The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-07-03
The LITTLE LADY
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

turned his back upon the niue Devon
shire village. The jagged rocks and
the sea seemed more wonderful tnah
ever, but his backward glance was not
at either sea or rocks. Instead, ms
glance was riveted on a tiny vine-ciad
cottage with roses climbing in at the
easement windows and sweet little
white-haired lady dwelling within.
At least the general supposed her to
be sweet. He felt sure that one whose
eyes met the passers-by with so friend
ly an expression could not be other
wise.
The general had found no way of
the little lady during his stay
in Lee, and it was with heartfelt re-
gret that he made his way back TO
London. But even General Goodwin,
in his sixtieth year. was not free to
travel fortunes path in his own pleas
ure. He was inspecting troops for the
new armies while his only son was
fighting in France.
But the train went Londonward, and
with it went the general.
1t was at the London railway station
that he bought the daily papers, but IT
was not until he had reached his own
library that he saw her picture in the
Sketch" His eyes lit up with frank
Amusement, so curious was the coinci-
| dence.
The picture of the little lady in the
cottage by the sea was called Some
| body's Mother" and a message be-
| meath it asked the readers of the
sketch" for information. General
Goodwin WINGED as he thought Of the
/ pain perhaps in store for her. Per-
! haps it was her only son who had
fallen on the battlefield, and this meth
Cd was taken 10 secure her knoWl-
| edge of the fact.
He lost no time in telephOnin2 to
the Office of the daily paper. When he
hung up the receiver there was glad
smile in his eyes. The soldier boy
in whose pocket the precious picture
had been found was lying in a Lon
don hospital suffering from loss of
memory brought on by the bursting of
shell. His memory was 4 blank. There
had been others affected in the iden-
teal manner and they had recovered.
1t was with this hope in his breast
that General Goodwin made the jour
ney back TO Devonshire, to the village
beside the sea.
The generals heart was not exactly
steady as he approached the familiar
cottage and went in at the white
washed gate
Somebody's Mother" opened the
door herself and the general thought
he detected the very faintest rose hue
in her cheeks as she saw who her
visitor was.
Gle is safe" the general said swift
~, anxious to save her one moments
worry. He knew that her mind would
jump at once to grasp his meaning.
Her smile was wonderful TO behold
and it left the general slightly awk
ward as to speech.
at was through this photograph,
he said, that l have been able to 10
cate YOU" He knew then that she
hlushcd softly. IF I had not looked
enviously in upon you among your
roses and birds | would not have
known that Somebody's Mother was
you"
The little lady looked back at hin
with charmingly frank 10 of hap
DineSS in her eyes.
'My boy is everything to me-" sht
, said. II want him down here whel
, he can be moved. Perhaps his mem
DRY will come back in the scenes of hi
: boyhood."
''The sight of his mother would d,
it." the general said with firm con
, viction that a mother can do anythin;
), by the mere touch Of a gentle ham
:. or the glance of love-lit eyes. Il vii
!, go up to London tonight and bring hin
down to you-if you like" he suggest
ed, knowing we'll that when the DO
!, was beside her she would have NOR
! happiness than she expected and tina
he, the general, had helped to give
: to her.
= ""Would it not trouble you far to
;, much?" she asked, gazing question
ingly with those wonderful blue eye
/. right at the general.
u "Just you know" he said, "that
II will give me as much pleasure to brin
: your brave son down here to you as
would give you to bring mine back
me. Put yourself in my place." h
added gently.
With that the little lady of the co
10 tage smiled and put out the slim WIFI
rs fingers that tended the roses and bir(
e, so tenderly. General Goodwin graspe
sh them and raised them 70 his lips fo
after all, they both realized what Il
eS future was holding out to them.
Il 1t was as the general had hope
Sc somebody's Mother" brought memol
lr- back to her son. His first ration
ne words We're, "Mother-mother, mine
ly. Down by the sea and the rocl
ht Somebody's Mother" and the gener
cir paced slowly along the cliff. It was
lie scant week since the boys return, BIT
ng after all, they both knew.