Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-16
THE COUNTRY BOY.

When the country boy came down the
stairway from his chamber and entered
the kitchen, tho third day after Mrs. Tot
mans funeral, he saw his father welding
the broom and heard the spluttcr of eggs
frying in the spider. His mother was not
there. In her place was an atmosphere of
helpless masculine discomfort.
where's ma?'
"Shc's abed--got one Of her turrihlc
sick headaches" was the doleful and half
irritated answer. "She said not to wake
Name, cause she was out late last night
to the Town Line sociable. So we'll have
to shift fer ourselves this mornin. You'll
have to look out for ma till Name gifts up.
Keep plenty of water in the teakcttlc for
hot cloths. The mustard on the second
shelf of the pantry. You know how to fix
up a plaster. Two got to meet Tom Dye
at the caucus and bargain fer them farrcr
cows"
Before this the first symptoms of a reap
pearance of the sick headache demon had
been sufficient to move the country boy to
a p%recipitate and cowardly retreat. But
he justified this action on the ground that
he could do her 10 good by "hangin
round' and that his room was better than
his company. Now, however, he must
bravely face the stern demands Of the hour
and "do for her" until he should be re-
lieved by Name. After washing the break
fast dishes he concluded that the dreaded
entry into the sickroom could be no longer
deferred. Balancing awkwardly on his
tiptoes, he opened the sitting room door
and then paused to listen. The means
and deep drawn signs which came from
the east bedroom struck him with a sense
Of terror.
The cloud of Mrs. Totman's funeral had
not wholly lifted its black pail from his
heart and the groans Of his mother brought
back the dismal picture with %redoubled
distinctness. He was almost afraid to pro-
coed and take the first look at the sufferer.
His heart thumped W it'll we'll nigh audible
throbs as a deep silence followed the ex-
pressions of pain. Then he knew that be
must go forward, and he picked his steps
across the rag carpet more softly than ever
before. Whom be reached the big rocking
chair, he settled down into its chintz COW
cred depths, limp as the dishcloth which
he had just hung over the oven door. His
mother lay upon her back, a white cloth
folded across her eyes and her brown hair,
always so smooth and glossy, struggling
over the pillow in confusion. The air OF
herbs and pungent with the odor of cam
phor. About the floor and bed were scat.
tered shoes and garments, while in a chair,
close by her pillow, were heaped the cloths
with which hor head had been bound dur.
ing the night. The strange disorder of tho
place sent dismay to his soul, but the par
TALLY covered face and the awful stiffness
bf his mother caused him to start from his
chair and watch the comfortable above her
breast. 1t moved. With the assurance
that she was breathing he again settled
into the chair.
A feeling of fearful and over1nastering
helplessness took possession Of him as he
sat there at the foot of tho bed, his eyes
wandering from tho pallid features of his
mother to the faded array Of ancestral
photographs which hung in oval frames
above the headboard. Suddenly it came
TO him that all these were dead, Mrs. Tot.
man was dead, all the people since Adam,
with the exception Of q few old folks and
those who were getting old, were dead.
He compared the living with the mighty
multitude OF those who had passed into
the black shadow of the grave, and the
number seemed enthusiastically small.
Perhaps his mother might get we'll this
time-she always had, and bis father did
not seem to be badly scared-but some
time she must die. And so would Name
and his father and Chef. Then he would
be left alone in the, world. And nothing
nothing that could be done would help
it any. Softly he turned about in the chair
and slid down until his knees touched the
floor and his face was buried In the chint2
cushion. Silently, but with an inner
frenzy of e~arnestness, he prayed that his
mother might get well this time. His
faith could not compass more than this
limited petition.
As he arose from his knees his eyes
Mught the motto, worked in perforated
cardboard with red, green and blue
zephyrs, which hung above the bureau. IL
proclaimed the Scriptural assurance that
God Is Love" A hopeless, lethargic con
yicticn that these words were not true stole
into the boys consciousness. He had been
taught that God made all that was made.
1t had been in tho golden text of the Sun.
day school lesson, Flo had learned it by
heart and Elder Jennings, his Sunday
school teacher, and his mother had all ex-
pounded its truthfulness without reserva-
ton. In his paroxysin of ingenious doubt
the country boy wondered why God had
made headaches for his mother to have,
why there was 40 much more of pain and
suffering and death In the world than Of
Joy. And If God didn't make these aw-
full things, who didP
He was very sure that II his mother had
made the world che would have left out
aick headaches and that abe would not
have had any sin or death in IL. There
would have been no need for boys to be
afraid in any world that his mother would
have made. In fancy hs tried to realize
the Joys Of living in . world where all Of
these things were unknown and where
one might DO truly happy and know that
1t was going to 'tlast right on" Just az in
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