Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-04

yore mother to die. Now ! don't want to be
a-hankerin' fur no dead woman's place, SO don't
you think that we'd both better give up an
stop thinkin' about it :"
Give up Oh, couldn't do that It's the
only thing that's held me up fur the last ten
years. No, M'ri', let's jest go on hopin' that
mother'll come round at last. You don't know
my mother; she's got mighty good heart"
''I amt sayin' ner thinkin' thing agin' yore
mother, John. I'm only talkin' ag'in' things 1t
amt yore mother more than anybody else.
Its-it's-things-l can't explain it, but it's the
way things turn out"
The hopeless note in her voice grated on his
ear, but it did more than that; it sent shaft of
pain to his heart that stung him almost into
action. He was filled with sudden shame at
himself, and pitying love for the hardworked,
restrained woman who had waited for him so long
"M'n'," he said, couldn't we-couldnt We
sort o fix things?"
'How?"
Couldn't we slip away an git married on
the quiet like?" He trembled at his own bold
ness as he spoke. She turned and looked at him
half in anger. All the primitive pride in her
being famed up in her eyes.
81 amt waited so long fur you John Stearns,
to slip away like thief to marry you at last;
No ef ever We two air fined it'll be open and
aboveboard, in church and before the people
that's seen and laughed at my waitin'. An
what's more she drew herself up with a sud-
den motion-"its been you all the time that's
held back; now it'll be fur me to say, an won't
never marry you until you've got yore mothers
consent full and free
Don't say that M'ri. You don't know what
it means"
eyes, do; but I mean it."
His head dropped abjectly. "I didn't go to hurt
yore feelin's he faltered.
"You amt hurt my feelin's, john" she said.
'Ive jest commenced to feel that got feelin's.
1 been a-goin' along like animal a-takln' hurts
and only KNOWN in dull sort Of way that
they was hurts. But l feel keener now, and
mebbe on that account things'll pass me by They
say the Lord tempers the wind to the shorn lamb;
mebbe He tempers His blows to thin skin.
She laughed without mirth.
'Im sorry" he said, 'I'm sorry"
'Lal" exclaimed one of two women as John
and Maria passed them, "ef don't believe them
two's been spattin'. Who ever heard tell o slch
a thing fur them"
''Well, it 'u'd be good thing ef Mr' did wake
up and give him a right good tongue-lashin Meo'
be he'd learn some sense-enough, anyhow 10
let that mother O. his'n know that he'd come
of age"
'There's good deal of truth in what you've
said, Tillie but"
"But what?"
ard feel good deal better in this case ef
1 hadn't seen OF Mis- Stearns' blind move jest
now 1t amt a-goin' to make her any yieldener
to see John an NI'ri together"
"Mebbe it amt, but it'll make her useter to
it. For my part, hope she will see 'em-there,
that's Jest like M'ri' Holden to turn of at the
corner instid O passin' the gate with him. Eff
that 'u'd a been me, I'd a walked 'spang past
the house"
But Maria Holden did not need to walk "spang
past the house" to be seen by the ever-watchful
eyes of Mrs. Stearns. The moving blind had hid
den her form and shut out from scrutinizing eyes
the look of hurt anxiety that came into her face
when she saw the couple part at the corner.
Outside with Maria, John had felt injured and
bit heroic but once in the presence of his moth
er his feelings underwent total change. A
glance at her face-for in the long and close in
timacy between mother and son they had learned
to read each other well-told him that she had
seen him with his companion. The sigh that
forced itself between her tight-shut lips indicated
with equal plainness that the sight had not been
an agreeable one.
Supper ready, mother?" he asked.
Another sigh came forth to follow its brother
ooh, yes" she replied very gently, "supper's
ready. As soon you're ready to set down. I'll
come an help yore plate"
"Ain't you goin' to eat nothin' yoreself?"
"No, don't believe I keer about anything my
self I amt hungry. jest want to see you sat
isfed."