Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-06-07

the mother thought, good enough for Roberts
wife. She knew that he was fine young fe.
low, and as yet had given nothing but trouble
to his parents, but then at their death he would
inherit some little property, and according to
her notions, he must look out for girl with
money. Robert in this respect seemed rea
>cnable enough he told his mother that what
she said was true, and that he might pick and
choose just where lie liked, and that there fore
he should pick an apple from the toplnost bough.
but as to marrying Hannah Molteram he should
never think OF it,
The very night, however, before We have
seen old Molly on her way to Birmingham, she
had dscoyered that her son had taken villains
advantage Of the bonne; makers love, and now,
to his utter astonishment, she insisted upon it
that he should marry her. Robert laughed at
the idea of such thing laughed a. his mother
Tor thinking of it but that, If possible, only
made her more resolutc. 1t was no use Il 8
vowng that he did not love her well enough TO
make her his wife, for in his mothers eyes, tht I
ony increased the enorm ty of the injustice he
had done her. She had always, she said, stot d
up for women against the tyranny and cruelty
OF men, and she wou,,l do it now in the case of
her own son, and unless he would marry the
girl he had deceived, she never would .org We
him.
This led to the most violent quarrel that had
ever taken place between them, and the mother
making no attempt at sleep that night, set of
without again seeing her son, on her journey to
Birmingham.
1t was the subject that occupied her mind so
deeply that day. She sat with AN inroverted,
troubled, and determined look, just within the
awning of her cart, something like an angry
mastif within lis i:cnnel, and when, on her re-
turn, she arrv at her own door, size was in
no better humor. Ter offended dignity dJ not
permit her to make inquiry after Robert altho'
he was no where 10 lie seen, and 1t was with no
little surprise that, on going up to the old look
ing-gass, in which were stuck all such letters
and pers as came in her absence, to find a
letter addressed to her IN her sons hanl wr-
ting.
The letter contained merely these words -
" Dear mother,
/ will not marry Hannah Motteram, !
shall 90 to sea, and so these are the last words
you sha! hear iron! me,
Your loving sor,
ROBERT COrTLEEL.'
/ SLe read tie letter tw.cc, but she could make
NJ mutc of it. lie was ronr and gonr, too, IL
IA spirit OF delilncc, ard knowing how wiltul
nni rcsolute he was, she llld no expectation OF
any chlnge in his determination. Tnis "as ID
turn in the tide of aif'Ilrs which sA2 did not cx-
| pcct, and at first was a severe blow. What
she endured, however, she kept all to herself
she told her ncigI.bors TINT hcr son was gone
and some of them sud she WIS an rnteeling
hlrd-heurtea woman who had driven her son
perhaps, to destruction. Poor woman, they die
her wrong, however, vic accused her CT wan
Of affection to her SCH.
The very next day, she went mp TO lIannal
Motterln's she hat never condcsccndcd tt
enter the poor girls room before, and lill.nl!
was terrified ut an occurrence which, us sh,
thought, torcboled no good.
'lIannih' said the stern butter buyer, 'yo,
have been the sQ.e cause Of Roberts going t
/ sea-
The poor girl was ready to drop at thcs
words, bu. the mother, regardless OF her dstres
scl countcnlncc, proceeded:
He is gon1 to sea, AMI we, likely enough
shpll never see him agajn. You hive both Q
YOU done very wrong; but | know what
: right, AMI tllt shall be done. You must com
ami live with me-
Hannah dropped the bonnet she held in he
: hand for this was spoken in 4 pttllo'' yo4ct
and she forcboded sorrow an suffering.
Il never liked you,' continued the motll2
= never! tell yop this plainly; did all i'll IN
power to turn Roberts futcy t.on You; but i
G time You shall live with me. know thtt a
n severe and stern, but there is good INN for a
: that | will try to h. Il mother to YOU; yc
n must be dut FIJI daughter to me- AMI try
, win my love-
IIannlh cried a5 if her heart would breal
but the oil woman who did not irdu.g2 in ten
herself, took ~ notice Of u,cm III others: 5.
lid sad her say, and departed.
Hannah went to live with her, and was ever
thing that dutiul daughter could be, and t
u woman really came t. love her like moth'
Bat Hannah bad lQyel too truly to bear Robeg
deserlion with indltltr nee; blight an |
ness dmmcd her youth, and she faded a
r dropped with sickness of the heart for VIII
p there was no medicine. In two year; time :
al died. AMI the old womln seemed then r2l
IN bcrclved. The strongest affection existed
III tween them, and their deep love for Robe
ne who had used them both so uni l.y, was
AS additional bonl Of union, whilst the child
strong, han lsom, boy, the very inIge Of
d. father, was the prilc Of both their he1gts. I
It, only time for twenty years, thrqI 81 winter Il
as summer, that Molly Co,tercl sGi.t a sub t Il
he with her butter cart was when lilnnh lay
o her last anl rather tedious sickness. She tci
g ed her day by day; she slt up with h n at mig
and would allow no one else tie PRIV lleTe
't waiting upon HcT nc uHl lIuuJTS " tVt All
lie tonishcd to see so much gentlenes' AMI ptti,
as affection in her Inturc they Ind not thou!
a her clptble of it; but lllnnlh'5 meeknrS4 a
ne unyarying faithful devotion had tou;h9 the
not most strings of the OIL wQnln'j H. ut, anl
ST. found tlerG a response.
en- When sto was dead, things fell into I'll
o; usual course, and Mrs. Cottcrcl seemed to
: tend as ,lssiduously us ever to her business,
Sc she was essentially an altered woman. !
love that had flowed into her heart town
'as Hannah hld sQ!tened every hard feeling tow
ial her son. She hld long since forgiven him,
ier she prayed for him every night prayed t
- his heart, like hers, might be melted; TINT
at, might return to her like the proliall Of
OF Gospel, for she was ready, with qPoi arm
pc receive him.
all Robert, as he had slid, had gone to sci.
res was full of resentment and obStnlcy, and v
an ed never to return to his no where he reg
IN ed both his mG.her AMI poor Hannah as his G
to mics. Ills life was ard one; h went to
ler elst ana to the west, AMI came buck 10 EnIl
lat again, again and again; but though e.ch
al sick of ii sea life, he was lu no humor to
lse home. lie had visions in his own mind of
DIV tinu rrn,t rirlps--ho.V he kpa,y NOT but of