The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-06-16

gratitude that II was enough To make
any decent man feel ashamed OF him
self.
The rest OF the passengers began &c
80 below, card tables were put away
the principal electric lights were pul
out, bni sull Mrs Jefferson sat in The
deck chair, looking small and weak
among the pillows. and 1 took it into
my head suddenly that she wanted 10
say something 10 me. but that speech
was difficult TO her, and in a flash /
knew intuitiyely that she had learned
the silence which 80 many women
have 10 learn
Il want to thank you" she said at
last Tor all your goodness to me 90
this voyage. Her voice was 50 low
and gentle that | had TO lean forward
to catch exactly what she said. and as
did so she laid her hand in mine
Perhaps you don't know. she said
slowly, quite what your friendship
has been to me-"
I ! stumbled and said something bald
and stupid in response, and Mrs. JEFF
ferson went on.
For seven years | have lived fol-
nothing but this visit home TO Eng
land When anything ia my life was
little disappointing. | always said
to myself. i have the children TO 20
back to- And every week | had thei
precious, foolish little letters, which
told me so little and kept me hunger,
ing to see them"
1t must have been awful To leave
them again" | said, and in the dark
| took again the little hand which had
lain in mine.
They were SO fond of me" said
Mrs. Jefferson, still in the same halt.
ing fashion. like one who speaks az
unfamiliar language. Il mean when
they were little things. | do not think
quite tiny children could ever have
been more fond of their mother And"
she hestated for a moment, and
said, with SO much difficulty that II
seemed almost like cruelty TO allow
her to proceed-"I always thought
they would remember me although
they were so little" She paused
again. and went on: you mustn't
think that was silly about them. OF
that | expected TOO much.
always thought at first they might be
little bit shy OF me. But
they didn't even knew me, and they
were certainly disappointed in me
One of them was i've years old
when | said good-by to her. Now she
is schoolgirl of -. Her only
photograph of me was taken long
ago, 50 it is no wonder that she didn't
know me-"
did net I'LL in the pause by any
banal remark.
They have been brought up in
very prim household" went on the
gentle voice, in which love, fear, is
not a thing that is reckoned with or
encouraged They rather despised me
for laughing and crying over them
when we met. and-it is only natural,
of cOurse-all their little condolences
were for the people who brought them
up, and all their ways of thinking are
their ways and not mine one OF my
little girls. I found. is not very
truthful child. and the other, when !
asked her what she would like best
TO do seemed more content at home"
But you made friends and got over
all that before you left?" | said. en-
couragingly.
IL only | had had little more
time" said Mrs. jefferson.
1t would have been so much better
for her if she could have wept She
locked her thin hands together. and
said with a sort Of wall in her voice,
III only had had little more timen
After awhile she went on quite |
quietly and told me that her husband !
had sent for her to return to him, ano |
she had been obliged to leave the
children.
"Of course a man wants his wife in
solitary life like ours" she went on
excusingly. And SO | said good-by
to them. | don't think any |
one was very sorry when cam'
away"
Inc decks were quite deserted now
Tomorrow they would be alive with
preparing to leave the ship
and friends meeting friends from BON.
bay, and ships officials, and hurryins
agents and perspiring stewards. To
night they were quite deserted save
for Mrs. Jefferson and me.
we live quite an isolated life al
the tea garden" she said. presently
but | left little dog there of which
am very fond. | am afraid
you will think me very morbid and
imaginative" she added in her depreca.
.ory little way, but ! think
have based all my possibilities Of
bearing things upon the question OF
whether or not my dog knows me
again and is glad to see me-
still held Mrs. Jefferson's hand in
nine. and now raised 1t to my lips
md kissed il. you will let rue know"
said, huskily. and found to my sur
Prise that / could not say more.
Yes, will let you know, said Mrs
Jefferson.
And one day got a little note from
,ar which said. 'sTha dOg know mo