The Negro world., 1900-04-28

Bob, who had been taking careful
aim at the gas globe, turned at the
| sound. "Hallool'' he exclaimed.
whats up, Nell? You look as IL you
had seen ghost" Then his eyes fol-
lowed her gaze Little coward! he
cried. teasing. 81 believe you got
funky at the sight Of this revolver.
Nell stopped short on her way 10
the door, then sne gave queer lit
tie laugh ''Well. perhaps | did, she
gaid and went quickly from the room.
Bob went back and finished his
packing; then he caught up his port
manteau and helmet case and went
downstairs.
in the hall Perkins. the man serv.
ant. met him and hurried forward
with scared face. "0h, sir, he cried,
repronehfully, you shouldn't, really,
sirl wouldn't have had II happen
for worlds, sir he said. patbetically,
as he took the case and portmanteau
from Bob's hands.
"Oh, II is all right. Perkins Bob
answered. with splendid condesccn.
sion; whereupon one Of the house.
maids, who was a witness Of the scene,
hurried of to the kitchen below.
Hes down" she exclaimed, breath
Iessly. "a-carrying Of his own port
manteau and looking as handsome
and cheerful for all the world as "
he was a-going TO be married, instead
Of off TO the war"
"Poor deari" said cook, as she
turned the chops; poor innocent
dearl"
Perkins hurried down at this mo-
ment. "To think" he cried, tragical-
Is, "as he's strapped his own traps
and carried down his own portman-
team, and he of TO the war! I'd have
lost a whole months wage sooner
than this ERE should have happened.
supposlng he's killed, and I've got IN
remember that he waited on hisself
the last morningl"
"Ain't he cheerful?" said Mary. the
housemaid "Iie don't look ms II he
meant to be killed"
"Oh! they none Of 'em mean to be
killed, but that don't make bullets
blank cartridges" Perkins answered,
grimly.
In the meantime mother had
dressed She had borne up braycly
throughout. Once, though, her lips
had trembled: that was when the
sound OF Bob's gay whistling ha !
renrhed her ears But even then low
ing pride had flashed into her eyes
and choked down sorrow. Her boy
was brave brave and true; and duty,
she knew full well, would find him a
hero,
She wondered II father, who was
In the dressing could hear the
sound She wouid like 20 have called
to him, only she was just "A little
hurt al his apparent unconcern at lis
sons departure. But after all, she
!. Thought. he was only man; he could
not know a mothers heart; his breast
had not pillowed the little sunny head
In the years gone by; he had not cried
with Joy when the little feet had
taken their first unsteady steps across
the floor. How well she remembered
that day. and how proud she had felt
Of her sonl He was such fine big
baby. She had placed him against a
chair, and he had looked up at her
with round eyes Of wonderi then
when her meaning came TO him, ht
had thrown back his little head and
with scream of delight, walked
brnyely forward right into her low
ing, waiting arms. And now--now-
She brushed aside her tears, for she
heard father coming.
Father entered the room quickly
but paused on the threshold. To tel
the truth, he had thought mother
downstairs. He had been trying "a
remember, that day when Bob had
ridden the new pong Tor the FIRST time
so plueldly. whether the lad had beer
breeched or not lie kneN the pie
ture was on mothers dressing table
and he had come In TO look at IL, and
there stood mother with the photo
graph In her hand.
"IIumph!" exclaimed father, "sC
you have not gone DOWN. and hi'
voice was not conciliatory. for he felt
that every one that morning him
self included. was wearing his heart
on his sleeve, aud sense of lost dig
nifty was irritating MN.
Mothers heart swelled at the tone
she put down the photograph and
looked up at father with u look In
which reproach and sorrow mingled
and then suddenly she turned aside
and her hands busted themselves
among the brushes and trays ON the
dressing table. for her quick eye had
detected that father was wearing Odd
boots--a huttoned aud laeed-up one,
To think of i'll He. the soul Of pre-
cision, 10 thus betray himself But
there his abstraction stood confessed,
And oh, how mother loved him for
III He had been such u stole, too.
Well, there was no accounting for
mans ways. but. thank God, he had
nut ON odd boots that morning. She
no longer felt lonely in her grief. lie
cared. too; his heart was aching also
for their sons departure. Oh. those
blessed odd hoetsl
She knew his nature. and stood for a
moment wondering how best to tell
him of his mistake without annoying
him. And presently mother. on her
way downstairs. tapped at the dress.
ing-room outer door. "One of your
lace boots" she said. II IstumbIed over
a.; | have put II down outside" Then
she waited until she heard father
swearing softly to himself, Then she
knew matters would right themselves
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