The National tribune., 1903-03-12

do you remember ThomasT he asked
abruptly-"Thomas LobbT
1 nearly jumped off my chair. But no.
it could not be!
"Yes-but-"
| 81 am Thomas" he said, simply. II
used to clean your knives and boots, and
you bought my mother mangle. never
| forgot your kindness. have often longed
| to see you and thank you"
'But where have you been all these
yearsY' asked, still gasping with aston
| ishment.
ITO many places. I was in England
| for a long time, at an hospital; but you
were abroad, and though l tried l could
not find out your address. Besides, l was
afraid / had better say it at once" he
went on desperately; "but l did not want
to see your daughter again. l have been
in love with her all my life. She was
goddess to me-a queen. / never even
dreamed of hoping. | met her again all
in moment one night at Rome. / was
thinking of her and looked up, and she was
there She did not know me. she does not
now; but l knew her-I did directly
though she was only five when l saw her
last"
He hurried over the words quickly, as
if he wished me to know the gist of what
he had come to say as quickly as possible.
where is your motherT" l asked,
accent, carrying the skinny little baby in
her arms. and of his father as saw him
! first, dying man, war ing his long, thin
hands by the fire in the empty house.
'My mother does not keep mangle
now" he said, with a short laugh. l
think 1 should have known him before if
he had laughed 'She is rich. and lives
near my sister, who is married to dia-
mond merchant in South Africa. 1t
sounds terribly preposterous. does it not?'
But tell me about yourself" l said.
'.How is it that you went away Thomas
Iobb and come back DIR. Millet of Rome?
1t is too puzzling altogether"
Il found my rich uncle" he answered.
Il remember telling you that my mother
thought l might. ard l did. One always
finds a rich uncle in a story; but l found
lost both wife and child. and was just
going off to the diamond fields in South
Africa. He took me in hand first, and
was very good to NE in his rough way.
| His ambition was to make me gentle
man; but that was Natures business, per-
haps. She has failed" he said, with n
smile. However. he put me to school
while he went off to the diamond fields,
and in a few years came back with his
men who are bound to make fortunes and
to lose them from sheer careiessness,
| though he died too soon to lose his last
one. He brought me to England and
looked after me while / was at the hos
pital.'
But how did you get to Romeo" l
asked. for he had stopped as if he could
net go on without encouragement.
He took me there, or perhaps l took
him, for we went together. partly be
cause he wanted to see Europe and partly
| because he said he wanted to see if
really could talk any language but my
own, after all the schooling for which he
had paid. At Rome there was a chance
for another doctor, and there ultimately
| settled down. Uncle Joe went back to
Graham's Town and died" He stopped
for moment. Il wish l had been with
| him. he said, in a low voice, but l was
| not"
WAS he good to your mother?'
| lie was good to everyone, in q rough
| way sometimes that one reproaci1ed ones
| self later on for not better understanding
| He was very COED to my mother and to
| Oracle, whom he also had educated. He
became very great on education in his
| latter years. and used to say that money
was thrown away on you unless you knew
how to spend it."
How did you come to be called Millet|
| / asked. putting off as long as possible
the great business of his coming. l was
so staggered. so taken back, at his prov
| ing to be Thomas. Moreover, there was
only one thing for me to do, and not for
ever be ashamed of myself, and l knew
it. Yet l could not bring myself to do it
heartily.
He left me some money, and wished
me to take his name, which was very like
the rich uncle in the story" he answered,
with the fleeing smile that was part of
the fascination of his face. Il have not
spent any of it yet. My practice has been
sufficient. l kept it in case" He
stopped, but :.tin ! We. on looking at
him, as though l had been fascinated,
thinking of the days when he had carried
up Goals, and taught May to blow bubbles.
could not help it; it was snobby of me, if
You like, but in my heart there was some
pride. l knew that he had come to ask
me if he might try to win May for his
wife. May, my pretty one, my queen,
whom should have thought too good for
king-he the boy who had BACKED our
shoes, whose mother had kept a mangle!
He seemed to read my thoughts like
letter.
Yes" he said; 81 am the boy who used
to clean the knives and boots, and after
wards carried out newspapers every MORN
ing"
1T doesn't matter in these days what
| anyone has bcen," l said, hesitatingly,
ashamed that he should have OWNED my
thoughts so WELL
IF she ever cares for met is too
much to think of, too great happiness
but if she does" he went on in n low
voice, perhaps she will be proud of it. as
l am. 1t was honest work." he said. in a
stubborn voice, land pleasant, too" he
added gaily. IF had made my own po-
sition, should be a proud man, for being
a doctor is, of course, better thing than
carrying out papers; but as it is, all the
credit goes to the rich uncle, and is none
of mine" l was silent, trying to remem-
Der who the well-knOwn man was who had
sold oranges, and yet became great
man. But it is generally difficult to re-
| member things at the right moment.
You were always good boy" l said,
thinking of the thin little face of long ago,
| and forgetting the man before me.
Il am glad of that" he answered. "DO
you remember my poor mother! he went
on, seeming as If he were determined
should realize all the past. 'She kept a
mangle and went out charing. She does
not like me to remember it now, and Oracle
quarrels with me if l mention it." And
he laughed the short, quick laugh of
man who has sense of humor but does
not always betray it. do you remember
the day l wished yOu all goodbye? How,
when l was going off to sea, a poor little
boy without penny save the present you
had given me, you kissed me, just as if
had been your own son? 1t has been my
wild dream that some day l should be
| rnn t1v OF