The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-05-07
KNEW HE WOULD COME
Continued From Page One)

Mrs Wilson sat at my side, close
to the musicians, watching with
| pleased and startled vivaciUy. She
was at intervals quietly gay and very
| laxative.
The merriment was at its height, the
dancing at its maddest, the excitement keen,
when an attendant came into the room with
| a newcomer, broken, lean little man with
an unkept, gray beard, whom he took to
| Superintendent Burton.
"A new man just sent out by the over
| seer, l heard him say. The man was
nervous and i'll at ease and kept continually
| glancing around. My attention was then
diverted to the sprightly gyrations of ssThe
Grasshopper, skipping in and out alone
among the dancers. Suddenly l heard a
soft, low voice back of me say:
"James Wilson,
1t meant nothing to me until l heard
short, quavering cry of JOY from Mrs. Will
son.
elm! It's Jim! He's come for MEL
My amazement was reflected on the face
of the superintendent.
Mrs. Wilson flew to the newcomer and
soon had her arms around his neck.
'Jim.' Her thin voice quavered, half
sobbing, halt laughing. cts really you!
l knew you'd come. You said you would,
and you never lied to me- You were
always good hoy. l knew you'd come,
but it's been long waiting, Jim, dear
The man whom she had in her arms
looked almost as old as she.
"Mother! Mother!" The half-choked
words seemed wrung from him by anguish
His head was on her shoulder. The in
m ateS SfOpDed daDcipU and vuoro crDxyJ;r,-
around the two in wide-eyed curiosity.
Had Watched and Waited
''But, Jim, this isn't Thanksgiving! You
said you'd come for me Thanksgiving day!
I've watched and waited for you every year,
praying that you would come. And now
you are here! You've come to take me
Thanksgiving. I'll be ready in little
while. l knew you'd come. They've all
been good to me, but, Jim, I'll be so glad
to get away and be with you and the chi
dren.'
A convulsive shudder ran through lin
Wilson's thin frame.
81 haven't come to take you away, moth
er. His voice shook as much as hers did,
mot to take me away! Jim, you WON'T
leave me?' She chung to him in terror
of desolation and heart hunger.
mo, mother, never again. I've come
to stay with you here. I'll die here at the
poor farm with you. l have no home-no
place to take you to.
jumped to keep Mrs. Wilson from fall
ing, but Jim guided her unsteadily to
chair, into which she sank gasping. MIR.
Burton ordered the nurses and attendants to
take the inmates, who were becoming UNI
duly excited, to their rooms.
Mrs. Wilson was dazed at the sha,ter-.
ing OF her hopes, but the shock did not kill
her. She recovered sufficient strength to
pull Jim down beside her chair, and put her
arms around his neck, comforting the old,
gray-haired man as though he were again
a child.
There, Jim" she whispered, cit won't
be so bad having you with me- Well al
ways be together. I've been wanting YOU
so long. I've waited and waited until wait
ing seemed all there was in the world. But
now I've got you. Don't cry, Jim; you We
always been good boy
81 wanted to take you away, mother.
but
81 know, Jim. Lies been hard for you,
too. But you've come back to me-
1t was thus we left them; the bent, gray-
haired sons head resting on the little old
woman's breast, listening to her tender,
quavering words.-The Bellman.