Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-01-04

little money, and bought a tea planta-
tion somewhere in the back Of be-
yoaa. But he was always something
tune, as men of Jefferson's type al
ways call their misdeings, soured him.
He took to drink, l believe, and this
little woman doesn't have the best OF
times with him. She has got children
at home, and has lost several others
or IN F-a:o'
Naturally one avoided the subject OF
Mr.. Jefferson ever afterward when
talking to his wife, and I heard moth
ing about him till the very last day
Of the voyage
It was horribly hot weather-quite
exhausting for ladies' Mrs. jefferson
had been confined to her cabin for
some days with bad attack of fever
and headache. She looked pathetical-
ly small and weak when she came on
deck again, and cur1ed herself up in
my big deck chair which |. had pre-,
pared with cushions for her, giving me
at the same time a look SO full of
gratitude that it was enough to make
self
The rest of the passengers began to
go below, card tables were put awav.
the principal electric lights were nut
out, but still Mrs. Jefferson sat in
the big deck chair, looking small and
weak among the pillows, and I took
it into my head suddenly that she
wanted to say something to me, but
that speech was difficult to her, and
in fash I knew intuitively that she
had learned the silence which so MANY
women have to learn.
Il want to thank you," she said at
last, for all your goodness to me on
this voyage" Her voice was SO low
and gentle that I had to lean forward
to catch exactly what she said, and as
| did SO she laid her hand in mine.
Perhaps you don't know" she said
slowly, "quite what your friendship
has been to me-"
| stumbled and said something hald
and stupid in response, and Mrs. JEFF
ferson went on;
''FOr seven years I have lived fer
nothing but this visit home to Eng
land. When anything in my life was
little disappointing, always said TO
myself, I have the children to 80
back to- And every week had their
precious, foolish little letters, which
told me so little and kept me hunger
ing to sec them"
'slt must have been awful to leave
them again." I said, and in the dark
took again the little hand which had
lain In mine.
"They were so fond Of me-" said
Mrs. Jefferson, still in the same halt
ing fashion, like one who speaks an
unfamiliar language. Il mean when
they were little things. I do not think
quite tiny children could ever have
been more fond of their mother And
she hesitated for a moment, and
said, with SO much difficulty that it
seemed almost like cruelty to allow
her to proceed-s'I always thought
they would remember me, although
they were SO little" She paused again
and went on: "You mustn't think
that, was silly about them, or that
expected too much. $ always
thought at first they might be a little
| bit shy of me. But they didn't
even know me, and they were certain
ly disappointed in me- One o!
them was five years old when I saic
! good by to her. Now she is schoo
| girl of thirteen. > 3 Her only pho,o
graph OF me was taken long ago, SO i
| is no wonder that she didn't know
me-"
/ | did not fill in the pause by an,
! hana1 remark.
! They have been brought up in ;
| very prim household went on tn
gentle voice, "in which love, fear
IS not 9 thing that is reckoned witt
1 - ~