Show IN springtime by AGNES G BROGAN old mother case leaned bade back in be her long chair and gazel gazed wearily across the lawn though it was early in spring the grass was very green find anit mother case propped among her pillows shielded from breezes breeze in the most sequestered corner of the veranda knew exactly ex nelly liow how the garden would look lider inter with its regul nry ordered beds of flowers flower everything undo unde management was regu larl ordered that her daughter ins as a good manager there could be no doubt yet mother case in tier her chronic invalidism never dever ceased to fret at tier rigid routine sophia dally daily assured her brother roger that were it not for her capable care mother case would long ago have departed this life certain it was that faithfulness knew no tiring sophia had also managed roger throughout his growing manhood alt all thought ot of marriage for himself was discouraged and possible attachments avoided roger was the sole support of the home and what right had lie he so ao he mentally questioned to depress a young womans comans life by bringing her into these surroundings and roger notwithstanding his white uhlie hair was still young and good to look upon returning at evening from the perplexities of his bis great business concern he was wont to be entertained by recitals of her trying lay day and his mot mothers bers fractious fractions complain ings of her tiresome lot and when life appeared peare of to be stretching forth into but troubled repetition of days a breath of springtime floating over the verlinda veranda halings palings caressed the old mothers face 1 I am going out for a time mother sophia said and nellie will be near to wait upon you mother case closed her eyes and grunted as her solicitous daughter whisked villi away nellie te chatted happily on the rear porch with bob the chauffeur but beneath tier her closed lids mother case was seeing memory pictures brought back by that caressing spring breeze herself a pretty country maiden in print gown own and sunbonnet roaming the fragrant fields in search of violets mother case opened her eyes in a flutter of excitement lind and there before her smiling at her over the veranda rail stood a replica of the girl of her fancy 1 I did not mean to awaken you said the girl but you seemed ill and I 1 thought mother case looked eagerly into the glowing face framed by a pink sunbonnet her eyes no longer tired followed the lines of the girls pink cambric dress where were you going she asked askea abruptly the girl smiled to hunt violets she replied in a thicket just belond those trees the pink vision hesitated would you like we me to bring some back to you mother case grappled suddenly with her cane 1 I am going with you she announced noun ced could you bear my weight on your shoulder why yes the girl agreed and like a happy child the world weary old woman entered into the game of her fancy sophia returning tit at evening found foun her mother complacently resting in her chair nellie should have taken you upstairs she complained it was vins several days later when she brought her new concern to her brother brother 1 I dont know flow what lias has got into mother sophia said she eats well and sleeps like a child and I 1 often hear lier her chuckling to herself ashes actually good natured do you suppose koger that she may be going coln g to die A new lease of life more likely roger suggested returning home unexpectedly one afternoon lie he found nellie distracted ly iv examining ills his mothers porch chair mrs Mr case was ayin lying g here nellie said positively when miss caze case went oft off lor for the afternoon ow sue s gone bob and I 1 searched the house an allf lie gardens an how mrs case could get awny away alone we dont see but ashes gone hastily roger sought the ro roadway adRY though it was of course that flint ills mother could have wandered down tile the road near at hand cave came suddenly Bud denly the sound of a quavering kolep vol dalsy dals failed called his mother have you found any white violets perplexedly Perplexed tv roger made his way past tile the thicket there on a mossy bank sat his mother her tap lap filled will violets tier her trembling fingers sorting them beside tier her stood to 11 harming charming girl her dimpling face framed in a pink sunbonnet eun bonnet mother case looted looked back at her son defiantly 11 1 I come here with daisy every day she eh confessed daisy Is human she understands A smile flitted flirted over the wrinkled aed face daisy Is just the gi girt rl I 1 used to be said eald mother case you are very kind roger said turning to tile girl dabsys clear eyes met his your tour mother molher is ill the e w woman 0 nian tit that a t I 1 expect one day to be she answered him softly 1310 toy by western newspaper Un colon lun |