The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-08-02


rather than spoken. The sound gal
vanized him into consciousness.
Doctor" he said earnestly, "you will
come backr'
Eyes, yes; within half an hour. Tell
your mother to expect me-"
Philip ran up the stairs. Long prac-
ice had enabled him to move with a
minimum Of noise. 1t was pitiful to
see the manner in which he emerged,
with stealthy activity, into the creak-
ing loft above. Here at, first glance
there was an astonishing degree of
comfort. Odd pieces of worn carpet
neatly joined covered the floor. The
two windows, facing only to the front
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 woman, over whose face
the shadows were falling fast The ex-
treme thinness, the waxen pallor, the
delicate texture of debilitated skin and
unnatural brillancy Of the eyes gave
her a 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 Wig
orous youth was not readily distin-
guishable.
do you want anything, mother
dearY' said the boy, laying his hand
tenderly on the clammy forehead.
"Only to ask you, Phil, what 1t 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 strong
and harsh, spoke with the accent of
good breeding. His manner and words
gained some distinction from 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 Dieppe instantly van
ished, 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 I was rude to
bit, and he is coming back soon with
chicken broth and port wine, and
don't know what"
His brave words were well meant,
but the mothers heart understood him
too we'll 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 de-
scriptionY"
He hesitated for a moment. With
rare self control in one so young he
fiercely determined not to commune
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 /
could not buy. He has often told us,
dear, that you would be better cared
for in the infirmary. / am afraid now
he was right, only we couldn't bear
to be parted. Could we, motherT'
Not all his valor could control his
tremulous lips. A beautiful smile illu-
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
could not recover and that l had not
long to live; in a word, that l 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 vainly strove to soothe him.
She could not move. being paralyzed.
but her fingers twined gently In his
hair, and she gasped brokenly:
"Phil, 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 well with
you. know you will miss me. We
have been all in all to each other since
-FOUR fathers death. But my memory
must he sweet. not bitter to you.
When you think of me ] want the rec
election 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. My own dear boy, we
must bow to the will of God. We have
indeed been sorely tried, you far more
than I. for can look back on years of
perfect happiness with loving hus-
band and a delightful child. whereas
you have been plunged into poverty
and misery at an age when life should
lie opening before you with every
promise OF successful career. Per
hnps, Phil, your trials have come TO
you early, ms mine have found me late.