Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-04

You not to marry Drri' Holden, an 1 amt a.
goin to tell you now"
eve been waitin' so long," he said plaintively.
"Jes look" and he threw back the hair that lay
over his brow, showing the streaks of gray that
sprinllled it, The movement was eloquent with
the pathos of his hard, unsatis6ed life. "Sich
things mean more to woman than they do to
a man." he continued.
| 81 amt got nothin' more to say, only do
say that / think eff Mri' wanted my house an
my things, she might "a waited till my head was
cold before she went to reachn' fur EN-"
John rose from the table and, taking his hat,
went out without a word. His Slow Unconditional
nature had been aroused, and storm was rag
! ing within him. As his mother had said, she
had never told him not to marry Maria Holden,
but it was such scenes as this through which he
had just passed that had checked and crushed
him and dominated his patient will.
His father had died when he yet very
young, and an only child, ever under the care
manhood believing devoutly in her strength and
wisdom. Now, it needed something than
an ordinary wrench to make him stand forth in
opposition to her wishes. But tonight he felt
equal to any manner degree of revolt In this
mood he wandered down to the little river that
wound its peaceful way through the village. and
sat down upon the bank to think the matter
out
John had not been gone long, and his mother
was still sitting in brown study across from
tine unCledreu Wneu d NlSlJOE huOCheu anu
entered. She was little old lady with face
as mild and innocent n child's.
Mrs Stearns visibly frightened she said,
'NWhy, howdy do, Mother Judkins; take
chair"
"Howdy, Jerushy, child" said the visitor,
sinking into rush-bottomed seat. "How air
you an John a-stan'in' the hot weather."
"Oh middlin'. John, he was complainin' some
this evenin'.'
'I see him goin' down the street jes' now, and
says | to myself, there goes as stiddy boy
ever was He'll make some woman good hus-
band"
Mrs. Stearns pursed her lips, but Mother Jud-
kins whose mild, kindly eyes never saw anything,
went blindly on: ''It does seem to funny
that every harumscarum young scamp that you
can't put no dependence on ups an gifts married,
while the stiddy, solid men go along single"
"Humph!"
"It did jest seem like special providence that
Nathan Foster woke up at last and took Lizzie
Young; but, mercy sakes, what long time he
was a-comin' to it'll"
The old lady had seated herself for chat, and
she needed no storm signals. Had her husband.
Abe Judkins, been there, he would have stop.
ped her, for he said, ''Mother alus needed some
one along to keep her from speakn out In
meetin'" So she wandered on, and when she
rose to go she all unconscious that her SIM
Pile words had helped increase a brewing storm.
Mrs Stearns followed her to the door, and then
hastily shut it and hurried back into the room.
She was wrought to high pitch by jealousy and
anger. Her love and care for her son had grown
into selfishness, but she did not know it. She
only saw in herself all of the maternal virtues.
Her son, despite the gray hair, was but boy
to her still, and boy to be watched over, guard
ed commanded, and repressed. She continued
to hold herself responsible for anything he
might do, and she looked with equal horror on
any effort of his to be free either from her care
or control The revolt of the night had meant
to her, the shifting of the very foundation of
things In all their former contests upon this
same subject he had never been so strenuous and
outspoken in his opposition to her will. She saw
in this new departure the strong hold which an
other love had taken upon him. And, oh,
mothers heart is jealous one, whether it beats
under the homespun of peasant or the velvet
Iof grand dame. Mrs. Stearns famed with sud-
den anger.
'1ri' Holden's been a-pisenin' my sons mind
ap'in me- The hot tears rushed to her eyes and
hid from sight the old blue china that sparkled
and cleaned on the presses about her, and the
familiar look of the dear old furniture which had
been the gathering of her struggling life She
rose up with a sudden resolution and forced back
the bold drops. 'Ef she does take him, she ex.
claimed. mot one bit of all I've labored fur shall
she have. She kin work fur her own, an mebbe