Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-28

"~S ~AAAA "
ing he was your W father. Why, T.
| just couldn't keep it back. Alack!
1t has cost him nothing, nor has he
gained more than he had before, but
l nave lost my laddie-l 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 women! The years
have spared them the strength to
moan; the shrill outcry is no longer
their tribute to pain or grief. And yet
what shrek of despair is more potent
than the humble groan OF an old woD1-
an?
He put his arm about her thin Shout
ders n drew her head close to hir
breas
Don't say that. mother dear" he
will always be mother to me. There
never will come a time when I will
think of you as anything else. You are
my dear little mother Why, how an
l think of you as being anything but
mother? 1t is not possible. DO you
think that a single day can wipe out
the thing l have believed ever since l
can remember. Haven't you always
been mother to ne? Can you expect
me to forget that o are mother and
then look upon that strange man over
there as father? 1t isn't possible. It
never can be possible. He is not father
to me, nor can you ever be anything
but mother"
"Ah, John, you do not understand"
she argued patiently. THE truth Is
out. Nothing can overcome that-not
your reasoning, nor our love, nor your
loyalty. l am not your mother. You
may say what you like, but down deep
in your heart l am not what l was to
you yesterday-and all the years before
yesterday. You have lost a mother.
You cannot put me back where / was
yesterday. l did not bring you into
the world. You never saw your mother,
but you never Cam put away from you
the fact that she once lived and sore
you. You cannot think of me as you
must think of her
Listen, mother" he interrupted,
listen to me. Haven't always thought
OF Henry Payson as my father? In
spite Of that man there, in spite Of
what l know to be true, l shall always
think OF Henry Payson as father /
cannot help 1t. It's in here somewhere
in my brain, in my heart. Just as
you are in here. What was the other
woman to me? Not even a memory. I
never saw Henry Payson, yet you know
what he 'has always been to me. My
father"
FINISH, john" she cautioned, with a
quick glance at the pallid face Of Adam
Carr may be able to hear. He
may understand"
Understand? What If he does? 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. i
kno now why | have always liked, al
ways admired Adam Carr. l know why
l 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 a better father to you
than most fathers are to the boys who
has been thinking Of you. doing
for you, saving for you. have
seen his will. In it there is 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, O were not to know.
He has told me 1000 times thai it
would wreck you life If you ever came
to know. 1t was his will and l obeyed.
Nothing coul change him, nothing
could break him. 1 never knew a man
that by his face. And you, John, are
like MIN in a good many ways. You
never finch, you never give in. All.
how many times have ! said to my
self like father, like SON."
Like him in every way" said he
bitterly. "Midthorne noticed it. He
threw it in my face-he threw Adam
Carr's face in mine. l shall never for
get that. Nor shall 1 ever forget that
l resented it more on Adam Cars &C
count than my own. strange as it 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
Tor the harsh, cruel things you said to
aim last night, before the stroke
came" she said.
God understands everything" aid
he. My heart was full Of misery. For
the first time in his life, Adam Carr
tainted me. He laughed at me when
l commanded him to dispel the doubts
my mind had fixed on"
H was beside himself" she ex-
planned. You were driving him too
hard. I could see the sweat on his
brow"
He. shuddered. What a horrible
thing it was! What a dreadful night"
1T came upon him. even as he
laughed. II ond if God struck
him for that" There was awe in the
old woman's face.
Il wonder" ne repeated after her.
The events Of the preceding night
may be ~chronicled in a few words.
(CCotinued next week.