The Irish standard., 1907-11-02
THE TWO MOTHERS.

-
house by the roadside. The last cart
had creaked on it's homeward way, and
silence had fallen on the house. silence
broken now and again by the sharp cry
pf-a child in suffering.
A group in the kitchen gathered
around the smoldering. turf embers
and talked in subdued voices. over
all these lay the hush of expectation
that comes before death. The neigh
Dor woman had been in and out all
day, but now, as the time grew shorter.
they had left the mother with the child
alone, but for her old mother, who sat
on a creepy stool by the hearth, and
watched both with eyes of suffering.
When. the child cried the young
mother drew a charp breath as though
she endured intolerable suffering in
silence They were saying down in
the kitchen that the baby was too
young to have laid hold upon her life.
but to her he was as much human
personality, loving and understanding
her as though he were man and old.
"Oh," she said, when once again the
child had cried; "if he is not to live.
would keep him to suffer? Oh, why
must he suffer. he who has nevS-
known SIM"
The old mother made no answer to
the unanswerable question.
Pray, Jewel" she said. there is
great power in prayer. Many a child
have seen given back that was far
ther gone than he
IF prayer would keep him I should
never do anything but pray again"
said the childs mother. but no spark
of hope lit up her hopeless eyes.
"Whsht, dearie. whisht. Pray that
the will of God may be done i'll regard
to him.
II cannot pray. What am to say
to Alick when he comes back and asks
me for his son.
He will comfort you and love you
better because of what you suffered
without him"
- II was alone in the terror before he
was born. | was alone in my agony,
but afterward l had no child. Now
shall be more alone than any womar
in all the world"
The old mother WINGED.
You had your father and me. You
were our darling before you ever laid
eyes on Alick Mccarthy and his fine
red coat"
The girl did not seem to have heard
her. She was watching the tiny face
on which the shadows were growing
darker.
4"He is easier, | think"
1.-The pain is leaving him, ac,lsila.'
said the old mother, her eyes full of
deeper pain.
His breathing is easier. Oh. what
1t would be if he could live. think I
should die with joy
Pray child"
Mother, God is powerful and kind.
Do you think il could give him the
child that he would give him back to
me?"
IF he saw 1t was good. child. He
can do better for him than you can. If
he takes him. it is In love-
But ha cannot want him as do. I
would rear him to be a good man."
Her eyes prayed for hope to be given
her. The old mother came out Of her
corner and looked at the child.
"Give him to me for bit, and do
you go to the altar in the other room
and pray. Rest if you can. child. I
am troubled about you, for 'tis only a
few weeks since you left your bed
Give him to me; will call if there is
any change"
The young mother let the child be
quietly. without moan. In the dark
room adjoining one little star of light
quivered. 1t was the lamp before Our
{ Lady's altar.
The statue glimmered whitley above
1t. There was a handful of flowers set
on each side in poor little vases. The
B arms of the figure were outstretched
4 benignly, and the head was bent a little
forward.
"A sense Of rest and quietness came
/ over the young mother. She knelt at
4 the foot of the statue and rested her
cheek against the linen altar cloth.
LIN the whitewashed wall a death watch
was ticking monotonously. She put
4 her hands to her ears to shut out the
sound and began to pray.
Now that the suffering child was no
$ longer before her, she prayed with
passion. She reached out her hand
N and Aclutched at a. fold of the statues