The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-02-03

the old clock, when she heard a strange
noise behind her, and, turning, she saw
that ma head was down low in her hands,
and she was rocking passionately back and
forward and crying as though her old heart
had broken.
Ma did not get up at all next day.
Perhaps she was i'll, or perhaps it was only
that she did not want to 90 out in the sit
ting room and see how unlike home il
looked But the next day she did not get
up either and Libby went to town for the
doctor. He said the excitement had
weakened her, and did not seem very Ger
tain she would ever get up again. That
night Libby wrote a letter to Dave. asking
him again to let his mother die on the old
| place. \ week passed and an answer had
not come, and still ma had not left her bed
The packing was all done 1t was the
first of May, and she was just waiting
she did not know for what.
Her whole soul rose up against moving
ma from the old place now, when her days
We're so surely numbered; and so she sent
telegram TO Dave, telling him his mother
was ILL., and asking leave to stay little
longer There came a reply from his
partner, saying that Dave was away and
would not he home for two weeks.
That night the old woman raised herself
aud sobbed out the truth.
Its Dave that : killing me- It's to
think Dave sold the place and turned me
GU, to die
And then the way opened before Libby,
and she saw her path.
The disinherited child wrote a letter
that night, and to it she signed her
brother name Out in the world they
might have applied to it an ugly word but
Libby was only caring for ma She was
a long time about it, for it was hard to put
ihin-s in Dave round. bold hand and it
was hard to say them in his silky way
Il amt that I'm goin to die, she
,gid, whoa libby came in and found her
crying "hni was ,hinkin of Dave l
Keep ,hiukiu and thinkin of him when he
was little boy, and how he used to run
about the place, and how pretty he used
90 look and then, just as | begin to take a
hitle comfori in remembcrin' some Of the
smart things he said, have to think Of
what be has done. and it does seem like
he might have waited iill-- But the
words were ;oo bitter to DC spoken aud,
With a hard >craping sound in her throat,
She turned her face To the wall
Libby pa, her hand to something in her
packc, and thought Of last night work
with thankiuinc~s.
Abou, eleven clock she entered the
raau virh che sheets Of a letter in her
hand
Ma, she said tromulously, here's a
le,,er just come from Dave.
II knew !, q cotne-I knew IL And
the v0icc 6ilcl she room with it's triumph
ant riuz Thea there crcpt into her face
au anxious look. What did he say?
He, sorry about selling the place,
me. lie really thought you ike i, bet
Ter 10 towu. But he's fixed 1t up for u
70 stay He says you'n never have TO
leave the place
II knowo,i tt knowcd 1t well enough
Yoa don't know Dave Ike | DO But
reai me the letter
She til rad il, and the old woman
listened sikh tear.-elai tears now fall
ing over her wither,,l check
Yuu san JUS uapack uar things she
erred vbca it was finished. and get this
place -.rli.htcnel out The idea Of your
pack.n up and think we was soin to
uoyc fa town Nicc mess yna ve made ot
Il Jest as if Dave would hear Of Us
leayin the placr alwsys knowci you 4
ncvcr Vrrgiatel Dave
Before morning broke ma was dead
Happy because she had back her old faith
10 payc--the blind. beautiful faith Of the
ulo,her ia ,he son. And Libby
homeless and ualoycd-p.p. happy too, for
she had flushed weIl her work Of caring
t.F ma