Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-18

of a blush that her intolerable exhibition
of temper which had Immediately pre-
ceded it had been due, she thought TO the
approach of the time when their lttle son
was to be born to them. Her husband had
left their New York home In rage a week
before the baby came. saying that he was
starting on a search for work outside the
CITY somewhere He had never returned.
She had done what she could TO search LOT
him but her poverty and ignorance or the
world had prevented her from accomplish
ing anything. Kind neighbors had heiped
her through the crisis of the BOY plrtn'
and after she had regatned her strength
she had tried her hand at whatever honest
employment she could find. For more
than ten years she had thus struggled Oh
there in the city. but at last, Two lLilt 80
had decided her to leave 1t and search iol
employment in the country. one was her
own failing health, and the other was het
desire to get the boy away from the ass3.
Citations of the streets, Whlcn sne leIe
could not but be harmful to him. she
tearfulIy protested that he was naturally
the best hoy in the world, but that, broken
by her sorrow, she had peen ia ID, no
fathers hand to guide him, SO long alhlu
the strong temptations and pad lnIl sis1
of the tenements Also, she coniesSeu
she had never for moment Wholly iost
hope that her husband would some DAY
Sba had no thought that he was dead, al
though she had tried TO convince net So 81.
cuse him for deserving her. She DelleVeu
that he was working somewhere at ms
trade She felt, she said. that II she coulu
once see him she could gain forgiveness !ol
her long past petu4diICe anu p'7'ti " ~
This point of view aroused much secret
ire in Betsey BObbin's sympathetic heart.
and sharp words against me ao1 sen. +b btv
were lowering on her agile tongue, put tneS
were silenced by glance at the iaeIal
cholv womans sorrowful face She con-
tented herself with sundry thoughts aoout
those members of her sex who permitted
.heynselves to be downtrodden by mere
men. but her resentment was lmpersona.
In her heart was only pity for the hapIess
one She cheered her by assurance .aal
new troubles at least, would not ma her
where she was, and so won the Wanderef .
heart that finally, after moment S hesi-
tation she was granted the last cohhueiice
,rhe waif when she had left New YORK, mad
dropped her husbands name and taken
that of her parents once again. oTe sdiu
in exclamation that she feared that II she
! used her husbands name while searching
for him he might hear of her and nee
without giving her a chance for eXplana-
| t;ons and forgiveness Betsey Bobbin's ire
flashed up again al this new evidence Oh
| her lack of spirit, but when she looked at
her once more ii faded Sucker mad peen
her mothers maiden name, she salo, ana
she felt certain that she had enough right
| tn IT so that she was doing no one WRONG
| In taking it. In view, however, or the KIND
ness which had been shown TO her by Bet-
sew Bobbin and the Coopers she felt that
| n was but right that she should tell them
| this as well as the other details of her his
| tory. ~,
How about the boy?" said Betsey Bob
| bin.
The change was made six years ago,
| was the reply land if he recalls the OLD
! name at all it is but dimly.'
| what was it?" asked Betsey Bobbin.
| II had rather not tell even YOU sald
l {pht hal of
| away again if he should come here and find
| that anyone who bears 1t lives here"
| "Humphr' said Betsey Bobbin, but she
| did not press the question.
| Amt he never seen his chiidg' asked
| Betsey.
| How do you know he's livin'?' asked
| the dressmaker
Il don't" said Mrs. Sucker, but I hope
! II you could realize how l tried and
| troubled him before he went away at all
| YOU would know why ! feel that l must
search for him until 1 find him or until
| l die"
| Betsey Robin snuffed, but the scorr
was really. wholly in the snuff. None was
In her heart. Still she said briefly that nc
man wasn't worth it.
| Billy, after he had performed his first
task for his new-found friends by bring,
ing in great stores of wood to heat Bet.
sey Bobbins oven. had fallen asleep. an6
Betsey stopped his mother, when she
would have aroused him. with the re-
mark that it was only fair to let hin
get his rest out for the once after wha
he had gone through. Bess was busy II
the attic. commissioned by Betsey to fine
there certain old clothes, which might bt
cut down for the youngster Cooper ha(
gone first to the barn to look after the live
| stock and see to it that the hired men
had done their days work well, and ther
| to Dennison's store to meet Jack and lool
| after that other live stock which would
upon the morrow, have votes at the con
| vention.