Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-18
His Mother - BY Fred
Murphy

III tOWu VI VNillOL llVoO family
of eight, consisting Of an old couple
named Mr.. and Mrs. David Merit and
six grandchildren, two of whom were
Frank, age 16 and his brother Charles
age 13 years.
Frank and Charlie had lost their
father in a railroad accident when
they were yet babies. Time and time
again they had asked their grandpar.
ents to tell them about their mother,
but they got no satisfaction until one
day Frank asked his grandmother to
tell him about his mother and to this
she readily consented. Then Frank
called Charles and after all three were
seated the story began thus:
When you boys were babies your
father was switchman ON the rail
road in the daytime while your mother
kept house. Although they lived hap
PLY it was understood that your faith
err had to do most Of the housework.
One day the dreadful news came to
this house that your father had been
badly hurt in a railroad accident Your
father was rushed to the hospital
where he suffered for three days. On
the last day when your mother was
by the side of his bed he made her
solemnly promise to take good care of
you boys and to not let you work on
the railroad.
Your mother had quite sum Of
money in her possession then and af.
ter one year had passed she left you
with us and went out west You have
heard from her two or three times and
the third letter stated that she had
n S~1 al Ia ID
and that was the last we have heard
from her.
For two or three years afterward
Frank hated the name of woman but
his heart suddenly softened and he
resolved to ind his mother and forgive
her.
Months passed and Frank was grow
ing into manhood, 1, He was not very
good looking but he was kind hearted.
strong, brave and determined. He
worked at packing plant every day
carefully laying aside portion Of his
weekly wages. BY the time he was Is
he had quito sum laid away. Doing
a mans work for boys wages he
toiled on until he came to the con-
clusion that he would learn trade Of
some kind. 90 he bought a course In
a correspondence school as electrician
but this did not suit him 50 he became
student of travelling salesmanship
course. After year Of hard studying
he completed the course and secured
good position In famed wholesale
house. = - sa,a Ea
He was appointed to attend to the
city Of Salt Lake City, Utah. At 20
years Of age he became chief travel
ing salesman at good salary. While
walking down tho street he accidently
ran against woman. Tipping his hat
and looking her in the face that he
had seen before though he knew not
where he asked her name.
When she said it was Mrs. George
Goddard, he cried, Then you are my
mother for my name is Frank Merit. y
There was a great rejoicing and he
told his mother how long he was look
ing for her and after she told him that
his stepfather was unkind they board
ed the train for Millet.
Frank bought good farm for his
grandparents as their reward ana ne
himself married a girl in his own
town whom he had long wished to be
his wife. Frank became partner IN
the firm he was working for and ne
and his wife and mother lived happily
afterward, often visiting his grand
parents.
Fred Murphy.
;; 932 East Main St.. Ottumwa, la.