Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1921-03-25

lighted cabin to the deck, and chose
a seat In a dim and deserted spot,
close to the rail.
Once, indeed, she did say softly:
-Oh, Lord! I'm that glad-honestl"
The two, who paced the deck leis-
urely at some little distance, ap.
preached her at length, coming so di.
rectly and with such evident intent
that she looked up.
Then she rose at once and stood be-
side her chair, for one was the cloaked
and yelled black figure Of a nun, with
beads and snowy bands and deftly-
plated wimple.
SISTER and / have been talking
about you" said her young companion.
She was black-clad, too, slender, pale,
and grave.
"She's going to be one, too" flashed
through the mind Of the girl, poor
thing"
"And sister Is so glad and happy for
you-and so am THAT your father
did such a wonderful thing. We
DedTuJ iii tic puoSShSCAS hhV"' LAW
proud you must be Of himr'
Something In the sad young voice
pierced the reserve of the girls pent-
up emotion, and though she struggled
for self-control as she met the eyes OF
the speaker, the rise and fall Of her
breast quickened and she pressed her
hands oyer her quivering face as she
burst into tears.
Saint /, thought" she sobbed, THAI
proud. B-bub-but-" Her voice
failed.
The young woman looked doubtful
for an instant, glancing at the nun
then stepped neare to the girl ant
pushed toward her the chair she hat
occupied.
"There," she said gently, "you are
overwrought-cry it out; it's the bes
way"
"'Taln't that" protested the girl
ITS how l always felt till now. Sup
pose he'd been killed and me never
different-oh-h!
IT'S tough for a girl to feel at
parent like l always felt at pOp-bu
his getting in jail for seven year.
when I was a kid done it.
ut seemed like treating MON kim
of thin with three of us already ant
the twins. when he wasn't gone 81.
months. And it's a cinch what
mans up against when he gets out.
st don't take no ~clairvoyant to Sc
trouble ahead for him, good and plen
ty. Pops been out over five year
now, and say, honest-well, there's
lot Of hot air blowed about the broth
.erhood of mani hear it at the union
but take 1t from me-rot! That's
what.
"They amt nobody playing tina
game with jailbirds-they're poor n
~lations."
Bitter lines in the little old-youn
face deepened and her mouth shu
grimly, but she did not pause Ions
Indeed, she talked with an cage
breathlessness which showed a hear
full to bursting.
The somber habit Of one llstene
took all ~strangeness from the fact tina
she talked to strangers. She needle
to talk-how she needed to talk.
"All pop needed was a chance
know now l learnt that yesterday an
today. But it took this steambos
company job, and a busted boiler, an
next door to his dying for me to fin
1t out"
She fell to sobbing again softly, an
nothing was said until the voice G
the young woman asked: did 20
tell himT"
She shook her head, sobbing hare
er. "Tell him-nothing," she jerke
forth, when l seen him laying in tha
hospital bed, with bandages all owe
him, most up to his eyes, and thel
kind of hollow-looking, like he'd see
a whole lot Of ghosts; 1t all come owe
me and / Pumped right down, hangin
onto his hand-one amt burned, onl
the arm down to the elbow--and onl
saying. 'oop-oh, pop, my poor oil
pop"
: The young woman's dark eyes gre
darker: the nuns head, with movin
Inns. bent above the beads. "And wha
did he say?" asked the soft voice !
the silence.
"Blme-by he says, choky, is you
ma all right?'
.Then I remembered to tell hil
how her rheumatism kept her hom'
80 | had got off for two days and th
company let me come up on one
the boats; and how the man from tn
company come to see MON and Gale
him another Jim Bludso-some fello'
out West, he was.
"Said he'd saved hundreds OF I've
and would get a Carnegie sure-an
then l began boo-hooing, and he smile
twistylike and said, I'm glad | got tn
chance, for your sake, Mamie, an
our mas. It seemed as IL WASH
going to get no chance, t~hough--som
men never does, Mamie; some me
v does"
The young woman leaned forwar
and put her hands on Mamie Flynn
l-A~ hos % n