Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-10-14

pckaxes and crowbars to sweep ava
the ruins.
The boy heard his name whtspere.
rather than spoken. The sound gal
vanlzed him into consciousness.
Doctor" he said earnestly. you will
come back2"
Eyes, yes; within half an hour. Tel
your mother to expect me-"
Philip ran up the stairs. Long prac
tee had enabled him to move with
minimum Of noise. It was pitiful t
see the manner In which he emerged
with stealthy activity, into the creak
ing loft above. Here at first glanc,
there was an astonishing degree Of
comfort Odd pieces of worn carpe
neatly Joined covered the floor. The
two windows, facing only to the from
Of the dwelling, were curtained. The
whitewashed walls were almost hid
den by cuttings from the colored peri
odicals published during the previous
Christmas season. A screen divided
the room into two compartments, each
containing tiny bed. On one Of these
propped up with pillows, lay the vast.
ed figure Of a woman, over whose face
the shadows were falling fast. The ex.
treme thinness, the waxen pallor, the
delicate texture Of debilitated skin and
unnatural brilliancy Of the eyes gave
her remarkably youthful appearance.
This fantastic trick Of death, in life
accentuated the resemblance between
mother and son. The boy, too was
sharply outlined by hunger, and In the
fading light Of a March day the diff
ference between the dread tokens Of
approaching collapse and the transient
effects OF scanty regimen on a Wig
orous youth was not readily distin-
guishable.
'Do you want anything, mother
dear?" said the boy. laying his hand
tenderly on the clammy forehead.
"Only to ask you, Phil, what it was
that the doctor told you"
The voice was low and sweet, the die
ton that Of an education woman. The
boy, too, though his tones were etrong
and harsh, spoke with the accent Of
good breeding. His manner and words
gained some distinction from a slight
touch Of French elegance and preci-
sion. This was only noticeable in re-
pose. When excited or moved to deep
feeling. the continental veneer acquired
at the Lycee In Dleppe instantly van
tshed, and he became the strenuous,
emphatic Briton he undoubtedly was
by birth and breeding.
"He said, dearest, that what you
wanted was some good wine-nice
things to eat. He Is an awfully fine
chap, and I am afraid was rude to
him, but he didn't seem to mind It q
bit and he is coming back soon with
chicken broth and port wine, and I
don't know what"
His brave words were well meant,
but the mothers heart understood him
too well to be deceived. A thin hand
caught his wrist and feebly drew him
nearer.
'You say you were rude to him, Phil?
How can that be possible? What did
you say or do to warrant such a de-
scription?"
He hesitated for q moment With
rare self control In one so young he
fercely determined not to communi-
cate his own despair to his mother. So
he laughed gently.
1--WE are so jolly hard up, you know.
and It sounded strange In my ears to
talk about expensive luxuries which l
could not buy. He has often told Us,
dear. that you would be better cared
for in the infirmary. I am afraid now
he was right only we couldn't bear
to be parted. Could we, motherY'
Not all his valor could control his
tremulous lips. A beautiful smile flu
mined the face OF the Invalid.
80 you are trying to hoodwink me,
Phil, for the first time. l know what
the doctor said. He told you that I
could not recover and that I had not
long to live; In word, that am dy-
ing"
Then the boy gave way utterly. He
flung himself down by the side of the
bed and buried his face in the cover
let
'Oh, mother, mother!' he walled,
and his passionate sobs burst forth
with alarming vehemence- The poor
woman Ealnly strove to sou6he him.
She could not move, being paralysed,
but her fingers twtned gently In his
hair, and she gasped brokenly:
"Pfil. darling, don't make 1t harder
for me. Oh. calm yourself, my dear
one. If only for my sake. have so
much to say to you and perhaps so lit
tie time. Be strong, Philip. Be strong
and brave, and all will be we'll with
you. | know you will miss me. We
have been all in all to each other since
your fathers death. But my memory
must he sweet, not bitter to you.
When you think Of me l want the rec
objection to inspire you to do that
which is right regardless OF conse-
quences. to strive always for honor
and for the appreciation of your own
conscience. Ny own dear boy, we
must bow to the will of God. We have
indeed been sorely tried, you far more