The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-14

2
i've been KIND of mothers Stetbcss
children for four years" she said.
She was growing very 'thoughtfni- .sss;s
"Can ! get down a minute. DickT y
want some roses.
:. He, drew rein and helped her out of the
cart. lie watched her ias she stopped To
gathep the flowers. the blue of her dress
very bright agains, the rose and green.
Presently she came back and laid her
handful of roses on the seat beside him.
Dick" she said. I'm going right
home.
He looked wonderipgly into her serene
eyes. w. f'+
,"I can't do IL. dear" she continued with
a convincing simplicity of tone.
The,p her face changeti, a tide of color
flooded into her cheeks and her eyes filled
She pressed her clenched hand to her tenn
pies. ' r. ~. 81 . %.a
j. It'll left them now, Dick, there are
two sounds should hear unfit EaiSt1 H.
should hear baby crying for me and the
tap of 'Theo's little crutch, should wdke :
in fha night and hear them plain. and
there is no city you could take me to
where I he roar and the voices would shut
them OUT iEA
7 The womanlv passion of her voice ants.
eyss Impressed him deeply. So. aa....
He BIZ his fip and turned his face aw.v
/: ,'.ies see. Sick She ;ssao a.ain, "Ite
ocen kind II mother TO these childr{n
for four Years -
.'L'Ye' lost you... = g..
She put up her kind hand and touched
his heart: she had, known trouble and
death. - >"
you're just ). boy she said tentferlS,
her eyes fell .On the ma pGfail of rudy
flowers. "It will never be summer again
untii sop come back she said. II shall
be waiting for You here"
% Shes made him leave her. encouraged
him. and bade him. &c. SITTER the last
kood-9ys~ ne drove away alone; drove
away at a gallop and the light cart rocked
from side to side. She watched him. and
the golden. luminous haze was blurred by
,h@ tears she dashed awsss- to watch him
still. Then she rset her face toward her
fathers home. =
That same evening John Mansell was
driving across theprairif. He held the
lines loosely .in his rough hard and his
mouth was grim over the :grizzicd beard.
To-day the old house had been full Of
ghosts: the tread sof tired fleet on the
worn stairs. the. sound OF passionless
voice. the weary eyes ~of! the woman who
had been his wife.
He drove between the fields. where the
wheat grew green and high. AS the moon.
slver sickle, swung among the glowing
stars the whispering of the wind and the
stir of little live creatures died out of the
world. +; -'f
Mansel thought mucn Of his daughter
a troubled fsar-a foreboding of, cyl
wosld not be silsnced in his mind That
Anna would he gone tco. He grew 80
SURG that he Should not iaDd her in her
accustomed place that he dreaded every
mte of the va i that .f;e,sIg hit him nearer
home.
He drove through the town, skirted his
house, and gave the horses into rhe care
of the hired man.
With queer hesitation ne was half
ashamed Of, ManselI fingered at the WIN
dow. The blind was up and in the light
~ the lamp he saw Jess and the boys
and Theo gathered round the table. He
turned away with drag at his heart
strings. His children heard his heavy
step and the click of the latch he
came In apd STUMBLED heavily up the
shadowy stairs.
His hand shook as he turned the handle
of the door of Anna's room. At the quiet
picture he beheld there his heart leapt
in hissthrcat. BESIDE the crib his daugh-
ter sat, with, hsr cheek EestiSg on the
, white coyerey. and her faithful. eyes
aloEing the child who slept within it.
She t+ernbled AT the sound Of her fath-
er's voice.
Anna he said. young Harcourt is
gone"
quietly
If said the harsh old man. you
Should be writing to him. You say
he'll be welcome-to spend his Christmas
|. here. .'-
.I'll write and tell him. father."srenlAed
Apns with asslueer little smile. -.
Then she Slipped on her knees aAt
pressed 9her lips to the flushed cheek Of
the sleeping child.-New Orleans Times
Democrat. -