The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-04-23

never seen her 50 bad. He gave her
a big dose Of sleeping powder and put
another in the table drawer for me to
mix for her toward morning. She was
helpless to move. we thought. but all
the same she must have got out Of bed
when my back was turned and taken
the powder dry on her tongue. for it
was gone when | looked for it. 1t
didn't hasten things much. and ! don't
blame her. If ever there was u wild.
reckless creature it was Hetty Rod
man. But l, who am just the opposite,
would have done the same If I'd been
her.
"She hurriedly gave me a cup of cOf-
fee aud, putting a coat and a cap on
the boy, literally pushed me out of the
house. I've got to report things to
the DOCTOR she said, and you're better
out of the way. Go down that side
street to the station, and mind you say
the boy belonged to your sister, who
died and left him to you. You're a
Cochranite, amt you? So was Hetty,
and they're all sisters, so you'll he tell
ing no lies. Goodby, Rodman. Be a
good boy and don't be any trouble to
the lady
How l found the station l do not
know, nor how l made the journey, nor
where l took the stagecoach. The snow
began to fall. and by noon there was a
drifting storm. could not remember
where l was going nor who the boy
was, for just as the snow was whirl-
ing outside so it was whirling in my
BRAIN"
"MOther. | can hardly bear to hear
any more. 1t is too terrible" cried
Ivory, rising from his chair and pac-
ing the floor.
81 can recall nothing Of any account
till l awoke in my own bed weeks aft
erward. The strange little boy was
there. but Mrs. Day and DR.. Perry told
me what l must have told them-that
he was the child of my dead sister.
Those were the last words uttered by
the woman in Brentville. l carried
them straight through my illness and
brought them out on the other side
more firmly %intrenched than ever"
"If only the truth had come back to
you sooner!" sighed Ivory, coming back
to her bedside. II could have helped
you to bear it all these years. Sorrow
is so much lighter when you can share
it with some one else. And the girl
who died was called Hetty Rodman,
then. and she simply gave the child her
last name?"
Eyes, poor, suffering creature. l feel
no anger against her now-it has burn
ed itself all away-nor. do l feel any
bitterness against your father. l for
got all this miserable story for so long.
loving and watching for him all the
time, that it is as if it did not belong
to my own life, but had to do with
some unhappy stranger. Can you for
give, too, Ivory?'
8" can try" he answered. "God
knows l ought to be able to if you
CAM
"And will it turn you away from
Rod?"
"No. 1t draws me nearer to him
than w He shall know the
truth. Why should he? Just as he
crept close to you that night, all un-
conscious of the reason you had for
shrinking from him, so he has crept
close to me in these years Of trial
when your mind has been wandering"
Life is so strange. To think that
this child, Of all others. should have
been a comfort to you! The Lords
hand is in it!' whispered Mrs. Boyn-
ton feebly.
"His boyish belief in me. his com.
partnership, have kept the breath Of
hope alive in me. That's all l can
say"
"The Bible story is happening we
again in our lives. then. Don't you re-
member that Aaron's rod budded and
blossomed and bore fruit and that the
miracle kept the rebels from murmur.
ing?"
"This rebel never will murmur
again, mother" and Ivory rose to
leave the room. Nov that you have
shed your burden you will grow
stronger and life will be all joy. for
Waitstill will come to us soon, and we
can shake off these miseries and be q
happy family once more"
1T Is she who has helped me most
to find the thread, pouring sympathy
and strength into me, nursing me, low
ing me, because she loved my wonder
full son. Oh, how blest among women
l am to have lived long enough to see
you happy!'
And as Ivory kissed his mother and
blew out the candle she whispered to
herself, "Even so, Lord Jesus, come
quickly!"
CHAPTER xxx.