Mower County transcript., 1904-12-07
j cuA pTtER rtr =, XVIII

NJ u CHAPTER XVIII. =
@lHE next morning, after his re4S
|TI turn from Atlanta, George met
I'LL Bascom Truitt at the ware
~ house. 7'' - - Z =
Fi"Brought yore mother In with me-;
he said, r. left 'er up at the postoface5
readin' letter. Shell be down direct
w.; I missed you at the reunion, but l
heard you was on hand. Lord, I missed
the sidewalk, they tell me! + 1 met some
old friends that kept me full to the
neck through the whole business 5. +
couldn't toot my bugle" aa ~
'sThats one way to celebrate" George
said, with smile, as Truitt was turn
ing away. 5'.' ..
A few minutes later Mrs. Buckley,
came into the Office. She wore check
ed gingham sunbonnet and it was
pulled we'll down over her face. In
her hand she held letter. By her.
silence and agitated manner George
knew she had received unpleasant
news. He placed chair for her near
his desk and resumed his own seat,
wondering what could have happened.
"You have a letter from father" he
said tentatively.
"Not from him, George, but it's from
up thar It's from the prison doctor"
She was silent moment, then she
continued: "Yore pas bad off, George.
The doctor thinks he's had serious at
tack. It's: that old hurt place in his
head that he got when he fell off the
wagon fifteen year ago. The doctor
cayn't tell how it'll come out. but he
says I'd better be up thar. Yore pa
keeps AKIN fer me. cayn't refuse
i'm. George" The speaker suddenly
paused and applied her handkerchief to
her eyes. i
"Well, you can go, Of course" said
George.
ION, kin IF' she exclaimed. Il was
afenrd you wouldn't want me to. I'd
rather 60, George. I sorter hardened
my heart agin i'm when he was stout
an well, but now he's sufferin', I want
to be with 'im." She broke down and
began to cry again.
"There is nothing on earth to hinder
you," said her son. who was deeply
touched by her emotion, "and if you
want me to do so, I'll 90, too, mother.
He's my father-the only one l ever
had, and"- .~.
Zone Of us will be enough" said Mrs.
Buckley. "But, George, I've been
studyin' since got this letter. I,never
thought of it before, but I never
knowed yore pa to do a dishonest act
till he had that fall an hurt his head.
read in the Index t'other day whar a
good man had got lick in the head
an it made demon out O. him till the
doctors operated on him an cured i'm
Oh, George, it may be that away in
yore pas case, an them twelve men
an the Judge jest sent pore sick man
off fer what he couldn't help. It wasn't
managed right. Somebody ought to
nigh made life unbearable fer us all,
but the chain gang wasn't the place fer
man in his condition. -:
She had pushed back her bonnet and
her gray eyes were flashing rebellious.
ly. George was deeply moved.
''Thats right, mother" he said ad-
mir1ngly, his fine face aglow, ''stick to
him. I remember, when I was very
little fellow, that he was kind and gen.
tie with me, and although he treated
me pretty badly after grew up never
could forget that period: Yes, you
must go to him and do all you can for
his comfort. I'll pay for it,,
'@Oh, George, George!' the old wom-
an cried, standing up. ut don't seem
right fer you to- 'S
II want to do it, MOTHER" he said
simply and firmly. "You must take the
night train, and remember, you are to
spare no expense" ..i..
II said felt relieved to have i'm &c
off," whimpered Mrs. Buckley, "but
after awhile missed i'm, an ef could
"a had i'm back without the RESPONSE
bility of what he'd do I'd "a been
willin'. When me m i'm got married
it was so different. George, I'd "a
picked yore pa out Of a thousand men,
I was so proud of i'm, an was the hap
piest woman alive fer several years
arrer you was born. George, e1 ne glts
well and serves his time out I think me
n i'm had better move off somers
whar we don't conflict with yore inter-
ests. see my duty, clearer now. I'll
stick to i'm fer better or worse rs long
as me or i'm lives .....
George Buckley's head sank for. an
instant, then he looked up and gazed
ut her tenderly. .# ~: .' ' 4.
There ds nothing, mother, that. can
keep me from being with you. and him.
When his time Is out well all live to-.
gether. I've made up my mind on that
point. He's a .convict, and want
things different, but he's my father and
you are my mother, and that settles it,
y The old woman started away SHE;
had reached the door, but turned back
and stood near him. :: George She
said huskily, you are good boy and
then she slowly walked away: EzS. s5
She came in about the middle Of the
afternoon ready for her train, and as;