New-York tribune., 1907-06-23
Winchester and Company
Cortrasd from page s

silence gazing at the boy he loved while tragedy
set It's Inetfdcable sign upon t,s face At last,
however, ne pulled himself together and spoke.
"Yo-al are right" he 5ald IN an odd, choked
voice, I'll have To have yo shot
Winchester smiled At HIM III g back
now" he said. and they VIII never know
that have been away tie stretched out
his hand quickly 70 the other, Good by, old
Company tlutched the others hand and
held It tight IN both his own for long mo-
mcnt. suddenly he dropped It. 50 long
he breathci
Manchester turned and crossed u the WIN
dow lust as he reached IL he turned back
You've been mighty good u always,
he said. and I've never forgotten II, though
| NAV have seemed TO. But | never could
understand why. Won't You tell me
Company rose, and, gong 70 hun, land MS
hand on his shoulder. " loved yo mother,
lie was Shot at davbreak Company HIM
self gave the word. And then atterward he
walked over % where Winchester Law dead with
a bullet through his heart For a time he stood
there looking down upon the handsome tdce,
So calm and tranquil-bcautItul. almost, aS
the faint flush of the morning sun fell upon II
Then he stopped and took HIM up IN his arms
as though he was a little child, Just aS had
often seen him carry the boy when he was
helpless from drink. And those who stood
near heard him repeat those wonderfully com
passionate words, The only son of his mother
and she a widowl" And then, still carrying
his burden, he walked 70 where his horse was
tethered, and mounting It rode OF through
the amber sunlight with his dead friend cold
against his breast.
Long, long afterward when at length She
could bear To speak of it, she told me how he
had rode up to her home that sunny summer
morning. bearing the boy IN his arms.
I've KEEP my promise the best could. ne
told her. As he laid the body at her feet an
I've brought him home-tOrever. And with
that he turned and took last, long look Al her
white face She never saw hun again.
And now had come to tell her OF his death,
and the old tune She WAS playing had, some
how. taken me back over the sad old story.
Suddenly, with bang, she ceased, and turning
saw ME where stood leaning on my walking
stick. She came toward me.
You have newSi" she SAID.
"Yes" | answered; he is dead"
She did not cry out. she did not even finch
She Just stood there ClaSping and uncldSping
her hands while the tears. unchecked. ran
down her wrinkled face. And as looked upon
her so | saw at last something to which | had
always been blind. and asked gently
Then 1t was because of him that You have
ALWAYS said no to me!
She raised her dear old eyeS-thev are still
SO bcautlfu-and met mine bravely. Yes,
she answered softly.
Oh the pity of It'll To love and be loved
and then to lose it ALL She had loved hum al
ways, and he had never known. The boy
whose life had brought them together had by
his death kept them always apart | took hel
hand in silence, and in silence went upon my
way. Their parting could not last much longer
Soon both she and | would go there To meet
him where there is neither marrying nor CIV
ing IN marriage. but We are even as the angeE
of God The tenderness of twilight had falleI
upon the world and as | walked through
the gathering shade | read in it message whicl
only the rapt and parting soul may know. ant
my thoughts of the afternoon seemed far OF
and distant. II life Is sweet, SO also Is death
God judges for us best.