The Forrest City times., 1905-06-16

pared with cushions for her, giving me al the same time a look so full of gratitude that it was enough to make any decent man feel ashamed of him. self.
 The rest of the passengers began to go below, card tables were put away. the principal electric lights were put i. out. but still Mrs. Jefferson sat ia the deck chair. looking small and weak among the pillows, and l took it into my head suddenly that she wanted to say something to me, but that speech was difficult to her, and in flash l knew intuitiyely that she had learned the silence which 50 many women nave to learn.
 T want to thank you" she said at last. for all your goodness to me on this voyage" Her voice was so low and gentle that l had to lean forward to catch exactly what she said, and as l 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. Jef ferson went on:
 For seven years l have lived for nothing but this visit home to Eng land. When anything in my life was a little disappointing, l always said to myself: I have the children to go back to-. And every week l had their ich hfah told me so little and kept me hunger ing to see them"
 Tt must have been awful to leave them again" I said, and in the dark l 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 an unfamiliar language. T mean when they were little things do not think quite tiny children could ever nave been more fond of their mother. And" she hesitated for moment and said. with so much difficulty that 1t 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 I was silly about them. or that I expected too much. -. l always thought at first they might be a little bit shy of me. =. But they didn't even knew me, and they were certainly disappointed in me. =. One of them was five years old when l said good-by to her Now she is schoolgirl of 13. Her only ago, so 1t is no wonder that she didn't know me-
 did not fill in the pause by any banal remark.
 They have been brought up in very prim household" went on the gentle voice, "in which love, l fear, is not 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, l found, is not very 1 truthful child, and the other, when 1 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?" 1 said en- couragingly.
 If only I had had little more time!" said Mrs. Jefferson
 It would have been so much better for her if she could have wept She locked her thin hands together. and said with sort of wall in her voice: If only had had little more timei"
 After awhile she went on quite quietly, and told me that her husband had sent for her to return to him. and she had been obliged to leave the children.
 "Of course n man wants his wife in a solitary life like ours" she went on, excusingly. And so I said good-by to them . l don't think any one was very sorry when came away"
 hO HcNho NtlC lu4tS GtStTltQ W. Tomorrow they would be alive with passengers preparing to leave the snip. and friends meeting friends from Bom- bay, and ships officials, and hurrying agents and perspiring stewards. To- night they were quite deserted save for Mrs. Jefferson and me.
 We live quite an isolated life at the tea garden" she said, presently. but left little dog there of which am very fond l am afraid you will think me very morbid and imaginative she added in her depreca- tory little way, but think I have based all my possibilities of bearing things upon the question Of whether or not my dog knows ne again and is glad to see me"
 l still held Mrs. Jefferson's hand in mine. and now l raised it to my lips and kissed if "You will }a+ ,,,c l-,--e.-, .,