Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1922-11-23
LIGHT OF LOVE
BY EVA o. 3. GILSERT

years. You could count his age on the
fingers of one hand, and have your
thumb and one finger left to hold a
lolly-pop.
But Alden was growing up very fast.
He walked with mother in the park
every day, and he had worn little boy
suits ever since the crocuses had
peeped up among the new blades of
green grass, and mother had said it
was spring.
Besides, Alden took care of mother
wherever they went. He held her
hand and kept watch to see that moth
ing brushed against her dress, and if
they came to a broken spot in the walk
he would lead her around it.
Mother was so much nicer than the
ladies who walked with other little
boys and girls, or wheeled babies in
wonderful go-carts and strollers, like
those Alden used to ride in when he
was little.
! Those other ladies wore stiff, white
caps and aprons, while mothers dress
was all flmy white, or sometimes pale
green, or sometimes the color of corn
flakes when they are all crispy and
grumpy, and taste, oh, so good! And
she wore lovely hats!
Then mothers eyes were so beautiful
so full of-well, Alden didn't know
what to name it, but it was like a light
behind pretty curtains, that shone
right through.
Mother was nicer, too, than the girls
with sort of old raggedy dresses, that
brought the other kind of babies to
the park. Their go-carts were small
and queer, and didn't look one bit
comfortable.
But those babiesI Alden was sure
there was nothing else in the world so
interesting. They had such big, black
eyes, and such rosy cheeks!
There was one baby he always
watched for. She was so pretty, and
her eyes were so large and dark. Her
go-cart was almost the smallest of
any, and Alden wondered that she did
not fall out. But the big girl-'most
half as big as mother-who took care
of this baby, had that same Light in
her eyes when she looked at the baby
that mother had when she looked at
Alden. And the poor girls dress was
even more raggedy than the others.
There was n thing in the park that
Alden always dreaded to see. That
was a great, shaggy dog. The dog
came almost every day, with a tall,
strong boy, who always held the leash
and called him "Hero."
When the dog came near Alden
would forget that he was going to be
a man some day, and forget that he
was taking care of mother. He would
hold her hand tighter, and try to hide
behind her, and just hold his breath
so he would not scream.
And the tall boy would laugh-not
aloud, but looking straight in Alden's
eyes, so he knew the tall boy thought
he was only a baby.
NOW, n OF the most beautiful
places in the park was a path along
the river. Mother and Alden always
walked there, and so did the raggedy
girl with the dark-eyed baby. So, too,
did the tall boy with the dog!
One very warm day mother thought
it would be nice to sit on a bench
there. While they sat watching the
river, and the birds, and the squirrels,
the raggedy girl brought the baby. She
fixed the go-cart in the incest place
against a tree, right close by the water.
Then she sat down on the grass, with
an old, worn book, and began to read.
The baby was asleep, SO all was well.
Suddenly the great, dark eyes
opened and without making a sound
for the raggedy girl to hear, the baby
tried to sit up. The go-cart seemed
smaller than ever, because the baby
had been growing fast; and she almost
managed to sit up straight.
1t all happened 81 quickly! The 60
cart tipped, and the baby went right
over into the water! Alden screamed,
and mother screamed, and the poor
Tragedy girl was frantic.
But the great, shaggy dog was COM
ing! In two leaps he reached the
water! Taking the baby's clothes in
his strong white teeth, he brought the
baby safely to the grassy bank, and
gently laid it down.
Mother had come and put her arms
around the raggedy girl, and Alden
was close by. AS the dog come out Of
the water all dripping wet, with the
baby, Alden looked right into his eyes,
forgetting, this time, to be afraid.
And in the eyes Of the great, shaggy
dog, Alden saw the same light that
was always in Mothers eyes, and that
he had seen in the eyes of the raggedy
girl, the light that he could not name,
but that was so beautiful!
And now, when Alden walks in the
park, and meets the great, shaggy dog,
he mats tha big. tawnV head and SAWS.