Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-11-04
-sss nstAsF wisAs. you wo-ia..t. .

Ne sat very still N the words died
On the air. Some way they sounded
$50 much bigger, or something
spoken than thought. They seemed
to settle down upon him and make
him feel queer-as II he were all alone
In the world.
He had never thought very much
about his mother before. She-she
had Just always been there. and
But now that he hated her she
loomed before him quite as IL She
were another person.
She would know, of course. She
always did know things, no matter
how hard he tried to keep them from
her
He strolled unseemIy about the
yard. Perhaps. after all, it would be
Just as we'll to 60 and show thos
girls how to play a real game Of mum.
Oly reg.
AS he passed under the library win
dows. open to let in the warm au-
tumn sunshine. he heard mothers
voice at the telephone. 1t sounded
low and distressed, and she gave a lit
tie cry as if something had hurt her.
what II she knew already and was
'c.erhoning father about it. A boy
VINO hated his motheri-it seemed to
brand him as something blsckly Grim
mat IL he only hadn't said it out
loud! 1t might have been retriev-
able then
The girls seemed to have no need
of him, and he wandered heavily about
the garden. the load of hatred which
he had so lightly cast upon the air
dragging leaden at his heels. Queer
how mis- hatred of mother had grown
so much bigger than the thing he
hated her for.
When he was called IN to luncheon.
he crept into the house the back way
to avoid her; and-simply for the pur.
pose of postponing the moment for
confronting her. of course-he made a
rather elaborate toilet. cspiously wet.
ting and seapilg his face and hands,
and wiping the dirt 0R thoroughly on
the towel.
When he went to the table he stu
diously avoided mothers face for
awhile. stealing a glance at it finally
over his glass of milk. Then he set
the glass down precipitately. for he
saw that his worst fears were real
ized-she knew! She was very pale,
sad and silent, and her eyes were
heavy with crying. She was apparent
ly unconscious Of his presence. not
seeming to see him even when she
looked at him, and speaking only me-
chanically. He tried to eat. but even
the apple puifs which were the delight
OF his heart swensd In his threat and
refused to ge down
After lunoheOa things grew steadily
worse. He idlsd about q few minutes,
but mother ignored him Then it was
that he went up to his room, and,
pesiing on his sweater, slowly re-
moved the suspendsrs. The things
were too heavy, anyway, and stuck
into him; and. besides, he didn't care
for that blue ana white stripe in them
When he grew up he was going to
wear bright red ones always. Mother
was very fend OF red. Perhaps BY
hat time he wouldn't hate her any
more. and some time In those years
to come mother would smile at hiT
again. and blow Kisses to him as he
started to school
The marbles we're playing a regular
game down his cheeks now. They fel
on the big red wv" and chased eact
other down to the roll in the bottom
of his sweater; but he had lost all
interest in them. az he had In every
thing else in the world. He was sc
tired of hating motheri How could
he ever go through the long, heavy
years?
Suddenly a brilliant, an illuminating
thought struck him. Suppose he
didn't have to wait years to stop!
Suppose he didn't hate her any longer
at all! Just because he had said he
did, he didn't have to
He took the stairs two at a time
his heavy shoes crashing eagerly, for.
getfully. on the polished steps. Moth
er was just turning away from the
telephone again, but-oh, wonderful
woman!-she knew already that his
hatred was thing OF the past; for
though the tears were still hanging
upon her lashes, she was smilins
through them and holding out her
arms to him!
He threw himself at her blindly.
"Oh. mother, don't, don't, don'tir
he sobbed.
His mother looked down at him in
amazement; then, sitting down in
what she called her 'mothering chair
she drew him upon her shoulder.
Don't what. dearf" she asked, ten.
DERBY. What is the matter with my
little boy? Don't what?"
lFHate you'll" he gulped, wildly.
Hate mother?" she repeated. soft
ly. Why, of course you don't. Did
you think l thought you did?"
"Bu-but you didn't smile at me. OF
look at me, and-and you cried. -
He chung to her. heaving.
my poor babyl" Mother laughed
low. Then she set him up straight OF
her lap. and said, grayely:
Mother has been very anxious and
very much troubled all day. dear
Uncle Ted was hurt in football game
this morning. and for hours he-he