Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-11
THE EVENING STORY
. HE started as soon as she received
the telegram that Jack was dead.

- HE started as soon as she received
~ the telegram that Jack was dead.
She was not afraid, and 1t was
~ her duty as mother of a very
good son to bring his body home
to the little cemetery on the hillside.
to lie beside his father.
"You should allow some one to go
with you," counseled more than one
of her kind friends and neighbors.
But don't need any one. I would
rather be alone with the body of my
dear Jack. want to be with him
alone" she said, and she held out until
time to start.
AS the train sped southwark the
little woman, Jacks mother, sat dry
eyed, staring out of the window-think-
ing-thinking. How short the time
seemed to her since she had Graded
her boy In her arms, since she had
kiss. And then she had sent him over
the sea to fight for his country.
What cheerful letters he had writ
ten to her. letters of love and devotion.
True, he had not come home to visit
her, but he had sent money and then
he had been working so hard and
saving to 90 into business, he had told
her, as soon as his apprenticeship was
served and he was full-fiedged me-
chanic. He was tearing the automobile
repair business.
She often wished for her boy to visit
her, but she would soon have him at
home, and then they would be together
every day; she would sing at her work
and he would be near, working in his
repair shop.
And then he had sickened, and almost
| before she had recovered her breath at
l. - ~
gram asking II she wanted to claim his
body. Did She? Nothing but death, the
grim specter. would have kept this
| mother of good son from claiming his
body.
Mile after mile the train covered. and
then the suburbs of the city of Atlanta
| appeared. There we're endless curves
and the train came to stop in the de-
| pot. She had reached her destinatil7.
| This way, madam" In unison, and
soon the little old mother was seated in
q taxi; she was being driven to the I'M
dertaking establishment.
Dismissing the driver, she walked
bravely into the mortuary, and as an
attendant came forward, she was led
gently into the inner room. There
amid flowers, lay her Jack-the smile
was on his face, the smile she so we'll
remembered.
| She was fearless and even when the
attendant told her to be brave. she
did not cry. Every one around was
kind to her, SO considerable of Jacks
mother.
| Her eyes roamed over the room and
then she saw large, kindly-faced man
coming toward her. He explained that
he was Jacks boss" the man for whom
her boy had worked SO long, since he
had come from France.
Tears came to the eyes Of the little
mother as the big man clasped her
hand In his and led her to seat. He
talked to her Of Jack, how faithful he
had been In his efforts to please--aoW
he had talked OF his mother
HE was always good son, Mr.
Warden-he would come home from
school and think about what he could
do for his mother before he went out
to play with the boys.
And when he went to France, ]
thought IL would kill me to see him go
to know that he might be killed any
time. and then he made 1t so much
easier for me by writing each day. You
see we had a mortgage on the little
home. Jacks father was Ill. hardly able
to work. and we thought for a while
that our boy would have to make O
claim Tor exemption. Inen we saw Our
duty. we would get along some way
and We did. Then when the war was
over, we looked and looked for word
from Jack. and when the letter came
our home was about TO be taken, we
only needed $500 to complete the pay
ment.
II wrote 1t all TO Jack, and then the
miracle happened--a friend loaned him
the money, some fellow he had been
with In the Army. some rich mans son
| We looked and looked each day for our
boy to come home after we received the
money and after several months, We
had q letter from him from Atlanta
saying he was working here.
THAT was more than three years ago
and we expected Jack to finish his trade
and come back to the old home where
he would set UP shop. Jacks father
died last Christmas--his last YOURS were
made happy by the thought that would
have some one to care for me the rest
Of my life. =
And now-~now"---the little tired
hands sought the pocket of her dress
and brought out white handkerchief
which she passed to her aching eyes.