Smyrna times., 1918-02-06
''IheOnly Son
of His Mother
By KATE NJ. CLEARY

liant autumnal day there had been a
trickle of humanity up and down those
Sagging steps. Men and women had
walked sedately up and as decorous!y
descended, for the friends of Henry
Carson had been many.
There were reasons for his popular
ity. He had been a kindly and gen.
erOus man, broad of vision, warm Of
heart, gentle of soul. Life was more
glowing for those who warmed their
hands at the hearth of his friendship.
At one time he had been wealthy.
In his own home he had been adOred.
In him had been no trace of the pet
tiness that brands that most despic-
able of creatures. the domestic tyrant.
All that skill, love, money, tenderness
could do had been attempted to aid the
only boy in the houSeful of girls. "A
hopeless, an incurable invalid since in
fancy, his sixteen years had been pune |
tuated by periods of suffering so in |
tense that even those who cherished |
him could not have rebelled for his |
own poor, tortured sake had the order |
for release come from the court of
final appeal.
SO it was that when his hale, hand
some, hearty father, who had left home
that morning in the prime of robust
manhood, was carried back, dead, the
deepest sense of deprivation was ex-
perienced by the one who would miss
him most in the dark hours from
w no with oil n.
| prehenSiOn.
While the exhausted sobbing of the
widow and the frightened wailing Of
the little children resOunded, while
black clad strangers nOiselessly intent
upon their solemn duties, came and
went; while neighbOrs, offering syn
pathy and coincidence, f1Ocked into the
little room, he moved silently among
them, tall, attenuated lad with a set,
pale face and eyes of impenetrable mel
anchOly.
Alone in the darkened front room as
the glorious day waned, he watched the
corners growing mystically dim in the
twilight and the long box on the tres
tie looming blacker in the encrOaching
shadows.
Save for that other peaceful pres
ence the boy was alone in the room.
From his screened solitude in the Win
dow recess he saw his mother come
in. She approached the coffin. He no.
ticed how worn and shaken she looked
in the flickcring light Of the candles.
She stood there, the shawl hanging
loosely from her shoulders, her arms
fallen straight by her sides. She
seemed overwhelmed by the utter lassi-
tude of spent grief.
MARY" cried a woman's voice,
poignant with sympathy, "Oh, Mary ~
The widow turned with a start rec
1 ognized the newcomer. A choking
/ sound broke from her as she ran into
the arms of her girlhOod friend.
l "NIary, l only this afternoon read
the notice in the paper. l came as
quickly as l knew, as 1 could. My dear
my dear, don't cry so! don't! 1t mus
have been a dreadful shock, of course
4 being so sudden at-at the last; but
4 believe me, it is better as it is, far bet
1 ter. 1 know it is hard for you L
4 think SO now, but you will come t
realize it,"
The stricken woman drew back, stal
ing wildly at her friend.
1 "Oh, you will come to know it is f0
the best. He could never have bee
! we'll or happy or fill a mans place
the world. Although you all cOnceale
- it from him as well as you could, b
must have suspected what an anxiet
he was to you, what drag, what
burden. And there was no pOssibilit
of his ever being less a heartache
YOU. Oh, I know what you wOu
saw" The torrent of her eager spee'
swept away the others ineffective c
fort to protest. "But 1 speak as Il
old friend who loves you dearly.
is better for you all that he is dea
Think if instead Of that poor, usele
how it had been his strong, fine
ther who had been taken! Then,
deed"
An Outburst of tempestuOus wee
ing checked her.
"Hush. oh, hush! Don't yOu-do
you know"
"My God, Mary, you don't mear
The paper said-the same name"
The widow pointed to the cOf
Then she huddled to the floor beside
and crouched there, her face hidden
her shawl.
When she had left the room the
rose wearily. He walked slowly
like one grown old. In that uncert
circle of tawny light he paused.
young face, sanctified and spiritual
by suffering, leaned over that other
the black box below. Its benign ca
ness almost taunted him. His
countenance, white and working,
maved his sister when she met him
the door. She cried out at sight
him.
oro opOinO tO he |