The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-25
MOTHERS WHO SUFFER.
sY cHARLns MICHAEL WILLIAMS,

'
 tpY CHARLEs MICHAEL WILLIAMS l (Ccpyright. 1906. by Joseph B. Biwies'p , One hot evening Mrs Hamilton ana pr. Maryell met on the. tenement starr
 case. She asked question.
 '-she is dying" he replied; she knows tit and has given up the light, and very well satisfied she seems. Eh? On, she may last through the night but | ldoubt 1t. ma am, I doubt it."
 "Ah. the poor soul--poor Della MOT rissey. am sorry to hear you say tso Mrs. Morrissey and haven't ever agreed very we'll together; we haven spoken for a long time-through none of my fault, though. will say-nut o1 Icourse. now that she's so sick. if there lis anything that I can do for her pr. Marvell turned sharply and stared her in the eyes. Mrs. Hamh- ion" he said, testify, .TIl tell you just this much--you have got to take better care of yourself. much better care oI yourself. ma'am: you've got to stay home from that workroom and rest. or sure as my name is MarveIl you'll be 1 where Mrs. Morrissey Is before many
 weeks are over"
 | Mrs. Hamilton smiled in the manner | in which one greets familiar jest. or saving, the force of which has been lost by repetition. She had heard like statements from Dr. Marvell many times before.
 It always took Mrs. Hamilton a long Itime to climb from the street t6 her tenement on. the sixth floor when she came home in the evening from her work.
 And this evening she was unusually slow in climbing; she stopped to rest many times on her way up. As Mrs Hamilton entered the kitchen she saw brown and battered derby hat on the floor.
 home so early--ah. now. l wonderg' | the widow murmured. She lighted a gas tet---it was evening of late sum mer day--and the rush of light threw | into relief strange expression on the thin old face--a look of pain and sor- 1 row that seemed to fit into lines al- ready plowed for It. She slowly walk ed to a bedroom door opening off the hallway A young man, a tall. sturdy I fellow, lay upon the bed, sprawied abroad and snoring in intoxicatfon. The widow turned silently away and l re-entered the kitchen and put the ket- l tie on the gas range. Then she noticed l a letter that was on the table: there was an official looking number, and the name of a prison town up the State on I its corner.
 | sons. who was in priscn. and who had | been there for two years. because he I had robbed his employers. Mrs. Ham, | liIton's face brightened as she read the letter. which tcid her. very briefly, that | the writer would be released on parole within q few days and would come home.
 I A young man, boy, rather. of about l1S years, dressed in overalls stained | fQ a a plumbers helper, hurriedly entered the | room. He had a look of sullen anger l on his face
 I .So--Billy is home drunk again!' he | exclaimed, throwing his tools town in "a corner, and glowing at his mother. I Yes, he is." answered his mother. How did you know?" How do l know? How does the
 whole street knew?" cried the youth, passionately. Don't the kids in the street know about it when I come home at night? Don't they sing out after me? Look here. mother, I won't stand it! Week after week Bill comes home without money, or with just a dollar or two left out of his pay; and he's always losing job after job, and Idrinking all the time;- and he .begs tho money out of you when he hasn't got it himself. I never have cent to spend, scarcely. I have to give all my money to the house-and him loafing
 and having good time. He'll wind up just like Jack"
 Dick" cried the widow. her voice
 vibrant with pain. Don't I have to
 stand it?' s
 Well. don't sec why you got to
 stand It," the boy replied. drowning. l You would be better off. and so would IT, if Bill was out of here. We could take a smaller place and get along
 better without him. Whats he good for?" ~.
 The mother rocked herself to and ,ro, and the tears that had been gathering in her dim eyes overflowed and ran down the channels that other tears had deeply traced there. oh, Dick, don't t say mat, oon say thatr' she pleaded. and the boy twitched Dick. you've been. a good boy-I'li always say that for you. But John and William--why are they so different? Why aren't they hike other boys? Look at Mrs. Morris sey-see how steady and hard-working her boys are; they are comfort to her now they are grown up, and even if she is dying she can say her children turned out weil.'
 Dick had been pacing up and down
 the room in irritable distress, and he interrupted her: oh. the Morrissey fellows aren't such saints, either, fl l
 cry. mother; and I'm hungry as I can | be-"
 This word hunger dried Mrs. Hamil- tons tears and she got up from her
 chair and prepared the supper of dried
 beef and tea.
 You're not eating much tonight, l remarked the boy
 T don't feel like eating she re- piled. T feel kind of sick; it was dreadfully hot and close in the shop
 today; and then I was all upset about | Billy--and Jack.
 l The boys teacup stayed by his lips. 1 What about Jack?" he asked. "A letter came today Jack will be home before week Is over" The boy stared at his mother. a flush mounting his sallow cheeks. And
 what's he going to do when he gets
 homer
 T don't know" said the widow,
 duly.
 l .Mother!' cried the frightened boy,
 springink to her side. mother, what's the matter? Here, drink this water!' | But she had tainted. She toppled to
 one side. The boy caught her in his
 arms.