The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-29

a bit of sympathy and the boy my goot 1 wishes There was d toIch of broguC | on this visitors tongue and a 'necrJ | glint in her eye that made her charming | to children, at all times. but she was es- pecially so to one littls admirer now when she said, Gan you not let the cl id go with me for company? I'm thinking she'll like well to be rid of this work" and smlingly she took up and inspected the knitting, saying softly:
 If the soldier boy that gets these socks could only know how many a tiresome hour a certain little grille wroI ght into them. he'd be thinking them all the finer. I'm sure"
 The mother readily gave her consent to the trip, the white, ruffled apron and sun bonnet were soon donned and the woman and child were off, along near path. through the heart of a piece of woods where nature was holding a spring-time jubilee.
 The soldiers sock having been left be- hind, the world was now altogether beau tiful and the little girls heart brimfur of happiness.
 Their brisk walk soon brought them to the home of the good, old woman whom everybody knew as Aunt Mary"
 It was a log house with three or four rooms, back among the trees, a short way from the public road.
 Several other nolShboTs were there, who had come on the same errand as May-Jane, but there were no other chill dren, so, after listening awhile to the grown folks talk the little girl wan dered out into the hack yard and finally into a tiny sEed-room. the door of which stood ajar. There sat a woman, alone, packing some clothes into a satchel. and, as she folded them, the tears rolled down her withered cheeks and she drew long signing breaths, like one trying to keep back the sobs. She did not notice the child who. after a minute or two, went up to her and, laying a sympathetic hand on her arm, asked softly, Aunt Mary, what makes you cry sO?"
 Then the women put her apron to her face and said. brokenly: "Oh, child. my boy, my boy Eddie, is going away to the war today, and-Im afraid-heu never come back. .' Then what makes you let him go?" asked ;he wondering child. while her eyes too, filled with tears
 "Oh, he must go-and I must not try to hinder him; but if he's shot-it will just break my heart"
 The young man came into the room then and the child cropt out, feeling that these two ought to be left alone
 A few moments later he came forth bringing the catcheI, but the mother staid in his room. The child thought he looked very tall and strong in his suit of grey homespun, and not 1t all the boy she had supposed him to be, from his mothers words. He shook han Is with all the friends assembled on the porch. and then went tc the gate, where his old father stood holding a horse. The young man said something in low tone to the fatha-. clasping his hand the while, and then he mounted and rode away, looking back llngeringly, once. just before the trees hid nin from sight.
 The other nelghbors went of home quietly and May-Ja1e called to her little companion. who had crept back to the bcy's room and was looking in upon his mother, whose head was bowed upon her klecs.
 There the child fingered q moment longing to say something, for her heart was wrung with sympathy, but having no comfort to offer a sorrow like that -->A'> aAAa.As.A AlasAx- >AEt-- ~, ti.niA, ,.~aA-