86 Golden Apples and Roses Red

“Poor brother, I pity thee,” said the
maiden; “there is no man or maid but
pities thee. If thou wilt tell me of thy
mother, I will find her, even were I to
travel far, and bid her come to thee. Well
I wot she will come to thee if she may.”

For all his manhood and learning and
holiness, Waldo could not still the crying
of the little child within him, and he told
the maiden of his mother, and blessed her,
and asked her name. When she answered
that it was Dorothy, “ Truly,” said he, “ it
is a fair name and gracious, and in thy
coming thou hast been a gift of God to
me.

Thereupon the maiden left him, and
Waldo returned to his hut, comforted and
full of hope.

After a month had gone Dorothy returned.
Crossing the stepping-stones in the clear
light of the early morning, she found Waldo
meditating by the door of his hut.

“JT have done thy bidding, brother,” she
said in a gentle voice, “but alas! thy
mother cannot come to thee. Grieve not too
much at this, for she is with God. She
must have died about the time thou didst