The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1902-05-15


bad died spd from smother vefld ss'
lootirs bach apoa her old liie ose'
fhs minister came 10 .bs ssis. snd sh'
heard Mice Martha cell sefoa 10 hiu
ths, Mrs. Hssvsii ~ss 10 The city visi,ios
htr sop. A bot fash burped 10 hsI
cheeks. snd shs turned hastily sssy.
hoedsy su the last day Of her impri
sopmsrt Az daylight Tuesday she slip
ped on, Of The hoass with her vsliss snd
bessa The journey back to fnrsIh
The 1p, up trsio from Boston came
st ten O'Clock 40 that che had .vsrsl
bouu ~ vsi,, bat shs he'd haovn thsi
snc pptil the station vss opened she
-, on the platform outside With stoicsl
psiistes When the trsio came, che
rode the four miles back I, Holmssburs
snd then iook the stage TO the honss.
She drew . long breath % che walked
sssiu up the path betssep the ds6odils.
She sept 10 the front door end bsesn
pulling mp the shades aud uucovsrins
ell The ornsnssts. Whsn Msrths came
over. she talked much OF The city and Of
Ton's nies psisbbors. but little Of Tom
snd bic family, After Der visitor bad
left che dropped her fsee 10 her bsnds.
Oh, Lord. | hope sin't done anything
dreadful. shs cried, bat l couldn't let
her ssy snythios sesinss Tom : couldn't
She looked very old end tired ~ she
vent issbly about getting sarps and
for oncs che forgot 10 set open The front
door. She remembered il - soon % sbs
sst down to her supper. snd she hurried
TO open it. A young man wM iud CON
ing With spfinsins step up the path be
tween the dshoiils - sturdy young man.
With . yellow hsirsd baby In his arms.
She looked st him sbssntly, bat be ran
forward and csusht her.
Mother. mother. don't you know me.
be cried % be Rugged and kisssd her.
After supper she vent over 10 The
Whipple's. Tom sat ont uuder the sp
pie trses, ~ be used TO do years ego,
but Tons baby wss clinaina TO her with
one dimplsd hand, while TIE other vas
Toll OF d,ii,dils. Miss Msrtbs met her
1t the gate.
Well. nos | eusss you are happy, she
ssid, When ! see you come, thinks /.
Well that explains 1t. couldn't under
stand what made Mary seem sort o'numb
this Afternoon. but now ] see. An this
10 Toms babyi II certainly does favor
himl DO come in
I've got somethin to tell you fret, she
ssid, / deceived you awfully. Martha, !
vas mad becaose Of what you said about
Ton. 90 went of in . hurry % when
| got 10 the CITY the houss wss oil clos
ID up, Flors's mother vas taken sick
'udden, and they hsd gone there, but
iidn't know II then. Some folks were
real good to % aud took me 10. End
,ame back the nett day. I've been liv
% In the houss ever since. l thought
'olks seald t.lk sssiost Tom ii,hey kssw-
h, 90 l wasn't poin TO have II.
She was looking ashamed, yet defiant.
,nt Martha WAS blind 10 oil Hne expression
For the lands sake. she exclaimed. you
,svs been liviu there oil ths weeil
Yes. got eff 1t FArrsrs an come
hroush the woods i want you should
oil svcrion,, Twas real wicked OF me,
'nt wssn't soin 10 have any body tslkip
sainst Tom, He'll come over 90 see
on tomorrow before he goes, bat the
'aby . goin 10 stay oil summer. Florss
mother 10 real siot, and Flofa's got TO BE-
here. l must 20 back sow On see Tom,
ut l wsptsd you to know what / bsd
one.
Come along. Mary.
Msrtbs's eyes followed her with admir-
"a interest. 4
Ths bsb,'s named for you, ant sbs, I
hs said.
Tbs old womsu turned back. her face a
u slight.
Yep. shs snswered, Tom sid shs q
houldn't have any nsms bot bis mothers
ON slIus wss good to bis mother.
Bbs stopped . moment aud then caught
10 child up In . psssion Of tenderness.
Isr bright brown eyes looked with sud
90 soitening over the yellow baby head. .
She sint ever eoin TO do sucb wicked .
ling - her grandmother did she said. .
Then she won't silsntiy bsck between .
20 rows Of dsfodils TO Tom.-
Iousehold Companion.