Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-02-01
''TheOnly Son
Of His Mother
BY KATE M. CL.EARY
(Copyrlsht)


descended. for the friends of Henry
Carson had been many.
There were reasons for his popular.
ity. He had been Il kindly and gem
erous man, broad of vision, warm of
heart, gentle OF soul. Life was moro
glowing for those who warmed their
hands ut the hearth of his friendship.
AT one time lie Ind been wealthy.
In his own home he had been adorcd.
In MIN had been no trace of the pet
tiness that brands that most dcspic-
nblc of creatures, the domestic tyrnnt.
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
tunted by periods of suffering so In
tense TINT even those who cherished
him could not have rcbcllcd for his
own poor, tortured sake had the order
for release come from the court of
final appeal.
So 1t was that when Ills hale, hand
SOME, hcnrty father who had left home
that morning In the prime OF robust
manhood, was carried back, dead, tho
deepest sense OF deprivation was OK
perienced by the one who would miss
him most In the dark hours from
which he covered with such cruel mn
prchenslon.
While the exhausted sobblng OF the
widow and the frightened Willing of
the little children rcsoundcd, whIlc
black clad strangers noisclcSsly intent
upon their solemn duties, cnmc and
went; while neighbours, Offering SYM
pathy md coincidence, locked into the
little room, he moved silently among
them, tall, attenuntcd lad with II set
pale face and eyes OF impcnctrnblc mel
nncholy.
Alone I'm the dnrkcncd front room us
the glorious day wnncd. he watched tho
corners growing mystically dim i'm the
twilight and the long box ON the tres
lie looming blnckcr In The cncronching
shadows.
Save for that other pcaccful pres.
ence the hoy was alone in ill.,, 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 nna shaken she looked
III Inc ilickcring light OF the cnndlcs.
she stood there, the shawl hanging
loosely from her shoulders, her arms
fallen straight by her sides. She
seemed overwhelmed by the utter lnssl-
tudc Of spent grief.
MARY" cried n womnn's voice
poignant with sympathy, "oh. Mnryl"
The widow turned With Il start. roc
"shlzcd the newcomer, a chol;in.
sound broke from her ns she ran into
the arms of her girlhnod friend.
.""ry. only this afternoon road
me notice In the paper. caiic ua
quickly rs knew, as could. NIy dear.
my dear. don't cry So! don't II must
have been n dreadful shock. of course.
h'ins so sudden nt-nt the last; but.
believe me- 1t IL better ns n Is. far bet.
ter. / know IL Is nard for You 10
think so now, but YOU will come lo
realize IT,"
The stricken woman drew back, star.
Ing wildly nj her friend.
"Oh, YOU will come To know II IS for
the best. He could never have hpcn
well or happy or I'LL II mans place In
the world. Although you All concealed
II from him ms wei aT YOU could. he
must have suspected whut an anxiety
h. WAS to you. what drag, what
burden. And there WAS no possibility
OF his ever hcing less n hcnrtnche To
YOU. oh, | know what you would
say" Tho torrent of her cngcr speech
swept away the others ineffective er-
fort to protest. "But / speak M the
old friend who loves you dearly. 1t
Is better for you all that he Is dcnd.
Think If instead of that poor, useless
boy 1t had been his strong, fine fa-
ther who lind been tnkeni Then, In
deed"
An Outburst of tempcstuous weep
Ing checked her.
flush, oh, hush Don't you-don't
you know"
my God Mary, you don't mean
The paper snid--thc same name"
The widow pointed to the coffin.
Then she huddled to the floor beside 1t
and croiichcd there, her fncc hidden in
ucT SnnWI.
When she had left the room The boy
rose wcnrlly. He walked slowly and
like one grown old. In that uncertain
circle OF tawny Hight he paused. His
young face, sanctiiicd ana spirltualized
by suffering, leaned over that other in
the black box below. It's benign calm
ness almost tainted him. Ills own
countcnance, white and working. dis
mayed his sister WHEN she met him ut
the door. She cried onr ut sight OF
him.
Harry. you are going to be Ill"
Her voice shook with concern. "You
are going 10 have enc of your bad at-
lacks. nm sur, I"
"Uh. no. dcir." There was infinite
sndn,'S in the ncuriful eyes that
met her own. 'Li",'t worry," he be-
sGuGl,! by. ""tuIl,pF needs YOU"
Eu tn s,n'l' 't.' curved his mouth
WHi az d. "ii!i9SS, PprlaDs