New-York tribune., 1903-04-19

reached it. and lucky also in being given the op-
portunity of making his application for eIhplo!.
ment to the Great Man himself JOHNNIE
breath again gave him trouble, but What lie Saiu
to the point J.,
seen to know something about EN-. ana III 80
mortal fond o horses that nothing would DE 700
much trouble to learn; and. if you q try me u
work my HARDEST Then his breath SaSe gay,
out and he stood painting and expectaht' lne
stare Of his blue eyes for once hxed app''
ately- the Great Mans face r.,
" And he was given the work he longed for The
Great Man was mortal fond OF horses uoo
there may have been times when he even ehNitu @
his men their method of earning their d'tlS
bread about his stables. At any rate ne III IL
allied that Johnnie was going to- live an IDEAL
Iffe-a life spent in doing the thlnS ol ali o'i'''
ne would rather do.
Johnnie's choice of occupation. indeed: was
such a wise that he did not long retain Iiie
humble position in which ne stare" ~ tbaIo
ness fer horSeS taught him more aooII l''ei"
tnan experience taught many of the othtrS' ne
could always lead them by it. Just as MoI,,rt ,a
who loves children can always make thelii ~ 49,
| her. { who loves men can al"5iS" I. ii.,
amounted TO only Il very few shiliings weekly
and he was obliged to 90 often very hungry /" "'
if lfnr Johnnie. WAS still growing and his a?pe-
tita win him, he regularly sent monthly pos
tai orde; his widowed mother anu d. I'm
,t-a,,t an he ra,er failed 10 make it larger 10
match every rise. He did not often write anu A
if he did. he never gave her his address OF any
news beyo.d the state Of his health; Il tilIlS
that. having started propit"usIy oId to' Ei N<-IE
Nor aid n yer. visit her although il would
have been am easy enough journey 10 t5.ft, q"
/
probably had his reasons: he covered jieiiI tNel
With a wide reticence but it was known by now
that he generally had them-for other people |"
talk about if they cared to-
And then AT last Johnnie gained promotion
and a rise substantial that IL SCENE" I"
change his views. For more than year hc h3d
been walking out with young vonar-"nIE
a servant L is true. but sweet 3f filce ana tFH5
of heart. ana fond Of JOHNNIE as ne was tVllu t
of horses He had started their walks together
by making il very plain to her that marriage
must be a remote possibility, because the postal
orders taxed his resOurt * and were not "i' any
account to be stopped.
SO it maynt be worth your while to he WalI-
ing he had said Likely it would be a s'lf1'Sh
Then you don't really love me-" sighed the
maid.
Il loves you right enough" said Johnnie Il
wasn't speaking i'll of my love
IF YOU love me- how you doubt me being
willing to wait bit for you? You're NllHhS
aren't you? she spoke with tears.
Mighty willing said Johnnie He drew h+i
head upon his shoulder. and he pltted it, rest
ir~ there as he II ight have patted the head of a
favorite horse ShOrtnes Of breath. rs Of Old at
an emergency. overlook him, but he managed to
repeat Steady. IN beauty. steady. great
And now his generous wages actually ad-
mitted of the double burden-tht postal oratf5
! to the mother at distance and the pretty "Iit
at home But. before making this change IN
life. Johnnie almost for the first time took 4
step the impulse of a mOment-felt a longing
his mothers face once again. ana it teh
He found her on her deathbed plainly within
a few hours of her death Johnnie had his own
luck-he might 50 easily have been too late. For
she had not been particularly young at the
time of his birth. and she was quite an old
woman now. Consistent always, she asked her
son no questions concerning his long absen-e .;
she did the talking to the las
A gentleman in a bank would have TO know a
DEAL was one of the things she said and john
ME understood that he had spent the years
perched on office stool a bankers clerk.
You'd wear a top hat and black coat to busi-
ness every day, of course She touched his
rough tweed covered But you were right
not to come anyways dressed up, these folk
might think-they're envous lot, and wonder
| full ignorant with it, She gave him. with in
creasing difficulty, the many details of his life
al the last she remembered something of great
Importance to them both.
II told 'em always. Johnnie, when the orders
came, but | never changed 'em here-I waited
till I could get into the town something
turned up; often | had to wait bit but l
always managed it, and l never told living
soul how small they were, dear. l knew
how many expenses you'd be having. dining out
with the gentry and all; your old mother under
stood, but others might have thought different
and / never told soul. Oh. they've kept me
well since I've been past working, and I'm not
complaining, only / thought I'd just tell you
l understood why they were small"
That's right. mother" said Johnnie; you was
always good 'un at excuses
Il loved you, you see Johnnie a d your ftithe
before you explained the diving woman.
That's right. mother said Johnnie staring
hard at the foot of the bed out of unblinking
prominent eyes, but gently stroking her
hand; you was always a good un at lovin :"
When her weak voice silent forever, John
ME knelt at prayer beside her. He rayed out
loud with many catches in his breath. What
6o a S- II