Evening star., 1916-01-30
BEFORE SHE LEAVES. OUR MUSIC.
ALLY ENDOWED BOYS WILL
GIVE A LITTLE CONCERT

royal conveyance. placing her hands on
the shoulders of the two boys behind.
When they arrived at the camp the
leader gave a brief order to one of the
boys, and pile Of knapsacks was thrown
into position and covered with red sweat
ers. AS they seated her upon the throne
the worn hands patted and stroked the
arms of the boys in way that made the
lips Of their owners soften strangely as
they smiled down at her.
''McRae and Dupont are detailed to
wait upon our guest of honor" the
leader called. "They will bring her a
cup of our camp coffee. about which
she has expressed curiosity. and a
SIS happen to be on our nights menu
Now all the boys will form into single
file and march in front of Mrs. Setter.
who Will fill their plates with cakes and
cover them with an extra allowance Of
sirup, then right heel past the fire for
coffee and such other things as our
cooks have prepared. After supper is
over, Mrs Setter Will remain a while to
hear us talk. and before she leaves our
musically endowed boys will give a lit
tie concert for her benefit"
1t was well on in the evening when
the human chair was again formed and
the old woman taken back home. AS
they went up the slope. round the lilacs
and into the house she kept murmur-
ing "Oh, boys, Oh, boys" 1t was not
much. but it was eloquent and the boys
understood.
After they placed her gently in the
rag carpet covered chair by the fire,
which had not yet gone out, the leader
turned to look at some curiosities on
a shelf. Beside them was a photograph
of a girl. The leader sac it with
quick intake of breath.
Boys" he said. quietly, you may go
down to the camp now. l will stay and
have a little talk with Mrs. Setter and
then join you.''
He remained for some minutes look
ing at the photograph after they had
filed out. At length he turned. II
found the name Setter very familiar"
he began, but 1 never connected it
with Sally. 1t seemed too preposterous.
But now this picture tells me you are
her mother. I am John Rodney"
The old woman rose tremulously. her
face hardening. THE man who won
her love and was to marry her, and
then started to go with another girl?"
she inquired.
Il won her love. I hoped, and we were
to be married She worked in my ia
theirs Office as a stenographer. Then
only two weeks before our marriage
she suddenly disappeared and 1 could
never find any trace of her.
THE other girl"
Il had a cousin come from England
about that time and / showed her
around considerably. My mother asked
me to. She was a stranger to the peo-
pie and could stay but a short time.
There has been no other girl"
The old woman took a step forward
and searched the face before her long
and intently. Then she nodded. 'It is
all right" she said at length. II know
now. A man could not treat an old
woman as you have done this evening
and not be good man. I will give
you her address. But I would not do
SO if you had come to me in any other
way My oldest daughter married a
bad man and died. There were only
Sally and ], and she was a poor girl
away among strangers. When she
wrote about her engagement to a
wealthy man 1 was afraid and when
she wrote about the other girl l ad-
vised her to go away quickly and
quietly. Sally always listened to me.
She is good. dear girl. So she went
away, but / will give you her address.
know now that you are good man."
Thank you-mother." He bent and
kissed her. II shall stay here a week
with the boys" he said. then we go
back. You will go with US to my home.
Do not give me Sally's address until
after you see me in my own home and
know my people. Then if you will I
shall bring her to us. Our home will
be yours, Of course. We had talked
that over before she left. Now / must
go to the boys"
He bent down to kiss her again, but
this time she kissed him.
(THE END.)