The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1911-12-15
High Hopes

Mrs. Smithers had spoken so ten
derby and so often OF her son John
that Miss French felt that she. the
fiattered recipient OF these precious
condolences. might even be willing to
accept the name OF Smithers In ex-
change for hers, for such perfection
and virtue would come with 1t.
Miss French was passing few
weeks at health resort. There she
had fallen into the company OF Mrs.
Smithers so much that she felt 1t was
no coincidence when she found Mrs. |
Smithers seated in her favorite cor
ner sewing or when she went for a
walk to the springs and found Mrs.
Smithers slowly moving thitherward,
to be easily overtaken.
On all such occasions Mrs. Smith
ers reveled in blissful recollections OF
beauties in her sons character or In
golden dreams of his future.
Miss French listened with flutter-
ing bosom. 1t was not surprising that
her previously untouched heart
throbbed deliciously when Mrs. Smith
ers told of the chivalry in her Johns
nature. Did an act Of bravery or
heroism reach her ears, never was
she at loss to recall something in
Johns brief but brilliant career that
put the heroism Of others completely
in the shade. John was a lover OF all
things noble, of all good and true and
upright things, and he abhorred all
mean, weak, contemplate natures as
thoroughly as he hated deceit and
sin.
If child crossed their paths Mrs.
Smithers saw in 1t, not her own pleas
9 ure and love in perfect childhood, but
I Johns. John couldn't see child on
9 the street without stopping to speak
Q to 1t. And generous! And kind! And
K brave! And handsome! Oh. thoughts
b of John brought tears to his mothers
eyes!
So when Mrs Smithers pressed
. Miss French's hand tenderly and
- whispered In a voice trembling with
:, emotion that John was coming to see
9 his dear mother the following week,
and that Mrs. Smithers looked for
a ward to the Joy of letting Miss
= French share the delights of his pres
= ence, Miss French pressed Mrs.
. Smithers' hand In return. AS she did
4 so she felt thrill Of warmth and
happiness cross her heart.
1t was most exciting and romantic
4 to think that she was soon to meet a
4 man who was almost, II not quite, per-
feet.
She listened with something Of the
mothers own excited intensity for the
carriage wheels on the day OF Johns
arrival. The thought even crossed
her mind that she ought to express
her appreciation to Mrs. Smithers for
= giving her this great pleasure. She
4 pictured herself as she might be In
. the future, as a blooming Mrs. Smith
u ers, sheltered and protected by John
20 the envy Of all her friends, the pos
4 SCISSOR of absolute happiness.
Why did she feel so hopeful? Well
70 hadn't Mrs. Smithers assured her tha
John was so attached to his mothel
IL that he wouldn't dream OF falling X
10 love without his mothers sanction?
And hadn't Mrs. Smithers looked
the world over in vain for wife
worthy of John-looked uLtil she wal
g. almost tempted to admit that ther'
1r wasn't a girl IN the world capable o
le filing that exalted position? Blu
Ia now Then Mrs. Smithers had smiled
meaningly at Miss French and hat
patted her head. Wasn't that reason
enough for Miss French to anticipat
4, perfect future?
] When the carriage finally arrive
\ Miss French watched with an inter
sity that hurt as each passenge
stepped out Of it. But when 1t wa
. finally emptied she sighed deel
deep sigh of regret.
IT, He hadn't come!
She reached for Mrs. Smithers' han
re to comfort the poor mother-but
was gone, and so was Mrs. Smither'
With outstretched arms Mrs. Smith
wv ers was racing down the walk towar
wizened little man with fast II
ed creasing bald spot and propensit