Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-06-15
IT CAME TOO LATE.

WI WOUltu Hlbuu III u INV,
kitchen, the red glow of the fire be-
hind them; one old and gaunt, her
lank. gray hair struggling from be-
meath rusty black cap. her keen
black eyes glancing with hawk-like
vigilance above thin, hooked nose;
the other, young and comedy, chestnut
haired and gray-eyed. with finely
nodded figure and beautiful poised
head, the simplicity of the peasant In
her spotless print gown, but a peasant
with the carriage of queen.
AS Ralph Wrougton entered they
looked at him In silence for a minute
or more and he looked back at them
hoping, perhaps. they would speak
and make his hard task somewhat
easier, but II so he hoped In vain.
'T-have come back" he said at
length.
81 see thee hast. lad" the old wom'
an assented brusquely. Hast come
back as poor as thee went?"
Poorer; have failed"
81 never looked for thee to do aught
else. Well, well! and after thy big
words and-alll Thy schooling has not
done much for thee. beyond giving
thee notions above thy station In life
and q sinful pride that would take
none of Gods good gifts without thou
couldst pay for them, and put down
shilling for shilling; thou, beggared
before thou vast born; who, but for
the charity of neighbors, hadst drawn
thy first breath In the workhouse!"
She broke off. and, with keen
glance at the silent woman beside her
clattered out, closing the door as she
went.
Since that first look on his en-
trance, he had not once glanced at the
younger woman. but her eyes had
never left his face. They were fixed
on her now with a curious intent gaze
that he might have found 1t hard to
read.
"Ralph-not a word for me7"
mot one-that you would care to
hear. | have failed"
"But-hast done thy best?"
phoebe, | did my best; hut to
starve and struggle Is not enough;
and that's about all am good for. II
one day seemed to gain step In the
race for wealth, lost II in the next
went under in the crowd, 4 am a
broken man; broken In body and
mind; and L have good hope now
that soon. very sOOn---
What. Ralph"
pAu ,.tifa tuiII ha WidnW anh--a
tree woman"
"And you think--I shall be glad"
she said In dull. toneless voice,
most unlike her own.
think? know It; and do not
blame thee for It. blame none but
myself. Thy father did thee an Ill
turn, Phoebe, the day he married my
mother, and brought such beggarly
brat home to be a brother to thee"
"Thy mother has been good moth
or to me" The woman's voice re.
called him as he raised hia head to
listen. Twas my father came be-
tween u.s.
"Nay, nay; twas he threw us to.
gether. Thou wouldst never have
thought to do with such a ne'er-do-
well. and that set thee to spite him.
The tired voice sank to silence. He
was too weary to say more.
Ralph, lad--Oh, | deserve 1t all!
Thou dost right to blame mel"
Blame thee?" he looked at her in
q bewildered sort of way. II did not
think to blame thee"
The woman flung herself on her
knees beside him, and took his vast.
ed hands In her strong, warm clasp.
"Oh, lad, forgive me- I-have been
q beast to thee, but Loved thee.
loved thee through 1t all. II angered
me that thou vast poor. but folk
should think-Oh, lad. speak to me
Say, 4 forgive thee"
she chung closer to him, dawn
ing terror In her great gray eyes.
Ralph, lad, love thee" she cried
"Dost thou hear? love thee. have
ionged for thee all these weary years
to tell thee to show thee"
Another sound broke In on the pat
tering OF tho rain-the sound OF pat
tering feet along the passage. and
then chIld's happy laughter!
Hist. Ralph" and she sprang Ia
| her feet. "Dost hear? Thou wilt hear
him-my sonny little boy--whom
have 80 longed to show him TO his
father! o, thou wilt forgive me now
and love me, and--Ralph! Ralph"
She threw herself on the ground be
aide him and fell to violent weeping
| Yes, she had been pleading to dea
ears
Il was 10 late fer love or for re
morse % avail her anything here
Ralph wroughton, tho failure. wal
dead
And without a laughing child tried
yalnly to raise the latch.--West END