The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-10-28

man that he was. And you not know.
ing he was your own father. Why, II
Just couldn't keep Il back Alackl
1t has cost him nothing. nor has he
gained more than he had before, but
! have lost my laddie-I have lost my
little sonnie."
She buried her face In her hands and
rocked back and forth in the chair.
moaning as old women moan when
stricken deep. Old womeni The years
have spared them the strength to
moan; the shrill outcry IL no longer
their tribute 20 pain or grief And yet
what shrek OF despair Is more potent
than the humble groan OF an old won-
He put his arm about her thin shoul-
ders and drew her head close to hir
breast
Don't say that, mother dear" be
said, with infinite gentleness. You
will always be mother to me. There
never viii come time when l win
think OF you as anything else. You are
my dear little mother. Why, how can
/ think OF you as being anything but
mother7 It Is not possible. Do you
think that single day can wipe out
the thing have believed ever since
can remember Haven't you always
been mother to met Can you expect
me to forget that you are mother and
then look upon that strange man over
there as father? It isn't possible Il
never can be possible. He Is not father
to rae, nor can you ever be anything
but mother"
"Ah, John. you do not understand"
she argued patiently. THE truth IN
out Nothing can overcome that-not
your reasoning, nor your love, nor your
loyalty. am not your mother. You
may ray what you like, but down deep
In your heart / am not what was to
you yesterday-and all the years before
yesterday. You have lost a mother.
You cannot put me back where I was
yesterday. did not bring you into
the world. You never saw your mother,
but you never can put away from you
the fact that she once lived and borB
you. You cannot think OF me as you
must think of her. - ~ 49,
listen to me. Haven't always thought
Of Henry Payson as my father? In
spite OF that man there, in spite OF
what know to be true, / shall always
think Of Henry Payson as father
cannot help 1t. It's in here somewhere
in my brain, in my heart. Just an
you are In here. What was the other
woman to me? Not even a memory. /
never saw Henry Payson, yet you know
what he has always been to me. My
father"
FLUSH, John" she cautioned, with
quick glance at the pallid face OF Adam
Carr. He may be able to hear. He
may understand" -af, at.~..
Understand? What II he doesH He
has always understood. 1t would be
nothing new to him. He has expected
nothing of me-he has asked for moth
ing except my friendship. All, I begin
to understand some things myself.
know now why have always liked, al
ways admired Adam Carr. know why
! have always depended on him, and
been guided by him. He had the right
to govern: he had the right to claim
what nature had given him"
Poor man." sighed the widow Pay
SON. HE was q better father to you
than most fathers are to the boys who
know them as such. All his life he
has been thinking Of you, doing
for you, saving for you. have
seen his win. In It there In no
mention Of the relationship that
exists, but everything he possesses
goes to John Payson, son Of my old
friend, Henry Payson. deceased. Even
after his death, you were not to know,
He has told me 1000 times that II
would wreck your life II you ever came
to know. 1t was his will and obeyed.
Nothing could change him, nothing
could break him. never knew a man
so set in his ways. But you could tell
that by his face. And you, John, are
like him in a good many ways. You
never finch, you never give In. All,
how many times have l said to my
self like father, like SON."
Like him in every way" said he
bitterly. "Midthorne noticed Il. He
threw IL in my face--he threw Adam
Carr's face In mine. / shall never for
get that. Nor shall I ever forget that
/ resented 1t more on Adam Carr's ac-
count than my own. strange as II may
seem. You see, mother, I've known my
real father all my life and I've loved
him always.
you must ask God to forgive you
for the harsh, cruel things you said to
him last night, before the stroke
came" she said. ,
God understands everything" said
he. MY heart was full OF misery. For
the 1irst time in his life, Adam Carr
tainted me. He laughed at me when
! commanded him to dispel the doubts
my mind had fixed on"
He was beside himself" she ex-
planned. You were driving him too
hard. could see the sweat on his
brow"
"IIe shuddered. What a horrible
thing II wasl What a dreadful night"
st came upon him. even as he
laughed. IL wonder II God struck
him for that" There was awe in the
old woman's face.
II wonder" he repeated after her
The events OF the preceding night
may be chronicied in a few words.
tconunued next week.