The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-05-05
=HIS Bible:

AS Miss VtnCon was careleSsly
looking over the miscellaneous as
sortment of books and magazines in
the little, low ceilinged, secondhand
book shop into which the sudden
autumn shower had driven her, her
sleeve happened to brush open the
cover of an old-fashioned Bible ly-
ing on a pile of dusty almanacs. The
delicate, faded traceries of an in
scription on the yellow fiy-leaf
caught her eye, and looking closer
she read:
ITO my darling son, from his
loving mother"
"Oh!" she exclaimed with a
panied start, "how could anyone
part with it," Then, as the bent,
gray figure of the proprietor ap-
proched, she closed the cover
quickly, reverently and said:
will you please do this up for
me?"
1t seemed to her a wicked, shock
ing, needlessly cruel thing for any
one to do; to part with such a gift,
such a reminder of a dear mother
The fine, faded handwriting called
up numberless memories, memories
of happy home and mothers
fondling care, and, as her thoughts
ran on, she wondered who was the
mother in this instance and who
and where was the son who had
forgotten and so coldheartedly part
with this sacred token of mother
love.
The shower had passed and a
stray ray of sunshine came strag-
Cling through the transom above
the door. AS she picked up her
bundle and turned to go, she OBJ
served a man watching her through
the window, with peculiar eager,
covert look. Somewhat startled,
she nervously opened the door and
stepped out, casting a quick, COM
prehensive glance at the figure now
lounging indifferently against the
building.
She noticed that he was tall,
thin, broken-down man of, per-
haps, 40, and that there was hec-
tic flush in his hollow cheeks. There
was something so pathetic, so ap-
pealing in his weak intellectual
face, that her feeling of uneasiness
gave away to a sense of sympathy
and pity and she wished that she
could assist him in some way, for
she could not help believing him to
be gentleman.
On her return home she removed
the Bible from its wrappings with a
sort of indignant pity, and dream
lily turned the pages.
'Ah, he didn't forget" she mur-
INJURED in kind of sad pleasure as,
here and there through the book
she came upon verses containing the
word mother" inclosed in broad
circles of ink. She was sorry that
she had judged him so hastily and
so unkindly. Perhaps he was dead,
and his book had fallen into care
less strangers hands, and thus
found it's way to the old bookshop.
There were tears in her eyes as
she gently closed the Bible, and she
was glad that it had come into her
possession for she would preserve
and cherish it as something precious
and sacred.
One morning, about three months
later, she received letter address,
ed in a large, shaky masculine hand,
and, opening it quickly, she said:
Doubtless you remember buying
an old Bible in a secondhand book
shop about three months ago. The
book was mine, a gift from my
mother, and l know that you will
understand how l value it.
Hunger was the cause of my
parting with it, and each day l hop
ed to be able to get it back, but
luck was against me and then you
came and took it. l was at the
window and knew by your face why
you did it, and I bless you for it.
with the intention of buying it
from you, I got your address from
Mr.. Dunn, the proprietor of the
store, but now I can never repay
you, for they tell me that I am dy-
ing.
would you mind sending it to
me? 1t cannot mean much to you,
but to me it is everything"
HE wrote that letter three weeks
ago." said the white, capped nurse,
as she led Miss Vinton through the
long, bare hospital wards, land ask
ed me to send it when we were sure
that the end was near"
When they reached his cot, the
nurse touched him lightly on the
shoulder, saying, gently:
Here is someone to see you"
He opened his eyes, and smiling
his recognition, feebly held out his
poor, bony hands for the bundle
Miss Vinton carried, pressed against
her coat.
Bending down she pressed his
hand and laid the book upon his
arm.
With look of the most grateful
happiness, and a force for which she
was entirely unprepared, he took the
Bible and pressed it to his lips and
breast, murmuring.
Mother, dear, dear mother!"