The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-05-27

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couldn't keep quiet! That was when
Mr. Shaw was living and / had all
my boys"
Had you ever seen your sons wife
before?" the girl asked. In her
heart she was thinking unspeakable
things of them both.
Eyes, / had seen her. She and
Jackie came through Pleasantville on
their wedding trip. They could stay
only few minutes, but wasn't it good
Of Jackie to think of stopping? had
not seen him for seven years. He's
been so busy ever since he began
to make money"
Evidently she was proud of him and
of his success; evidently, too, in the
habit of trying to excuse his neglect
to her own heart. There never was
a boy more loving than Jackie,
especially when he was in, trouble"
she went on.
"Why, the day they stopped in
Pleasantville he kissed me dozen
times, l know; and Nan kissed me,
too. 1t seemed to me he was stouter
than he used to be, and his hair
looked a little gray. / couldn't be
certain. You see, the tears-I
/ couldn't be sure
To hide the tears which were now
binding her Mrs. Shaw turned to look
at the unfamiliar street through
| which they were being hurried. Are
we nearly there?" she asked, after a
little while, still haunted by the fear
Of passing her corner.
1T will take us at least ten min
utes longer her guide answered,
adding, When you leave the car you
must walk one square west"
Thank you. One square west. You
are very kind. | don't mean to be
troublesome, but you know Jackie's
hurt This car is very slow. ! never
knew one to be slow before. When
i / go to New Paris to see my sister
j I'm in hot water when | have to ride
in one; they do race so, up and down
the streets, as if everybody had to
hurry Jackie is seriously injured
that's what the paper said. But
maybe it didn't know. Newspapers
love to exaggerate, I've often noticed
I've ben trying to remember that they
do. And Jackie was always strong.
| Pausing only long enough to get
her breath, she added resolutely
| clenching her hands in their worn
cotton gloves, Il must see him this
time! He's sick now. Maybe
can't see him long, but he's my boy
and his brothers. lost them all, one
after another, when they were little
: fellows"
Two big tears rolled down on he
cheeks but she did not know it. The!
were still there when she looked
smiling, into her companions face
"He used to want me every minute
when he was sick. | couldn't ge
half my work done! He would cur
up on my lap and stay there by thu
. hour, even after he was big boy
And once"
The girl rang the bell. Excuse me
but the next is your corner" sh'
said.
Forgetting both satchel and um
brella, Mrs. Shaw rose instantly an
stumbled towards the door. Her new
made friend hurried after with he
belongings, which she grasped nerV
ously, neglecting to express he
thanks. The conductor gently helpe'
her to the ground: he had a feebl
old mother of his own.
Standing in the middle of the stree
and trembling from head to foot, Mrs
Shaw looked about her, so dazed tina
though the setting sun shone full i
Z her face she could not decide whic
way was west. A man to whom sh
? spoke directed her gruffly and sh
: walked hurriedly in the direction h
pointed. AS soon as she drew nea
her sons house she recognized il
Her pace slackened then, and it wa
a very timid, apologetic old lady VIII
! crept up the steps and rang the bel
: "How is he? Please tell me hoy
! he isl" she begged when the butte
: opened the door. She looked up at hir
meekly, beseechingly, awed, even i
her trouble, by his severe magnif
cence.
eff you mean Mr.. Shaw, he is dom
as well as could be expected" tn
! man answered crisply.
! The conventional report soothe
!. her wonderfully; she did not kno'
), the fellow was rude. I'm his mott
! err, she said. 'I've been terribl
: worried and afraid. I'll go right VI
stairs"
j. Too much taken aback to offer an
objection, the man stood aside, an
J. on tiptoe, hardly breathing, he
v heart beating furiously, the old mott
d er passed through the big house
i silent as houses are when she shado'
I OF death hangs over them. Up tn
i broad, unfamiliar stairway she mad
q 4 her trembling way, but when sh
! reached the upper hall paused an
Y stared about her, feeling strange an
J. helpless. There was SO many doors
/ some closed, some open, and not
eli sound anywhere. Her hesitatio
& lasted but moment. She went t
i the nearest open door and looked int
i the big room before her, noting notl
ing Of its magnificence. All she sa7
t was that Nan was leaning against tn
4 frame of one of the windows and sta
. ing down into the street. She wa
!. pale; she looked tired and sad an
= anxious; she looked very little, yer