Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-03-01
TWO MOTHERS.
A story OF the War.

y
one ON the train knew her errand be-
fore she had gone half the distance,
and all felt "a kindly sympathy for
her and her son.
But if She had felt the need of hu-
man interest and sympathy on her
way down, before she had seen her
son, her heart was 80 full afterward
that as she waited at the station she
longed TO take everyone into her con-
fdence.
She openly regretted this hour Of
waiting that she might have spent
with her son, if she had known about
the train, but she was so afraid OF
missing it that she had shortened the
precious moments with him.
The only other person in the wait
ing room was a lady dressed in the
quiet elegance of wealth and breed
ING; and in spite of the evident diff
ference of their positions in life, the
little mother looked at her with
face of such heartfelt joy, that at
length the words found utterance.
I'm so very happy, 1 feel as if /
must talk!" she said, brightly, her
face wrinkling with smiles of delight.
II hope you won't think me awful
TuQe, Tia dIn, DuO COlnlA uClCS
am seein' so many things 1 never
ever dreamed of, makes me seem kim
der lig'ht-hearted. i don't remember
ever 7bein' so far from home in my
life before. AN seem my son after
I'd most made up my mind l never
could see him again, lna!"s.s me nearly
wild with happiness! He's been sick,
my Rob; a good deal worse than he
told me, ! guess. l felt bad enough
when he enlisted. An I'd lie awake
might after night just thinkin' what L
should do or how 1 should be able to
bear tiff he-never came back home
at all. Days wasn't so bad cause
Glad plenty of work ITO keep me busy,
am the younger children to look
after. An I'd go round plannin'
what I'd do for him when he got
back. But the terrible nights!" Her
face paled, and THE faded blue eyes
filled with tears.
The lady to whom she spoke, in the
appeal for sympathy, even from a
stranger, had at first looked in sur
prise ait the others address, but the
sincerity of the words warmed her
heart and she laid her daintily gloved
hand on the bare, wrinlSled one.
But perhaps I'm lleepin' you,
ma'am, with my chatterin'?" the ell
der woman asked, suddenly. I've
got to wait here for an hour for the
train to back. Are You goin' on to
the camp?"
Presently" replied the other, with
pleasant smile. 81 am surprised to
find the place so large. I have to
send to-sOme place or for carriage.
They said | would have TO wait a long
time, but / could not walk. They tell
Inc 1T is four or five miles. Go on.
please, and tell me about your boy.
j, too, have a son here"
The little woman laid her hand on
the others arm, and laughed out
right.
Then you know, don't you?-just
how feel. o, am so happy to think
I've seem him ait last, after all I've
thought am worried! 1t was good to
look at him, burt it was terrible 10
think what he's been through. He
was so strong an we'll when Ihe left
home, an now -" Her face uuiy-
ered-"so thin. am worn, am sor1ter
old-lookin'; an his face drawn an
sallow as if he was deadly sick. But
he says he's gettin' along first rate.
Why, would you believe I didn't know
him at all. at first? l was loolcin' at
each one of the cots as passed long,
an beginnin' to feel-O, God, can't
tell you
But when 7 was nearly faint with
the dreadin', an gettin' to the end
OF the ward, some one says-so weak
1 could hardly hear him-some one
says, Mother Am I turned quick's
a flash, an the thin delicate-lookin'
man I'd passed over-was my Rob!"
is he getting better?" asked her
companion.
The faded eyes smiled cheerily
through the tears.
oh, yes, indeed. thank YOU. He
says he feels a little stronger every
day, an I'm to have him home next
week. just think of 1T! After all he's
been through! No one need tell me
it's just fghtin that's done it. Them
dark shadders under his eyes means
starvin', am doin' without sleep. O,
ITS terrible the things one sees there,
In the hospital Your boy amt sick,
IS he, ma amp" she asked suddenly.
with n feeling of indiscretion.
mo, thank God, hes not sick!" an
swered the other, quickly. He has
written me, regularly. every time he
got chance of sending a letter Tell
me about the hospital. Is it net we'll
]oePt?"
'Oh, can't say about that. mean
lie boys themselves look so bad. I
car & get it out of my mind the way
they hooked; an one of 'em-even
SEEM Rob, am him gettin' along so
well. can't make me forget about one
of 'em."
"You mustn't worry about it." said
che other woman, cheerfully, though
her face had paled little. ct sup
pose they must look badly My boy
has just come back"
The little mother scarcely heard
her. She was wiping the tears from
her eyes with a big cotton handker-
chiew; but the sympathy in the voice
of her companion led her on.
You see, L can't forget NV boy
alvin through it all, an coming
back to me, an right next to him
Oh, 1T was hard! You see, in the yerv
next bed to Robis was a poor Young
fellow; younger than my boy, am as
handsome as picture; just lyin'
there a-moanin' once in a while. An
after I'd been there a bit, he opened
his eyes an see me a-standin', am he
was kinder wild like, an he called.
Mother! Mother!' an he tries to
reach out his arms.
He's crOinb forr;1D1a FoxtU