The Republican journal., 1900-12-06
mp MOTHERS HALF.

,od forWalu "ii0ii 'o io"ooN e"A-
'S' ,os hid her. Bent in this un-
OysthJj y.shje position, Mrs. Dunn slipped
oiIa1b iilb 10 bush until she reached
ouSy S wall which extended parallel
toll' road Kneeling, she pulled
u, i.' wall a loose stone. This gave
m Of an elderly man making
.'Tg TJagisurely through the front yard
"a. Ia her nearest neighbor.
isi'7 G1nn held her eye to the aper-
s. ~, the front door was opened by
ll,.l' ~ faced girl and the old man
Y ,,,to the hall. Then the watcher
u .ark al through the currant-bushes
'" 'st INTO the back kitchen-door
.', AID vail. Dropping into a rock
she covered her face with her
5rI wept.
,.. 1. What is the matter?" called a
t-om the next room.
,ome at last. l knew it would
,ant Ruth, and-ter here he's
"A and ter"
a. gnth did not need to ask what
!, o,' " 50 she merely put her foot OF
ger vi the baby's cradle and knit
.orrl, Meliss, shifting dismally,
.t5 fine sitting-room. She tapped
f nervolsly on the floor and
0 .ef bonnet strings as she
.,..a il had got to come soon, but
o,t ave waited until ma was de-
Med tirst. There he is over to
... making a fool of himself
ru and ma in her grave only
.4ss aud no tombstone. Pm
..sIie has waited this long. I'll
.tn rl be ordered around by a
.t- young enough to be my girl,
1rs, uure | won't be, and Oh,
.s. Aed violently and wept
. A.lt Ruth knitted placidly on
..la.a slept as soundly as though
+.r- voice had been low and
a,~,t. of shrill and earpiercing.
,a-alto that voice.
dU You say your pa was?'
luj hUth.
M-yt know that he's over to
r. / knew all along that he'd
M They say there's no tool
..H u1D and believe EN-. And
,,.urs are Just that prying,
Nud that they'd like to get
-.- +Hn through her children,
m' uue come in?'
t -4a- clicked MelisS' utterance
A.r Ruth remarked:
hJs stepped into his near
t~ house minute, where
ID. ut pVery night before your
adn't talk to me-" moaned
H smpW pa better than you do
.u can't make me believe
u after that Lettie, and
ytr known the trouble I'm
u- and me lost our mother
re .a- glls. and had pa married
llnt Ruth, calmly.
s.-. gcd to speak in the inter
. N -~ rawlings OF keep still.
.r IT'S not the same at all,
" lave forgotten, and mas
IT. uH.y six weeks"
...4 uh't he expected to stay at
time" expostulated Aunt
kuoW Why" screamed Me
.uk home is the proper place
nVldse Wite's been dead only
au knitted quietly on.
.t heard the same theme talked
j. l- phases for over six weeks.
Oat NeliSs' mother had been
a.s NN weeks, but while the
W her death bed even. the
r WAS anticipating her fathers
4HuUdge.
Il #e- some people who never
.urat or feel that they are full
a mission on earth, unless
-ag , gong wrong. Meliss be
lt"tWs class. Her highest hap
.#s nbeiug supremely miserable,
tf Mlther'S death opened a way
f ltiuue miserable as long as
.-'--l and to make miserable
Wo0W uer.
t e tle afternoon Aunt Ruth
Nej>~ IN the garret, Sobbing at
-as Vut apparently at work. Aunt
ao-f from her knitting and tax
&eHtcA to steady her lame knee,
.uled up two flights of stairs.
s- Flat are you about?' she in
WN on her knees before a
lYe The one small window
aMtted light and all to the
2-f. The broad hem of her
Am trom the tears wept into
"Hg put to other uses.
.a. under the sun, Meliss-"
ri .ei 4,nt.
a3il never have these" said
sr'efully, polishing a silver
1er apron.
al thngs," uttered Aunt Ruth,
l- Under her glasses into the trunk.
II SPOONS, wrapped around with
9NP-l, lay in row in a tin box
lr lue linen tablecloths and nap
AelSs carefully wrapped the
" spoon with paper and laid it
T It's mates.
'-y belong to my children, not to
Arlss continued. They are
.s9 oAeS, and pa will never miss
'4 she VIII never get her eyes on
t4 5IrlsS, your father paid for
I. a4d her aunt, dryly.
II '07At any more than ma did.
VI eYtfything here belongs to ma,
y r>unauon, and it's bad enough
"-'ue iarm go to her children with
-g1r ''rW silver spoons"
.'ils' ] almost get it into my head
'l are talking that your pa is
7 already"
49.t iust as well be, Oh, dear.
~ I ever endure to see her in
J''- aud-ter-" but a sob broke
r,Ir..
%. .taFe before the flood-gate is
N m1ttered Aunt Ruth, as she
~ away
47 upper table, Meliss appeared
ll9 lace. down which the tears