Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-06
CHAPTER XXIA

stood still where Richard left me,
| listening to the sound of the trai
wheels dying away down the road
then | went slowly back to the house.
My heart felt. cold and dead: in vain
took myself to task; called myself
wicked and ungrateful. l loved Rich
ard Tempest; had always loved him
from that moment of our first meeting
! by the stream. l knew that ! should
always love him.
"He never had my letter." I told
myself. 1t sent warm glow of com.
fort to my heart. "E1c never had my
letter.
could so no further along that line
Of thought: 30 many forbidden dreams
lay there.
l went upstairs to my boys bedroom
and sat down beside his bed.
He was fast asleep l could hear his
deep, even breathing, and once the
little signing sound he made as he
turned on his pillow.
had told Richard my children were
all l had to love, but ! had not told
him how much they were to he. how
much. Perhaps because no words OF
mine could describe the love which was
almost alteration which l had given TO
little Richard since that first moment
While ! had him nothing else mat
tered greatly; he was mine-my very
own.
Once again life went on unevcntfuily
days grew into weeks, and weeks into
months, and then-then came the day
when Richard went to boarding school.
With all my will and determination
l had striyen to put it off. but Francis
was adamnnt.
Boys who did not 60 TO boarding
school were unman.y and molly -cOddlcs.
he declared: it would BE- the making OF
Richard. lie was too much tied to his
mothers apron strings; lie wnntcu to
find his level.
| suppose it was substantially true;
but the thought of parting with him
was like tearing out my heart.
begged and implorcd; ] even wert.
but il was no use, and one day SAT
looking ut my boys boxes packed and
corded and labeled, ready to, go.
Richard was delighted though I know
he did not show 1t much for fear OF
hurting me. lie talked about the holi..
days, and half term. when ! could
go down and see him: he had given INC
strict instructions what sort of tuck
to send him. He told Elsa that he would
bring home some OF the ''claps' To
spcnd the holidays with him.
Hc was growing up so fast: my baby
had long Stree vanished, and now I
was losing the child into which the
baby had grown.
Richard had even smoked his first
cigarette! ! had caught him with the
Wears son in the old barn trying hard
to imagine they were enjoying them
selves.
When he saw me--and. suppose.
my shocked expression--hc looked a
! little ashamed. but, after moment.
offered the much -chewed end for my
acceptance.
'It's ever 50 NICE he said engag
ingly.
IIc was thilteen when he went to
boarding school: took him to Lon
don myself. and saw him of with a
lot of other boys.
Don't cry in front of all these
chaps, MOTHER he whispered TO me
when the time came for parting. But
he was very near tears himself as !
kissed his dear brown face.
Don't forget me, sonnle.' whis-
pered with sob. "And you'll write
every week--prOmise me.
He promised, of course, but | could
see that his thoughts were full of the
new life to which he was going, and
the other "chnps." and his new
cricket bat, and the box of jam and
cakes which ] had packed for him.
Then the guard blow his whistle, and
the train steamed slowly away from
the platform.
coxTINuE1 foMoRRow !.