Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-08-07
SENTIMENT AND FACT
CBy Elizabeth Bradford)

TO tumble in"-wnereupon she tuck
ed the soft coverings around hin.
leaving only the brown curly head IN
view. and having completed her du-
ties for the day she left him.
Louis Lincoln, Jr., was eight years
OF age, a boy of indomitable courage
and possessing an intense love for hiel
mother Louis was expecting moth
er"--"mother" always came to hear
his prayers and kiss him good
night" He lay in his bed thinkine-
h. was troubled about ner. Sou<
how she didn't smile nowadays And
she sighed whole lot. Tonight hs
had resolved to ask her some ques-
lions and he grew feverish lest sac
| should not come.
Soon the door opened and mother.
dear" came to him. He threw HE
arms around her neck and nugged her
tightly. Wnen she raised her face hs
saw that her eyes were red and he
knew that she had been crying. He
felt mis- poor little heart almost
freeze, but he summoned all his cour-
age and said. Mother, Louis loves
you"
Motner and boy lay side by side
and little Louis plunged into the sub.
| ject which troubled him. Mother.
dear. what makes you cry and why
doesn't father come and play with me
now ?" IL was fun minute before
the mother could reply. she was 70
surprised at tne question. AT length
she explained that his father was
very busy man and that he had to see
and talk with so many men after Of
tice hours that he preferred to remain
downtown and dine at his club. Sns
wished that he, her boy, was older.
| that she might unburden ner poor
| aching heart and tell him now II all
| hurt her-how his fathers growing
Indifference was killing her, but she
| changed the subject, telling little
Louis that the morrow would be her
| birthday. She opened the neck OF
her dress and drew forth a little gold
locket and told the little fellow that
It was fathers first birthday gift to
mother
| Louis took the locket In ais fat.
chubby hands and opened II. There
was a picture OF mother on one side
and of father ON the other. The tears
ran down his motner's cheeks and In
answer to little Louis questions ~
to the tears, she replied:
Mother is afraid that father II 10
busy he has forgotten tomorrow. and
If he has 1t will break her heart"
Louis repeated mis- prayers and moth
or kissed and left him.
He watched her close the door and
sat upright In his bed. MY father
shall not forget--no, he shall not!"
He laid back and thought and tnought.
Mother had taught him to telephone,
and mother said that father went to
the club lie must wait until every
thing was quiet, until everyone WAS
asleep. On, IL was so hard TO keep
awake but he knew that he must
He kept biting his little fat thumb
that he might not get SO sleepy. He
heard Henrietta creep in to see II he
was asleep, and then creep out. Aft
er a long time everything was very
| still, and ne crept to the door and
opened II. oh, it WAS 50 dark. and
ne was so afraid. but he must not
turn. ne must go for mothers sake!
He tiptoed through the hall and
down the stairs; his heart tnumped
until he could hear its every beat.
but he kept ON and found the library.
He cautiously closed tne door and
climbed upon chair, so that ho
could reach tne telephone. The Goals
were still glowing In the hreplsce
and lighted the room sufficiently.
| He range tne bell and told the A.
tonished night operator that ne want
ed to talk with his father, who was At
the club. The operator asked what
club. but the boy only said: Won't
you please, please find my fatnerY"
Pretty soon Loomis heard his fathers
voice. His little boy quivered with
excitement His voice trembled ~
he answered: This is Louls-tomor-
row is mothers birthday, and father
dear, don't forget present" He
climbed down and was 80 sleepy that
he lay upon the fur rug before tne nrs
and fell fast asleep
| Louis Lincoln, Sr.'s' friends were
thunderstruck when ne hung up the
receiver and exclaimed: Good God,
I had fOrgotten" He took a cab and
gave directions to the driver to drive
to his office. arriving there he bsde
tne cabman walt. He entered his Of.
fee and went directly to the vault.
which ne opened and from a section
drew forth a small packet. The pack
ct contained a tiny brooch which he
had bought for ais dear mother with
the first money he had earned. II was
very dear to him, now that his mo
ther had gone, and ne had intended
some day to give 1t to ais wife. He
left the office and directed the cab
man TO go home Before going up
stairs he thought he would go into
the library and sit down by the nrs.
He wanted TO be alone to think and
think. God, how ne loved the mother
and boy upstairs-and yet he had al
lowed business to take first place He
| a 10. .,ull xuA