The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1905-06-10

Sell. r-i tttast t' AZ
The rest OF the passengers began to
go below, card tables were put away,
the principal electric lights were put
out. bnt still Mrs. Jefferson sat In the
deck chair, looking small and weak
among the pillows, and took It into
my head suddenly that She wanted to
say something to me. but that speech
was diflcult to her, and in fash 1
knew lintuitively that she mad learned
the silence which 80 many women
have to learn.
II 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 a.
did so she laid her hand In mine.
Perhaps you don't know" she said.
slowly, quite what your friendship
has been to me-"
stumbled and said something bald
and stupid in response, and Mrs. JEFF
| ferson went on:
For seven years I have lived for
nothing but this visit home to Eng
land. When anything in my life was
little disappointing. always said
to myself: I have the children to go
back to- And every week I had their
precious, foolish little letters, which
told me so little and kept me hunger
ing to see them"
| 1T must have been awful to leav1
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 an
unfamiliar language. II mean when
they were little things. do not think
quite tiny children could ever have
been more fond Of their mother. And
she hesitated for moment, and
said, with 80 much difficulty that II
seemed almost like cruelty to allow
her to proceed always thought
they would remember me, although
they were so little" She paused
again, and went on: you mustn't
think that l was silly about them, OF
that expected too much.
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
l.. One of them was five years old
when I said good-by to her. Now she
is a schoolgirl of 10. :. Her only
photograph of me was taken Ions
ago, so it 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 thu
gentle voice, lin which love, fear, II
not thing that is reckoned with o.
encouraged. They rather despised mi
for laughing and crying over then
when we met, and-it is only natural
of course-all their little confidence
were for the people who brought then
up, and all their ways Of thinking ar
their ways, and not mine. One OF m.
little girls, found. Is not a yer.
truthful child, and the other, when
asked her what she would like bes
to do seemed more content at home.
4 but you made friends and got owe
all that before you left?" l said, en-
couragingly.
IF only l had had q little NOR
time!" said Mrs. Jefferson.
1t would have been so much bette
for her II she could have wept. Sh
locked her thin hands together, ant
said with a sort of wall in her voice
IF only l had had little more time!
After awhile she went on quit
quietly, and told me that her husband
had sent for her to return to him, ant
she had been obliged to leave tn
children.
"Of course a man wants his wife In
solitary life like ours" she went on
excusingly. ''And so l said good-b.
to them. don't think any
one was very sorry when cam
away"
The decks were quite deserted now
Tomorrow they would be alive wit
passengers preparing to leave the shiI
and friends meeting friends from Bonn
bay, and ships officials, and hurryin
agents and perspiring stewards. To
night they were quite deserted say
for Mrs. Jefferson and me.
'we live quite an isolated life q
the tea garden" she said. presently
"but l left little dog there of whlc
am very fond. / am afrai
you WIN think me very morbid an
imaginative" she added in her depreca
tory little way, "but l think
!, have based all my possibilities {
bearing things upon the question 9
whether or not my dog knows m
} again and is glad to see me-"
Il still held Mrs. Jefferson's hand /
mine, and now l raised It to my LIP
and kissed It, you will let me know,
! said, huskily, and found to my sui
r prise that could not say more.
Eyes, will let you know" said Mr.
a Jefferson.
Al And one day got little note frol
I her which said: THE dog knew me
: and that was all.--Temple Bar.
Q sickly octogenarians.
a phav xvoro n nathan NJ Their, hrtIli a =