Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-04
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE .s s
By MARGARET DE LONG.
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 (cepyrlght, 1908. by Daily Story Pub. Col

OH, NO, madam, I could not give
 you my child, not even-no, not even though know youcould do many things for him that could not-that I never can," and the quick drawn breaths, and the scarlet spots on the cheeks of the pretty Italian woman told of the fullness of the mother heart.
 He is all have now, he and the baby sister, but he puts the gladness into my heart, as it was when was girl, he gives to me again in his laughing eyes, my home. My own Italy, my sunshine and flowers, and l am young again with my Bernardo and my baby Maso, and oh, so happy, and the trouble and the black clouds, I forget them when my boy is with me-" I's
 And then she broke down and the tears came in downpour.
 1t was a strange scene-the two women in that tiny, neat back room over one of the stores on Desplaines street. It was the Italian part of the city, and very poor were all who lived there. The tall and beautifully clad woman in the soft dress and the long rich cloak, looked a creature of an- other world, as in reality she was. She rose quickly and impulsively placed both her small gloved hands on the shoulders of the little Italian mother.
 ''Oh, don't do that" she said. "Ican't bear to leave you. did not mean to hurt you, but you know love the boy, too, very much, and--and he has tall ents, and I would love to do for him as if he were my own, and he could live all the time in that dear country which he loves so well, with the trees and the hills.
 She looked out of the window and spoke again, softly, as if to herself
 "And you know I shall never have one of my own-a little child, to love-"
 The other woman raised her head quickly.
 "Ah, I am sorry-so sorry for you but you have so much, you are so rich, you can buy anything you wish -I have only my boy-that is why God sent him to me-"
 The tall fair woman sighed gently and turning away, she said, "Yes, that is why he sent him to you and not to me. Good bye. If you should ever feel differently, if yoar boy should need a friend, you will not forget me?" 5 T could notd do that" spoke the other woman simply.
 There were tears in both the black and the blue eyes as the tall soft gowned woman kissed the round baby cheek and clasped the mothers hand. %hA
 waiting carriage she walked, and only her eyes bent upon the ground before her gave token of her bitter disappoint- ment. But up in that little room the mother drew a sigh of relief as the car- riage rolled away.
 The labor which the poor woman had sold to the rich one had broupht. them together, and them the boy. &, chdld of rare beauty and unusual sweet ness, had been from the first a strong bond.
 Maso and his little mother saw no more of their beautiful lady," as they called her, for she had gone far away for the winter. <
 "Do you think l will ever see the country, mother, and those fields where the tall grass waves, and the flowers grow, and the dark woods are |? Iwould like to, mother" he would say, in earnest tones and with his black eyes shining brightly.
 And she would laugh and kiss the boy and say they would go there some day, surely. But after he was asleep the tears would come, and she would look at her two chubby hands, rough with hard work and shake her head, saying: "Only bread can get for my Maso-no country, no flowers. An, if only my Bernardo had lived he might have had these things he loves so much." And then she would think of the rich woman's offer, but never with thought of giving up her boy.
 But one dreadful winter dav n, trouble which seemed to paralyze her heart with terror came to the little mother. They brought her boy into her from the street, where he had been playing, and he looked so white and limp, her heart stood still. But no, he was not dead, they said, but he had been hurt; horse, heavy wagon, the wheels had gone over his body, and he was stunned and insensible.
 The good and kind doctor who min istered to all the poor ones in the dis trict came in haste. Gnd after examin- ing over and over the apparently life less little body, gave to thepoor mother and the anxious friends who were wit h her, hds opinion.
 Yes, he thought the boy would live, he might get we'll, but he could never be right, he feared. he never could walk again. There was an injury to the spine-the spinal cord was affected by it. There was little hope that he could ever be right. Yes, there was one hope, just one. There was a great doctor and be was in this city now, who psgv