The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-27
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

When she reached the parIor, atrembie but strung to the highest pitch of help. fulnes. a sight met her eyes that reused moon. which had been playing puerile game of hide-and-seek with the evening clouds, had recovered her dignity and taken again upon herself the fulhllment long shaft of pale fight fell through the smafl-paned window and visited slant wise the tabernacle set up in the middle of the apartment The small sheeted form this held gained heart. breaking youthful figure beside it prof1ted from the chastened light to the degree of los- ing its wilfui and stubborn aspect and taking on one of appeal and helplessness. It was no longer a malefactor that stood there in the moonlight, visible to the mothers solicitous glance, but a timid,
 frightened, suffering. little child. who had cried to her for aid
 Unless degenerate or congenitally de- formed, the nature of a child of tender
 years canot be hopelessly perverted. Lay this truth to yourselves, you mothers. who offer as excuse for the inenectual- ness of your own indolent effort in their behalf. an insurmountable refractoriness in your offspring. This Caroline Wilde, otherwise an average mother, had come to consider this child of hers in the light of a mature reprobate. of a scandalons and disgracefui connection of an ire clamable scapegrace.N But that cry had searched the very springs of her moth
 erhood, had made its shortcomings sud denly visible and had awakened pas sionate remorse in her heart There were disputing the conclusions she had already formed in regard to the lad. and voicing the child's sense of property in her, which. whatever might be his faults. she could never disprove so long as she lived.
 Like one who. seeing a treasure fallen outward from the burning, fears to lose by breath's interval he seizing of it, she bounded across the room and cast herself upon the boy. Even as her arms went about him and she felt, beneath the cotton shirt. the stout fibre and strong | framework of the growing man, she thrilled to the core, realizing for the first | time that in the person of this recreant child for whose acts she had disclaimed l responsibility, she had sent into the world | a great force. either for good or evil A
 compassion stirred within her. and even
 as she clasped him to her. she shrank | a little and slackened somewhat the first | close pressure of her arms. feeling that
 he possessed the right to judge, as well
 as summon her. And the boy. feeling her embrace relax, and believing that she | had already repented her impulse of af-
 lection toward him. or that she had been
 led to proffer him comfort under the
 mistaken assumption that he was one
 of the other children, finding his courage | quite restored by the mere entrance into
 the room of another living creature, re- covered his former sullen habit and drew | resentfully away.
 l They stQod a moment or two opposite
 one another in the pale light, quite at odds: the woman yearninR. but shame | faced; the hoy consumed with sense of | exclusion and filled with a bitter vin- | dictiveness against every living thing. and Eespecially against her whose affection l was most natural duty towards him.
 It was not his habit however. to express his feelings outwardly, nor indeed to halt l long in action because of them. Almost
 immediately upon perceiving that the clasp which had so reassured and com, I forted him was losing the warmth of it's
 first impulse. new consideration had ] flashed into his mind, and upon this he ] now acted. He had not doubt but that
 his mother, having discovered who 1t was | that had called to her, would immediate
 ly go back to bed. probably under cover | of some parting ob1prgation or reproach
 calculated to infame his heart later on.
 Remembering that former unaccountable | and unprecedented terror that had as-
 sailed him alone here in the ghostly
 undertaking that had brought him hither at once. before his mothers departure
 should leave him again a prey to lonely 1 and indefinable terrofs. Having once lost 1 control of himself in such babyish fashior
 he had become distrustful of his own
 courage, and although he in nowise as
 sociated his late fright with the idea of death. which still preserved It's simplicity
 for him. yet he preferred to accomplish
 his mission fin the presence of a third person.
 He turned his back upon his mother
 and approached the little bier upon which
 the moonlight fell softly. The woman
 made a movement as if to restrain him
 but he failed to observe it and went de. liberately forward. full of his purpose
 He had no qualms or misgivings, but as
 he laid his hand upon the sheet to If
 1t from the dead childs face. a big sob
 He had forgotten his mother; he had
 forgotten even that he had killed hi,
 brother; he was only remembering on'
 fact-that. after his final leavetaking. h,
 In the world; that. for the last time h' ] was going to hold Freddy's nesting, con fidns little hand in his.
 He raised the discreet sheet and reveal
 ed the peaceful little face. The sup
 pressed sob in his throat became a gasp , The child did not look as he had expect ed. It was Freddy's face hut it wal not Freddy, still, full of the impulse tha , had brought him out of his bed in searcl n of the child. he sought. and for momen . laid his rough palm upon the tiny. waxel q fingers, clasped rigidly upon the litti
 breast.
 Then he cried out like any terrific, T child. and snatching back his hand. turn T ed to the weeping woman beside him. r Tt is cold. he burst out, like ice 7 Mother. it is ice!" And he drew ava
 full of horror, and gazed at the little for in fascinaton-at the :orm that was g s like. and yet so unlike. Freddy. Moth er." he cried, Mother! Is that our Fred I dy? Is that" and he fell into a con = vulslon of weeping, casting himself int { the arms held out to him, and buryin ] his head on his mothers breast.
 l She held him to her until the paroxysr I. had passed. weeping quietly herself an . soothing him as only mothers can. Tn I | maternal instinct was now fully arouse Q in her. and she would have done battl , | for this lad of hers, till the death. Bu Q the boy was not used to giving vent t . | his feelings. and in a moment or tw Q he got himself in hand and, though sh e tried to prevent 1t. returned again to hi t inspection of those familiar. yet strange - altered features. looking so peaceful bl E so terrible in the moonlight.
 . And did it." he cried presently. burs n ing again into a convulsion of sobs. "Ol Q mother, mother, did I do thatg' '- She said more comforting words to hin n trying to draw him back into her arms l. But he would not--only stood staring Ig with straining. streaming eyes at the pa j. little eitigy before him.
 r. You did not mean to-" the mothe z insisted over and over again, Tassionatel
 bent upon removing the effect of he l. earlier accusation. ''Edie, darling, yo d did not mean to-"
 1t peatedly betw zen his bursting sobs. # did do 1t. 1 did that to Freddy. Yo is had told me not to touch the gun. Va IS had told me--you an father--" ,t A divine inspiration of comfort can d | then to the repentant mother. Drawin