The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-10-09

Be sure you've got the goods.
handed them to me to hold, I
began to feel uncomfortable.
Maybe the women were right
after all; anyway, lots of women
older than I said they just could
MT stay long in that house of Mrs.
MERGERS.
"You see honey she said,
looking afar off as If she didn't
see me at all, Everything in life
has meaning for us. Mabel and
Mack just don't know what to do
for me. They couldn't even if
they were here. But Mile and
Mike are always here. Mabel and
Mack didn't grow up to be what
l had dreamed and prayed and
hoped; but who knows but that
Mile and Mike might have.
They'll never leave me, for I can
sit here and dream all over again,
day after day, just like I used to
dream late at night alone before
the fire when they were asleep
and safe in their little beds. The
Lord took them away, but he
left them with me too, for I can
dream about them yet: I see
their little hands reach out, and
1 feel them tug at my dress. I
wonder does anything ever thrill
a mother more, or is remembered
more wildly? I yet feel the vel
vet softness of their little faces
against my cheek. I can hear the
little chirps and squeals and
cackles they made, as plainly as
if it were now. Oh how it thrilled
me when they ran to me and my
kisses would charm away their
childish cries of fright and pain.
''No, l never get lonely. I do
not have to dream now. but in
revery I see great dreams come
true for them. I can see them
living in comfort and splendor,
dressed in fine garments, sur
rounded by admiring friends.
You know a mother wants every
one to love her children. They
never forgot nor neglected their
mother; they never gave me a
short nor ill-considered word:
they were never thoughtlessly
unkind nor wounded me cruelty
with neglect.
"They are never ashamed of
their old mother now, for they
come for me in their carriage,
and ride beside me for all their
acquaintance to see. See it says
in their faces: this is my dear
old mother. She is my best
friend. She sat up through the
night with me when I was little,
She never complained of being
tired, nor did she scold and abuse
me. She never was ashamed OF
me; she denied herself comforts
and pleasures, and too often went
without that I might have, and
she always forgave me-Every-
thing. She loves me and is proud
of me, and I am proud of her and
I love her too
"You know all this is mighty
fine and comforting. Nobody can
say now they wouldn't have been
just like that" the old lady con-
Guided calmly and smiled over
her glasses toward me.
just couldn't stand it any
more. Maybe I'm the crazy one.
My heart was sick, my head was
thick, and my eyes were filled
with tears. 1 had to tell that old
lady goodbye.
No, 1 couldn't laugh at her as
some women do I could only
cry. I left her, thinking of the
many neglected mothers and
fathers of these days who are
left in need, forlorn, alone and
forgotten by children for whom
they have toiled through long
years and sacrificed everything.
Children who, while doing we'll
for themselves, allow years at a
time to elapse and never visit
their parents, but leave them to
be wards of the county welfare
funds and to live on pitiful
bounty wrested from grudging
taxpayers. I wondered and won
dered about this old lady and
many others of her kind. I Won
dered about children who can be
to thankless and so baseless. I
wondered about my comfortable
and stingy, dried-up old neigh
bors who shrug away their duty
to humanity by calling any and
all unfortunate people crazy. I
wondered if there is a hell. l
wondered, I wondered, 1 wonder
ed