The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-05-04

with difficulties and yet shrinks from
a.
n wns Agnes Mason. seeking recon-
citation and forgiveness. She had tried
to md him for many weary weeks. for
/ her child was often ON the verge OF
| starvation and her mothers heart was
lacerated by the child's suffering.
Mrs. Amer was there no longer. and
the new landlady knew nothing OF MIR.
Mason. Agnes had sought him Ia vain.
and now she saw him coming.
Robert. she cried. raising her hand
to place u on his arm.
He looked at her stupidity. but she
did not notice the duh appearance of
his eyes and the wooden expression OF
his face. lie pushed her aside roughly
and passed on. She sank with "a moan
To the pavement. lie had pushed her
from hts life: he did not want her.
She arose hurriedly as N thought
struck her. Catching the child by the
shoulder. she pointed la the retreat
Ing figure. which Was still only "A Few
yards distant.
Go To that gentleman. Bobby. and
tell him that YOU are his little sonny.
as you tell mamma sometimes! He ~
your daddy. Take this letter and tell
him I wrote u for him. Don't let him
go, III he tries tn leave you cry loud
He has the pennies To buy you some
thing tn eat and he will give you some
thing. Tell him that you are hungry!
She pushed the boy along with fever
ish haste, running with him almost To
tho man who had spurned her. Then
she left the child tn give the message
as best he might and hid herself Ia
a doorway to watch the result.
Her heart beat high as she saw Rob
er, Mason stop and listen to the boy.
She saw him take the letter. An Inn
pulse prompted her to run tn her hus-
band. but she crushed u down. She
might spoil all by intruding. Robert
would proba bly, care for the boy. u was
his responsibility. but he would not
want her--he did not want her! some
thing In her heart told her that the
child would he all right. so she turned
and He'd from the spot.
Robert Mason tried To read the letter.
but his eyes were dimmed. What was
the child talking about.
He caught the boy In his arms and
moved on with him. He didn't know
what he was going to do exactly. but
the haze was clearing from his brain.
ny the time he had seated the child ON
n chair In a cheap tea room, holding
him with one hand. Robert Mason was
not far from sober.
ITS true he gasped 1.-THE boys
the very image OF her what's u mean
Yes. this note. He read II and his face
became ashen In hue. did your
mamma give you this, Where ~ she?
The child replied In two or three
broken sentences. and Mason gathered
an idea Of the truth. He caught up
the child again and literally ran back
To- the spot where the child had come
To- him. as nearly as he could remem-
her. hut he found no trace of Agnes.
she had slipped from him ono. more.
al
they have wrought "A great change IN
Robert Mason. The entrance of the
child into his life. the constant remind
or OF his lost wife I'm the boys strik-
resemblance to her. had been the
means or turning him aside from the
path he was following and making him
work with logged stubborncss Co gain
"A name as n journalist and author.
After much hard work the tide had
turned and he was on the road to sue
cess.
His great opportunity had come In
connection with a play for n provincial
touring company: man for whom he
did n good turn in an unexpected man
ner gave him his opportunity and he
success that hts reputation spread and
he was soon represented on the London
boards" but the public did not know
him as Robert Mason.
And so u came about that Agnes.
watching for sign OF her husband.
heard OF the fame OF Marston More.
drnmatist and novelist. and did not
know that II was Robert Mason's as
sumed name.
Now. Bobby" exclaimed Robert
Mason gayly To his 5-ycar-old son.
I'm going TO take you To the theater
TO see the ladies and gentlemen say
ing the things that dad puts down on
the paper.
Il like the ladies and gentlemen"
declared Bobby. comfortably.
III this company treats you az the
like the ladies' and gentlemen" laughed
his father. They'll spoil you"
Business began. Little Bob was
placed In corner. and for the time
his father forgot him. The manager
had allowed some relatives OF the SUI
pernumeraries TO be present In the au-
ditorIum. just as "A treat for them. and
to avoid the rather depressing effect
which AN empty theater would have on
the actors at rehearsal.
Al least that was his explanation. but
everybody understood that his good
nature prompted him To- allow poor
people tn come In at times. out OF the
cold or wet. and he also gave them q
coin as a souvenir.
ls
sons said. but he was an extraordinary
man altogether. which probably ac-
counted for the position he had ac-
uuircd.
In the midst OF an important scene
Bobby became tired OF inactivity and
suddenly ran forward. Al the same
moment one OF the actresses. In the
perfornanc nee Of her part. rushed across
the front OF the stage.
There was n collision, Immediately
followed by a cry OF fear and pain
from the child and n general shout
from the other members OF the COM
pany. The two sounds drowned one
more that was uttered At the moment
by a woman standing In the thater
at the side. She sprang forward and
scrambled to the stage.
My boy. my Bobby" she cried.
You have hurt him! oh, let me come
To him."
She was a pitiful object. In rags and
faint from exposure and want. She
staggered forward. but the effort To
get on the stage had exhausted her.
She reeied. threw out her arms for sup
port. and was caught by the author
Of the new piece.
Thank heaven!" he cried feryently.
while the spectators looked with wide
opened eyes. Il have found her again"
The sound OF his voice sent n culver
through her frame. She opened her
eyes to gaze at her lost husband. and.
seeing nothing but the deepest love and
sympathy therein. she instinctiveiy
naafiad faa ps.r IN his hrgaaf and want