The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1905-01-05

him.
The Child had looked on with his
serious gray eyes as she caught the
restless little figure to her and kissed
his round check. Perhaps she caught
the wistful look in the Child's gaze,
for she slipped her arm about him and
kissed him, too, upon his thin cheek,
which colored family with surprise
and pleasure. And then they had
gone out into the snowy streets and
away to school, tho boy looking a bit
annoyed and ashamed at what she
had done, and the Child silently, with
q warm glow in his heart that had
never been there before
That night he claspel close in his
arms the spare pillow and laid his
cheek against it in the darkness, Tie
whispered to it soft, incoherent
words of love and tenderness, and
called IL "Mother!' At last he fell
asleep with his slender arms clasping
it still, and through his quaint little
dreams fitted the boys mother with
her smiling face-the mother who had
kissed him!
Martha Jane, the housekeeper, COM
ing to tuck the Child in more warmly,
found him so, and stood looking at
him with uncomprehending eyes, Mar
tina Jane had never had child, and
she knew little Of boys
"What a queer little fellow he is,
to be sure!" she said to herself. Nov,
whatever he is hugging that pillow
for! It's too ridiculous!' She gently
took it from the Child's arms and laid
1t smoothly in its place, then went
downstairs.
As he grew more at ease with pen
and ink, the Child began to write little
letters to an imaginary mother.
"Dear mamma" he would say, u
had a lot Of fun to-day, snowballing
with the boys. | wish you could have
been there to see me. | could thro
most as good as emmy Of EN-, wish |
could see you very much. | try to be
good, for no you want me to. Your
own little boy. DONALD
Or, "Dear Mother: was permoted
to-day and teecher sayes I'm doing
fine. EDWARDS mother list him four
times cause he is in the forth graid.
/ wish you could kiss me four times
One day the Child's father, oversee
ing the repapering OF the little room.
CHANGED to open the small drawer Of
the table beside the small white bed,
He sat down upon the bed and read
them through-the piteous little let
tiers. His eyes were misty and his
throat ached when he was through.
"Poor little chap he whispered, as
he put them back, and then he went
down stairs and shut himself in his
library.
From a drawer in his secretary he
drew forth a faded photograph and
looked long at the woman's face upon
1.-THE same serious eyes, the same
sensitive mouth that he saw in the
Child's face every day. 1t was q pa
tent face, full Of sad usefulness. Had
he loved her enough, he wondered!
He had thought so, but those we're
busy years, years Of money making
and never-ceasing grind, Perhaps the
little thing had felt lonely and neg
lected. He wondered, with a vague
pain at his heart, II that could be the
reason the Child's face was 50 full OF
wistful sadness.
One day he called the Child into
the library and took him upon his
knee-an unusual mark Of affection
with him.
Donald he said, II want you to
look at this picture and tell me what
you think"
| He lifted photograph from the ia.
| Bile and held it before the Child. 1t
was a young face, happy in Its youth
full girlishness, glad with the joy OF
living. Perhaps there was some slight
resemblance to the face Of Edwards
mother, who had kissed him, for his
eyes lighted up as he looked. Then he
looked up at his father. n like her."
he said simply.
The father caught the Child to him
with an impulslye gesture. $50 do /,
Donald" he said. "Shes sweet and
beautiful and dear and-she liked me,
too!"
lie laid a bearded cheek against the
Child's fair hair and looked dreamily
at the pictured face. The Child leaned
back against the broad breast and
closed his eyes. This new experience
OF parental love was so strangely
] sweet. He began to think that faith