home for my family.
"Oh, Fred! how can you think O
money and houses when our beautiful
boy lies dead!"
The young husband stood shame.
faced and penitent. In tho shadow
Of the darkened room. with Willie,
picture on the wall, Willie's clothes
revealed by the open lid of the trunk,
Willis's toys standing on the floor, Il
did seem cruel aud heartless to thinl
OF anything but the lost child. AND
Fred had loved his baby boy with al
. fathers fondnsss and grieved fol
him deeply and truly. So he stoot
silently waiting while Susy dried hel
eyes andNc to his side. CAREFUL,
closing the door Of the room wher,
she kept the precious souvenirs o
her boy, she followed her husband I,
the dining room. Everywhere tn,
bowed shutters kept out Gods sun
liuhk AMI tha hru q A xvsa ~ Iark q. :,