The daily progressive-miner., 1916-05-08
EXACTLY AS IT
 OFTEN HAPPENS
HOW MUCH Is X MOTHER To BLAME IF HER PETTED
 SON Is A CRIMINALs

black
 If I could only bear this fo my boy," The gray-haired man be side her put his arm around her an, led her from the office of the dis trict attorney, whereshe had met he + son for few moments ~He is m, hGby." she sobed, I'd face deatl again if could suffer in his place He and have always been So clos to each other" Her son was handsome fellow Q 27. He had been indicted for for gsry and the evidence against hin showed glaringly that his wrongdo ing rose from vanity ant selfish ness, love of display, and wsatSnes- { to rlsist temptation X Tr..t evening the broken heartes old mother sat morning and rockins \ in her chair at home Through hel mind. delirous with grief, came anC < went the changing image of her 1 lssi.s -tay-
 4 First he was a tiny bundle in heI arms She pressed him to he' breast and rocked to and tio tc quiet his vail
 Mother will take the pain away dear she told him.
 The picture changed He was : boy of in the little gray knicker suit she still kept in her chest. He looked al her mischievously as hs whittled 8 stick |. Pick up the shavings-dear." she said to him
 "You do II, mother, dear" he answered as he smacked her cheek and walked away Laughingly. she X gathered the litter and called after him:
 Put away the knife. it is sharp.
 He walked on wittling and whistl- ing unheeding- In another moment he was at her side again, believing with 8 blesiing knife-cut in his finger
 Dear little man." said she tying ! it up, T wish I could bear the pain for you." Then she asked. What have you done with the knife?"
 T threw 1t away" he said ang- rily-
 -Find 1t, dear, It is fathers knife.
 You'll have to give me cake first he demanded
 "It ~ill spoil your dinner" the mother protested
 T won't eat dinner unless have cake" he replied She gave him cake and found the knife herself. At dinner-time he had sick stomach She stroked his head as he lay on the couch
 If mother could only bear this painfor you,V she said
 The little old Iady's mind wander ed on through the years She was calling to her baby boy of 10:
 Come in, son It is bedtime"
 "0ne more catch mother dear, he replied ~One more catch he answered as she called again and again In half an hour he said. 'I'n tired and am going in"
 The mother and her son sat at the lunch table
 T vzne all the tenderloin." he told h-
 ~Non't you share it with moth err" she asked sweetly-
 You like the other part" he de clared, you've said So often" She put the dainty bit on his plate and contentedly ate her portion.
 In the delirium of the moaning little lady she smiled devotedly at her beloved lad Of 1s. He chunn- mily slaped her shoulder
 44T must have nex baseball suit and bunch of up-to-date ties. The fellows all have" he said
 Wait" she pleaded T need dental work this month, and father must have new underwear, and
 sIt won't be funny to wait" he interrupted T won't go 10 school fl I can't have them-T
 She saw him again fn the baseball he bought with her dental money. His face was cIouded~
 aT stayed out of school yesterday to go to a game,T he confessed T told Miss Fenton I was sick and she promised to give n1c another chance at the exam missed. She'd funk me if she knew the truth. You'll back me up, won't you, motherz have pass to stay on the team Come on mother, be 2 good fellow
 Mothers boy" she murmured kissing hig forehead
 A hand smo0tEed the old isdy'i shoulder
 Mother said the gray-hairet man bending over her, you must res now-1
 Suddenly came that day'g pictur' of her man-son, indicted for crirn' tha. had grown 90 evidently iron his vanity ard self-induIgence. Tn