The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-02
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

ashamed of the entertainment 1t held ova her. she went again on the third oay. As usual there were others tn frone 0I the pictures group of school giris snls spirits over1ow1ng at all they saw ana heard. One of these on looking closely at the portrait. exclaimed: 'oh. Is that the picture they are an making such a fuss about? Why, know that child often see him. He nves ID those tenements at the corner of Maple Street and Lane Court. Yes, 1t Is gooo enough picture, but don't see why peo.
 F"Ah,' thought the slender. dainty wo- man In the sealslxin and sweeping silks: That is where my little man lives, then
 All the maternity latent in her beine wall. All of that instinct so strong in every good woman to center their love and sympathy upon some living object be 1t man or child or pet had been Kim dled into fife and was fast becoming . passion with her. putting purpose into ner hitherto pur,poseless life. There came Q new interest with the reality of the little face she already loved. with the thougnt that he was here in the great city .',n anS was in her heart 1t drew her one day to the wretched lodging house at the corner of Maple Street and Lane Court. Never before had her dainty garments traiieo experience for her to walk through thfs district of the city. She found the cor ner, and near 1t in the street. some cnu- dren were playing. She scanned eaen face eagerly. but she failed to find one walked further on. scrutinizing the :ace Of< every child she came upon. but no- where about the square did she nnd her picture boy. She came again the next day, and again many days after. growing more eager in the search the more ner object eluded her.
 At last one day as she walked along al- most without hope now of finding hlm dren, she saw vividiy before her the flesh and blood original of her picture. and even more charming. more magnetic than the picture. was the reality. In stout clothes, which his chubby frame fihed our his head. he was a goodly sight: She stopped to gaze at the child she mad so long dreamed of seeing and he, attracted by the "pretty lady came straight to- perfect confidence of perfect seif-poise. She held out her hand to him as to an old friend, and he put his hand into hers Did % tum to see me?'' he asked with the straightforwardness of childhood.
 ''Yes," she said, smiling down into his upturned face.
 his next assertion.
 "Yes," again assented the woman. and
  the situation as well as to the pleasure of being led by a little child.
 Up three flights of bare. winding stairs went the silken-gowned woman and her ing, and with some dificulty opened a door, which he held open for his guest to enter. She paused a moment. but per ceiving the room to be empty, walk sd softly in. Evidently this one room was all there was of home to the little lad. It was kitchen. dining room. sleeping room, and even studio. for in one cor ner where the light from the one window fell strongest. was the artists easel, and medalhons. She stepped curiously over to this corner and examined the sketches on the wall. She almost scr e1med. and would have done so. had not those steady brown eyes been upon her. as she looked at one of the pen and ink sketches wbich was one of two enclosed in tiny frames. It was herself: herself as she was when a schoolgirl. her hair in two long hraids down her back. the sailor hat with the wing on 1t on her head. and the jacket almost forgotten 1t herself. Whe--who could have remembered 1t like this? She turned quickly, and kneehng on the floor by the boy she looked straight into his brown eyes as she said to him "Tell me, dear. what Is your I;ame?' "Sterhen Ward" answered rhe boy. We'll might the woman look as 1T she
 saw ghost for so she had-tae ghost O sweetheart who had been dead to her | for so many years.
 She gathered the child in her arms and. | holding him on her lap while she sat in | the one rocking chair she said to him in | the auietest tones she could command: ''Teli me all about your father your | mother"
 Mamma said the child. looking with l brimming eyes at a picture of a. sweet 1 faced woman on the wall, mamma is | dead, and so I am all alone now until | my papa comes home every night. But l | don't cry. for papa savs I must be brave. And am-most always"
 A lump was gathering in the child's
 throat. and the brown eyes were fast fill l ing with tears.
 Do you know my papa?' he asked. | "Yes," she answered, as she 1rsw down | upon her breast the sweet childish face | and kissed him full upon the curving lips.
 I came to see him. We will wat for him l together