The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1906-07-11

smooth Wnen knew JUtm
What has fate had in store fol
vou to cause these most eloquent
scars The woman hastily
snatched her hands away, wrap
ping them in her apron, saving
Il must 60 back 10 nv boeiHg.
The man said. antborifafiyely
'.Lide, you are going 10 give il
up" The woman threw mp Der
bands in = little gesture OF bor-
ror. The man resumed: Mother
sent for me clear 10 Texas. 10 get
you away from that tyrant and
believe IN obeying the fifth
commandment literally. Mother
is going back with me-sbe will
take care Of you. and yonr chill
dren mill We can break these
hideons ehains.v IInsh.v said
the woman. its jnst as impossi
bic. as II ! were IN a Dunnerv:
Just ~ hopeless. as Z were over
there and she Indicated with a
gesture some shining white
stones. over on the hillside
amongst the sUmac, the alder
and the hazel bushes. Then more
cheerfulIy she spoke again
Take this for future comfort
Phil, that I've worn these chains
20 long that where once they
CALLED, now is calloused. and
dOubly unfeeling. Where once l
shrunk and shuddered at sharp
tones. ! now have grown dull
cared. and 'unheeding; and know
that ] thank God every day for
that blessed surcease." The
woman ceased, looking away to
the west where in the amber SKY
the sun was slowly setting leav
ing crimson trail behind; ap
parently unconscious of her com
paniOn's presence, but conscious
Of his sympathy. AS she gazed
something caught her eye, and a
voice called: NANNY, nanny
She laughed like a girl. There
Philip, is one of my BARNS. Come
to nanny" she called back CAV
ly to the stout curly-headed
youngster. "Whom do they look
likew said the man, hOarsely
"Oh me, ] guess; I've been such
a dominant force in this family
self-willed, self-iDdulgent, and so
on, that I've brought it about
that the very children look like
me. His sister says they're law
like me; but they're so little II
can't see how she can tell. ! am
so afraid Of one thing; that when
they are older he will compel
them to do duty united for Their
strength. My heart fairly chills
at it," But this time the little
fellow had come mp gayly riding
a stick horse. Nanny, the
lightnin' bread" The woman
stopped down and picked up the
child and with a savage gesture
pressed him to her heart, saying:
"He's worth il, Philip-wortb all
the trouble"
The man leaned across the
bars and took the child in his
arms noting keenly the straight
eyebrows so like the mothers.
the eyes so dark and blue, and
mouth with those cunning little
wells at the corners, such a |
sweet mouth, so dewy and fresh
He put him back in his mothers
arms saying boarsely; your
children might have been mine"
The color famed up in the
wOman's cheek, on her white
brow, down her slender throat:
the tears flashed in the dear deep
eyes he knew so well. She reso |
lutely turned away. Now, baby |
tel the gentleman 'Bye-bye.'
Goodbye, Philip" The man
hesitated before he replied
Goodbye, Lide."
The baby laughed, and waved
and called goodbye; but the
woman with sun bonnet drawn
close about her face, never
turned her head. The man stand
ing at the bars rolled a cigarette
with the deft touch of the true
plainsman; lit it, inhaled the
smoke deep into bis lungs with
evident appreciation, and non
blew a curpusly in.
volved series of nebulous blue
rings-the while, his honest
brown eyes-eyes like a faithful