The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-06-08

whimpering. At last supper-time
came and mother went out to prepare
it. l went into the kitchen wit her.
Where do you live, Josey? she
asked.
In New York, replied.
"'What are you working at now,
Josey?'
"'I'm working in a dry goods
store
"'Then 1 suppose you don't live
very high, for 1 hear tell O. them city
clerks what don't get enough money
to keep body and soul together. So
I'll just tell you, Josey, we've got
nothin' but roast spareribs for sup
per. We amt got any money now,
Josey. Were poorer than Jobs
turkey
''I told her 1 would be delighted
with the spareribs, and to tell the
truth, John, 1 haven't eaten meal
in New York that tasted as good as
those crisp roasted spareribs did. I
spent the evening playing checkers
with father, while mother sat by tell
ing me all about their misfortunes,
from the old white Mooley getting
drowned in the pond, to fathers sign
ing note for friend, and having to
mortgage the place to pay It. The
mortgage was due inside of a week
and not cent to meet it with-just
$500. She supposed they would be
turned out of house and home, but in
my mind 1 supposed they wouldn't.
At last nine O'Clock came. Joe, go
out in the barn and see if Kit is all
right. Bring in an armful of old
shingles that are just inside the door
and fill up the water pail. Then we'll
go off to bed and get up early and go
a.fshing.'
II didn't say word, but I went
out to the barn, bedded down the
horse, broke up an armful Of shingles,
pumped up a pail of water, filled the
wood box, and then we all went to
bed.
Father called me at ago in the
morning, and while he was getting
breakfast, / skipped over to the de-
pot cross-lots and got my brass rod.
Father took nothing but trolling
line and a spoon hook. He rowed
the boat with the trolling line i'll his
mouth, while stood in the stern with
silver sinner rugged on. Now, John,
I never saw man catch fish as he
did. To make long story short, he
caught four bass and FIVE pickerel,
and never got bite.
cat noon we went ashore, and
father went to the postohice. I got
letter from Chicago with a check
for ST. 900 in it. With some trouble,
got it cashed, getting paid in SIS and
$40 bills, making quite roll. then
got roast joint of beef and lot of
delicacies, and had them sent home.
After that 1 went visiting among my
schoolmates for two hours and went
home. The joint was in the oven.
Mother had put on her best dress and
father had IouuS1 ia;, Ou.asio- 5v-.-
meeting clothes, none too good either.
This is where I played joke on the
old folks. Mother was in the kitchen
watching the roast. Father was out
in the barn, and 1 had a clear coast.
I dumped the sugar out of the old
blue bowl, put the thousand dollars
in and placed the cover on again. At
last supper was ready. Father asked
blessing over it, and he actually
trembled when he stuck his knife in
the roast.
"'We haven't had a piece of meat
like this in five years, Joe, he said,
and mother put in with, And we
haven't had any coffee in year only
when we went visitin' -
"Then she poured out the coffee
and lifted the cover of the sugar bowl,
asking as she did SO, How many
spoonfuls, Josey?'
"Then she struck something that
wasn't sugar. She picked up the
bowl and peered intoit. AHA, Master
Josey, playin' your old tricks on your
nanny, eh? Well, boys will be
boys
"Then she gasped for breath. She
looked at me, then at father, and then
with trembling fingers drew the great
roll of bills out.
"Ha ha ha l can see father
now as he stood there on tiptoe, with
his knife in one hand, fork in the
other, and his eyes fairly bulging out
of his head. But it was too much for
mother. She raised her eyes to heaven
and said slowly, Put your trust in
the Lord, and He will provide.
"Then she tainted away. Well,
John, there's not much more to tell.
We threw water in her face and
brought her to. and then we demol'
ished that dinner, mother all the time
saying, My boy, Josey! My boy,
Josey!
"I stayed home month. I fixed
up the place, had good time and
came back again to New York.
am going to send fifty dollars home
every week. I tell you, John, it.:
mighty nice to have home. F"
John was looking steadily at the
head of his cane. When he spoke he
took Joe by the hand and said "Joe
old friend, what you have told me
has affected me greatly. I haven't
heard from my home way up in Maine
for ten years. I'm going home to
morrow"
HER SORROW.