The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-03-30
[coNr1NuED.l

| your sister, all right. You'll never get
any more of my months allowance.
And If do smash your things l don't
come home drunk at night and break
mothers heart. That's what she's
crying about this morning that and
fathers queer ways. Oh, dear, don't
want to live; life is so full of trouble!'
And little l2-year-old Bess sobbed in
| genuine sorrow.
| George forgot his headache minute.
Come, Bess, come and kiss and
make up. Honest, now, / didn't mean
| it. was bad to say what | did. I'll
buy dozen hats and let you sit on
them for fun. Don't go away angry.
| I'm so miserable
He lay down and groaned.- and Ress
went to him Immediately, all her anger
| vanished.
ooh, let me get you something to
drive away your headache, and III
bring you up something nice to eat
| Mother had Norah save something for
you. Didn't you, motherY
1 Bessie asked the question just as her
| mother came in.
Mrs. Hardy said Yes and, going
up to George, sat down by him and
| laid. her hand on his head, as his sister
| had DONE
The boy moved uneasily. He saw
the marks of great suffering on his
mothers face, but he said nothing to
express sorrow for his disgrace.
'Bess, will you go and get George
his breakfasts" asked Mrs. Hardy. and
the minute she was gone the mother
turned to her son and said:
George, do you love meY"
George had been expecting some
thing different. He looked at his moth
er as the tears fell over her face, and
all that was still good in him rose up in
rebellion against the animal part. He
seized his mothers hand and carried
1t to his lips, kissed it reverently and
said in low tone:
Mother. am unworthy. If you
knew"
He checked himself. as if on the
verge of confession. His mother wait
ed anxiously and then asked:
Wont you tell me all %
mo; can't"
George shuddered, and at that mo-
| ment Bess came in bearing tray with
toast and eggs and coffee Mrs Hardy
left Bess to look after her brother and
Went out of the room almost abruptly.
George looked ashamed and after eat
ing little told Bess to take the things
away. She looked grieved. and he
said:
Can't help it. I'm not hungry Be
sides, don't deserve all this attention
Say. Bess. is father still acting under
his impression, or dream. or whatever
it wasp
Yes; he ISL replied Bess with much
seriousness, "and he is ever so good
now and kisses mother and all Of us
goodby in the morning. and he is kind
| and ever so good. don't believe he is
in his right mind. Will said yesterday
he thought father was non campus
meant US. and then he wouldn't tell me
what it meant, but | guess he doesn't
| think father is just right intellectual
| w."
Now and then Bess got hold of big
word and used it a great deal She
said intellectually" over twice. and
George laughed little. but it was a
| bitter laugh. not such asa boy of his
age has any business to possess. He
lay down and appeared to be thinking
and after awhile said aloud:
II wonder if he wouldn't let me have
some money while he's feeling that
way"
/ "Who" queried Bess "Father?"
What! You here STILL Curiosity Z?
Better take these things down STAIRS
George spoke with his headache
Tone" as Clara called it. and Bess
without reply gathered up the tray
things and went out, while George con-
tinued to figure out in his hardly yet
sober brain the possibility of his ia
Their letting him have more money with
which to gamble. and yet in the very
next room Mrs. Hardy knelt in an ago
ny of petition for that firstboln. crying
out of her heart:
70 God. it is more than can bear.
10 see him growing away from me SO!
Dear Lord, be thou merciful to me.
Bring him back again to the life he
used to live! How proud was of him.
what joy he was to me! And now,
and now! o gracious Father, if thou
art truly compassionate, hear me! Has
not this foul demon of drink done harm
enough! That it should still come into
my home! All, but have been indif
ferent to the cries Of other women, blu,
now it strikes me! Spare me, great and
powerful Almighty! My boy! my hearts
hunger is for him! l would rather see
him dead than see him as saw hin
last night. Spare me! spare me, G
GodY'
Thus the mother prayed. dry eyet
and almost despairing, while he fol
whom she prayed that heartbroker
prayer calculated. with growing cold
y