The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-02-04
Christmas
Restoration
By FRANK n. SWEET.
copyrlsht, 1903 BY American Press
Association,

tho brain 80 John l.aftus tvlu hlhsVik
Ia trick OF the memory, a way II had
OF dropping into that old rut and go.
ing over and over again the same aw'
ful road OF misery and deaolatlon,
What he saw was q rocky hillside
pasture, with myrlads Of Canada this
ties and a baretootcd boy picking his
way among them at the heels Of a
struggling little limo Of home golnR
COWS.
'o.u.u.oo. but | can feel those this
ties yet. How like ain they did puniah
my bare, brown fcctl Mother was not
feeling wen when went after the
cows-my blessed. darling mamma,
She had heart trouble, I heard one
neighbor tell another, and would 50
suddenly some day when we least ex'
pected It. had hardly let hor out os
my sight after that, although In tho
misery Of my poor, bursting heart !
could never toll her what had heard
How raced down the hill that night
And at the foot Of the pasture, just at
the end OF the village street, ! stopped
TO put up the bars,
"As turned thcrc stood that-that--
vision. Blessed II did not think II
was fairy. had never seen the IKE
before, For moment forgot even
my anxiety about my dearest mamma,
oh, can see her now--the folds or
her lilmy white dress, the little oluo
shippers with the straps over the an
| kles. the long golden curls and tho
pItying violet eyes. And tho poor little
devil OF Kid In a faded shirt and
blue leans how he WINGED aud fell
ashamed
"And then the vision spoke. She
came 10 me shyly and held ont q rose
,"I wish yo,i would take thia.' she
said. holdlng Il out, far out aud
saw then that tears were running
down her pink cheeks. did not tak'
the rose, but the birch switch dropped
from my hand. and my heart turned
10 ice. Poor little kid Poor kid!
amy mamma sent me to meet you,
she said aud sobbed, brushing th'
palm OF her hand across the track o
her tears. I wish you'd take the rose
came to stay MI day wifi you. May
be can stay all day tomorrow. J.
I'VE got a white kittie. We brought
from our former charge. Pm the ney
minister's littIn girl, you see, and yol
may have my kittie, aud--and knoV
r how to string rcd berries into boofu
strings OF beads and--and'-
"she pushed tho rose into my nam
and then turned away. and ! saw he
bare white shoulders toss up and dow
y In a tumult Of sobbing.
c what awful, horrible hurts ther
A can be in this little life Of onrsl
. knew, knew
"I threw the rose az far as ! coul
! dash 1t and flung myself into the san
Q by the roadway.
i II did not cry out. beat the cart
o with my cllnched lsts and my bal
e face. The sand flled my mouth M
blinded my wet eyes, and the bloC
oozed out aud clotted across my thro
q bing temples.
''Then people came and wiped awt
v the sand and the blood, and the sha
y ing voice Of q woman kept sayin
= Poor boy, poor little boyv
~ "a team drove along the road al
IN crept out into the grass In order
Sc pass me. Then heard a nelghbor 50
to Let me take the little shaver into Z
& waggin. Poor little feller! II is dr.
! full student for I'm. but still Mis- u
~ tus haz he'd the heart disorder fur
: good spell back
ng "Oh, yes, knew. | knew the awi
e- truth as soon an l saw the tears
ia the eyes Of the little strange girl T
~ dreadful blow had fallen.
"They carried me into the hou
- full now of sad faced, whispering '
men, that very room where ! b
ay kissed my mother merry goodby
,es more than half an hour ago. Away
the darkened bedroom they had Il
i, her and spread u white sheet over
face. Motherl
Ut But the great wheel Of the yet
is kept turning. The old life was
len thing Of the past. The boy was hon
as less, friendless. But the years
a., not stop, and as they turned ! gr
out Of my blue jeans and no lont
go went barefoot. And now l was
re- love with the minister's daught
to Just the same angel that stood Il
night at the bars, the beautiful Wis
with a woman's tender heart A
then came ambition, that gre
swelling sea that swallows up
else of life"
He swept his hands out and in
ec- gesture included all the magnincel
ms. that wealth could give, all that
hoe surroundings implied.
~ "T'll give you my white kit
"' Dear little heart, what was she
OF ready to saeri6ce for me alwa
the And l, brute, the beast Of selfshn
the and ambition clothed over with
Inc garments Of man, I--yes, It was
4hn old story. In my selfish sorrow
threw her rose in the dust At
oh- said: There is not enough for t
ica' can have just what / want at
club If | am alone / broke
heart and drIfted away from
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