The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-07-26

] must 60 on now"
"Oh, mol I won't let you gor'
"Come, Roy" said the father. 'Mam-
ma Is right We will go on with our
walk. and this evening papa will see
her. and perhaps you will have her
with you again."
The boy chung to his supposed moth
er, and his father was obliged to disen-
gage him from her. she gently assist
ing and giving the child kiss after kiss
while his father drew him away. Then.
after giving the father her address.
Miss German parted from them. turn
ing often to throw the child kisses.
who. choked with tears, kept calling
after her.
. The twilight was fading when the
gentleman was ushered into q room
where Miss German was awaiting
him.
pardon me-" she said. "for having
permitted you to remain in error. ]
could not bear to diabuse your dear
little boys mind Of the fact that he
had found his mother. ! am not his
mother
The man looked Mt her searchingly.
II believe you're right" he said In a
disappointed tone. II began to doubt
that you were as soon as heard your
voice. Yet the resemblance Is wonder
full. Roy was entirely deceived. won
der that he remembered his mother
well enough to mistake you for her
since be has not seen her In three
years."
Poor little fellow
Miss German took these two unfor.
Inmates into her heart There was .
deep afliction In the situation for both
father and son. She longed to do some
thing toward healing the wound. Blu,
what could she do: The only thtnR
was to permit the boy to continue. al
least for awhile. in the belief thar st.t
was his mother aud permit him tic
come to see her occasionally. thus CIV
ing her an opportunity to comfort him
This plan she proposed to the father
who modified It, suggesting that thu
boy would derive as much pleasure
from her companionship In knowing
that she was not his mother as II ht
continued in the opposite belief and b.
| would be spared the pain later Of dis
covering the latter. Miss GeTmain mp
proved. and It was arranged that Roy
! should come to spend the next after
| noon with her.
He came. but he had not been In
| formed Of his mistake. His father
who brought him. said that he had moi
had the heart to tell him and asked u
Miss Germain would not relieve hin
Of this necessity by doing 1t herself
She promised to try. and after the IA
ther had gone she took the child In be-
lap and said to him:
Troy, don't you think that yor
would love me just rs well II yot
knew was not your mamma az yo'
do believing that am" +
eyes. but you are my mamma"
Suppose ! were to tell you that !
am not your mamma. Would you be
lieve mer,
"Of course wouldn't"
Miss German felt after this tina
she had done her duty. At any rate
she had no heart to proceed further
The boy would learn the truth In time
and then II would not make 30 mucl
difference to him.
Roy insisted on spending part o
each day with Miss Germaln. 1t wa
embarrassing that he called her mann
ma. but she told the story Of tn
meeting, and both she and the chill,
found sympathy with all who heard II
Roy was usually sent to visit her Il
care Of a maid. but occasionally hi
father would bring him. and it wa
not long before he seemed to derive a
much comfort from her companlonshl
as his boy.
The summer passed pleasantly
There were occasional outings. the "a
Their. Miss German and Roy maxim
up a party either for a drive or boat
ing or some other amusement In tn
open. The first was arranged for tn
boys benefit. but 1t was not long be
fore the other two found their op,
enjoyment in them.
Autumn was upon them before the
realized It. Then for the first time tn
two older ones begnn to dread ser
aration-for Roy's sake. they said
though his father was to return to th
same blight as before. But the sum
mer had created something unusua
Miss German had been supplying tn
place Of a mother for months, and
suddenly dawned upon her that at til
breaking up she would not only mis-
Roy, but miss RoyHs father.
However. since they did not live i
the same city. there was nothing for
but separation. Returning to thei
homes. the man and boy settled dow
to what they had gained and lost. beal
ing the latter AZ we'll as they could.
Roy begged his father to take him
see his mamma, and one day his Il
ther told him that he would go and sc
II they could not all make an arrange
ment to live together. His trip wa
succesaful. and when he returned b