"How little we know what is before us," continued Budd after a momentary pause. "Had anyone then told me what I was to pass through in less than a year I should have thought it simply impossible. In order to have you understand what is to follow I must, however, go back a little in my explanation.
"When I was about twelve years old, mother began to show signs of a decline. She had had a fever, and never fully recovered. Still, as she was able to be around most of the time and direct our one servant in the care of the house, I, at least, thought but little about it. Not so with father, however. Always thoughtful of others rather than of himself, he watched mother with an ever-increasing anxiety until a year ago last spring. Mother then contracted a severe cold, and it was soon only too apparent that she had entered the first stages of a quick consumption.
"All that summer she grew worse, and last October she was so feeble her physician declared that the only hope of saving her life was to take her immediately to a warmer climate for the winter. Father determined that this should be done, but how he was to accomplish it he did not know. Mother was too feeble to go without him and a woman attendant. The fall drive at the store had begun, and father could not well be spared. Then, too, there was the expense that would necessarily follow. This was an important item; for though father had always had good pay, he had, on account of his heavy expenses, saved scarcely anything.
"Father spoke to Mr. Johnson about a leave of absence, and he reluctantly consented that father should be gone long enough to take mother to Florida and arrange for her comfort there. The woman who was taking care of her consented to go and stay there with her; and much as father and mother hated to be separated, this seemed the only thing that could be done. Father had about two hundred dollars on hand, and deemed this enough to meet the expenses of taking mother down to Deland, the place where they had decided to go. He then intended to send mother money each month, or as it should be needed.
"So our house was given up. The goods were stored. A boarding-place was secured for me, and on the first of the next week father and mother were to start. I shall never forget that last evening we all spent together," and Budd's voice grew husky. "It was at a friend's of the family, where mother had been temporarily removed while the household goods were being packed and stored. We were alone in mother's room, and it almost seems as if mother knew she should never see me again, except for the brief moment I should say good-by to her at the depot the following morning. So she told me her last wishes, and gave me her blessing.
"While we sat there a knock came at the door, and mother's nurse entered.
"'Here, Mr. Boyd,' she said, 'is a letter for you. It has just been left at the door.'
"Father took it, and noticing the firm-name on the corner of the envelope, tore it open with some misgiving. It proved, however, to be a great cause for rejoicing to us all, and no one dreamed that it was otherwise than authentic. Written on the regular firm note-paper, and with the firm-heading, it ran:
BOSTON, Mass., Oct. 15, 18--.
MR. HENRY BOYD: