Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-02-23
BY Leigh North.
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far. with a half musical. whOis pathet-
ic cadence. and see med TO nestle anc Gle
away at the foot of the low hills which
the village folk politely called "the
mountains"
A little old woman with a snowy cap. i
a small shawl pinned over her shout
6ers and dark dress, stood az the door /
of n cottage. The smooth siivery hair (
and the soft withered cheeks seemed F,
10 suggest the charm OF an earlier cay !
perhaps she had even been very fa'r n l
her long-ago youth. But the large |
dark eyes had a strange. restless iook. |
and the hands twitched nervousiy.
A Younger woman stepped mp beside
her. from within. She was taller. larger
and less comely. but the resent iarce
between them bespoke near relation
ship.
"Yes. YES. mother" she said. socth-
inclv. laying her hand on The other 3
shoulder. "Some other day he'll come.
I wouldn't call him any more now
"Some other day2" the older Queried'
faint color tinging her cheek.
"Yes. YES. some other day: come and
get your cup Of tea" and she lee her
mother 20 the table and seated her be-
side il.
Mary. put plate for Lemuel p
might like a bit. too. and why do you
forget?" she added. hslf fre;suilN.
With a patient sigh the daughter
obeved. How many weeks. months and
years was il she had gone through her
useless task2
"ue'u come tomorrow. the old
woman murmured. half 10 herself.
"Yes. tomorrow he viii come. sure
fv." Mary answered cheerfuly.
II was almost stereotyped their brief
talk. repeated daily. For years the
mothers heart had yearned and waited
for the absent or the dead. But each
morning life renewed itself and hope
xprang up again in the cloudec mlno'
Each morning of all those long years
To-day. tomorrow he viii come'
In the meantime the hamlet had
grown from a struggling settlement "a
almost the proportions Of town. The
narrow. congested main street. where
butcher and baker had huddled togeth
er. in confused proximity. had beer
widened. and more pretentious stores
and Offices had taken the place OF th'
rnniier wooden structures OF 20 year'
.inee. Factories and mills had thei
clustering shops. and workmen's dwell
ings and long fringes of outlying streets
with more OF less ornate villas and cot
tares had succeeded 10 rural lanes o
short cuts across the common.
The street on which our cottage wa
situated had been graded and curhed Z
the foot of the hills which il was mean
10 climb but had faint-hcart ecly give
out. aud though approached on the 9th
er side by many more showy residence
the cottage still held its own and locke
out across the fields as il had don
when first built on what then SCENE
almost prairie. II and the inclose
plot on which Ii stood was pattern c
neatness which brought no shame an
even set a worthy example to its large
neighbOrs.
Trees and vines had grown about
but they were kept sharply trimme'
All necessary repairs were prompt
attended to and each new coat Of pair
reproduced, as nearly as might be, /
predecessor. No changes within
without showed themselves. no adds
luxuries or adornments crept into Gr
of the four rooms OF the little moth'
grew restless tuC unhappy anu WIN
remained for poor Mary but 10 guar
her peace.
Nearly 20 years ago father. mothe
son and daughter had occupied Il
home. The father. somewhat tacitui
and cold, had unbent little TO his ch
dren and frowned upon what he co
sidered youthful follies; when, in Z
case OF the son. his eldest born. fol
sometimes deserved a stronger mar
he reproved fiercely and perhaps unrt
sonably. The boy, fred with the inc
pendence of youth, resented and !
belled, and quarrels ensued till il er
ed in the fathers turning his son o
OF doors with the injunction never
let him see or hear from him aga
Too literally had his behest been +
lowed The mother idolized her b'
and under the strain OF silent grief /
mind gradually gave way No wo
had come back from the wanderer-
had written to his mother several tim
but the father had destroyed the !
ters without handing them to her. al
when finally one was returned TO Len
ell unopened he wrote no more
tried TO drown the memories of
youth in wild designations, and. sob
ing down at last, he tried 10 put av
his old life from his thoughts al
-