The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-21

The little Rhodes boy was dead. The
two women who slipped out Of the back
door Of Mrs. Rhodes house had red eyes
and conversed in low tones as they came
down the street facing the bitter wind.
One Of them wore a long cloak Of rich
1 fur. but the other only drew her short gray
1 shawl tightly around her and walked in
I the snow with feet incased in the carpet
7 slippers which she had worn all night. AL
though one woman was young and the
/ other well past middle age, they had a GER
tain likeness in the haggard. look which
& watching and grief bring.
The early morning light shone wanly
! over the snow and the white houses with
/ their closed blinds. The smoke was be-
4 ginning to rise from the kitchen chimneys
] at the back Of some of the houses and the
( smell Of the burning wood pervaded the
frosty air. e.
you're tired" said the older woman
suddenly, as if noticing her companions
fatigue for the first time. #
\ $50 are you, Mrs. Rawls." y 81.
i "Oh. I'm used to it. I amt been rested
4 since Jimmy was born, and that was
let me see-thirty-five years ago." She
] laughed a little as she spoke. II guess you
\ ain't often been out at this time In the
\ mornin'."
mot very often," said the other. Her
voice was low and sweet. with a little
tremulous catch in 1t, as if she were al
most exhausted.
I "Tts't but a step now to the house" "
said Mrs. Rawls. encouragingly. II knew
:I the sleigh wouldn't be down for you for a
couple of hours yet, and it did seem best
to leave Mis- Rhodes for while, with
Just Elmira down stairs. There'n be
neighbors In later, and people to inquire,
and she won't get much quiet. She just
wants to be alone with him for a little.
That dear child" she stopped and choked
for minute. There! 1t don't seem right
to cry. 1t was mighty good Of you to
stay these last two nights.
'Oh, don't, don't!" said the other In a
: panied tone. "As If I could have helped
wanting to stay! All that I could do
seemed SO little. She was so brave, so
patient; shall never forget it, and that
sweet child she stopped as Mrs Rawls
had DONE
was walking along here in the snow and
he ran across the street to me and said
It's so slippery here now, Mrs. Arm
= strong, I'm afraid you'll fall; you had
better lean on me- I can see his blue
eyes now, with that merry light in them
gazing at me- It doesn't seem possible
Hardly a morning passed." said Mrs
Rawls, that he didn't put his head In
at my door and say, How are you, Mis-
Rawls?' He was just like a bit Of sun
shine, with his curly golden head. II
don't appear as II It could be right that
= such as him should be took and his
mother without a soul in the world but
the boy, and they all in all to each other
I can't understand it, nohow."
1T Is very difficult" said the other
with long-drawn sigh. "My heart just
aches for her, she seems so alone. Is this
your house. Mrs. Rawls7 It is odd, ism,
It, that we've both lived here all these
years and yet this is the first time I've
: ever known you to speak to. I've otter
felt that I'd like to speak to you, but
didn't know how"
/. "Why. my dear!' said Mrs Rawls
!, stopping on the threshold, her counten-
ance fairly ll1umined with pleased sur.
prise. ''You afraid to speak to me- We'll
that does beat all! But you're just done
out now, poor child; come right in here
I'm going to lay you right down on the
- lounge and make you good, hot cup O.
coffee and then you've got to take a lit
tie nap before the sleigh comes for YOU.
Almost before she knew Helen Arm.
strong was lying on the old chintz lounge
with Mrs Rawls' gray shawl wrapped
around her feet. The room was small
low ceilinged, and homely, filed with
evidences Of daily occupation; she felt ar
unwonted sensation of comfort which
- reached It's height after the fragrant coffee
had been swallowed, and Mrs. Rawls
notherly hand had smoothed back the pill
lows for her. Helen caught the han6
and held It tight In her own for minute
closed her eyes. It was years since she
had been taken care of. It was she wht
planned and gave orders for the comfor
of others.
4~ With her eyes closed, she thought O.
many things; Of her old school friend
Annie Rhodes, whom she had alway
been fond Of. yet with whom she had KEEP
up but spasmodic intercourse since mar
riage had claimed both lives.
Most Of Armies unfortunate welded lif
! had been spent in the far west, and whe1
she came back four years ago in straight
ened circumstances, with the child, tn
breadth Of riches and different way o
living still divided them. But with tn
boy 1t was otherwise. The little fellow
X with his blue eyes. his sunny smile, hi
trusting heart, and his infant manliness
had touched a chord that it half fright
ened Helen to feel vibrating so strongly
That chord belonged to the far past-an
other child had made its harmony. Whe!
she put her arms around little Siv
Rhodes. he was like angel Of resurrec
% tion. When she had taken him home i
her carriage not week ago, his cheek
rosy red, his tongue chattering sweetly
his eyes looking at her so confidingly
she did not dream that it was for tn
! last time. The mortal illness had stole
upon him in the night, and Helen ha
gone to inquire, and then stayed to helr
Somehow trouble brought back the oil
days when Anne had leaned on her fc
-o- comfort and protection. Helen had a.
ways felt nervous dread of a sick room
yet she had stayed, and was glad-gla
Of It'll No one would ever know no
many necessaries her money had supple
to the dying child and the stricken rnothe
She wondered whether her husband WE
surprised that she had stayed away. PEI
haps he didn't even know it., they wei
together so little these days, and she re
=eH membered that he had gone on journe
about that syndicate. There would be n,
body at home but Kathleen. Kathleen
Her face Redeemed. Kathleen would ha,
full scope in her absence. Helen wo1
dered If she had taken advantage of
to see that man. No. the girl would {
nothing underhand. It was unimaginab
that a girl like Kathleen Armstrong, h
husbands sister, should have fallen