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With clasped hands they talked together of his mother Hazel told him all: how she had come upon her that summer's day, and her heart had yearned to know her for his sake; and how she had gone back again, and yet again; all the story of her own struggles for a better life When she told of her cooking lessons he kissed the little white hands he held, and when she spoke of her hospital work he touched his lips to eyes and brow in reverent worshipfulness
"And you did all that because----?" he asked and looked deep into her eyes, derily his answer
"Because I wanted to be worthy of your love!" she breathed softly, her eyes down-drooped, her face rosy with her confession
"Oh, !" he said, and clasped her close once otten, until it slipped softly to the floor and called attention to itself There was really after all no need for the letter It had done its intended ithout being read But they read it together, his ar the need of the co love of the other because of the bereavement each had suffered
And thus they read: "MY DEAR SON: "I a this letter in what I believe to be the last few days of o I ns that preceded the probable culmination of my disease He kneould be happier so, for I had sos I wished to accomplish before I went away I did not tell you, dear son, because I knew it could but distress you and turn your thoughts away fro I knehen you came home to me for that dear last visit that I had only a little while longer left here, and I need not tell you what those blessed days of your stay were toYou perhaps will blame yourself that you did not see how near the end it was and stay beside me; but John, beloved, I would not have been happy to have had it so It would have brought before you with intensity the parting side of death, and this I wished to avoid I want you to think of one to be with Jesus and with your dear father Besides, I wanted the pleasure of giving you back again to your work before I went away
"It was because I knew the end was near that I dared do a lot of things that I would have been careful about otherwise It was in the strength of the happiness of your presence that I forced ht remember your mother oncethis I shall be walking the golden streets with as strong and free a gait as you walk your desert, dear So don't regret anything of the good tier It was perfect, and the good tiain on the other side sos forever