The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-04

mouth full Of bread and butter they hired
fine one, they did-and they were going to the
theatre too"
@Neyer mind. never mind, my little SOM
Mr.. McClary said, ashamed Of seeming to en-
courage such tattle but he shortly left the
room, calling, as he did So Wallace, nv son.
father wants you;p and in the course of IF
teen minutes he was advised Of everything that
had transpired during his absence including a
description of the buggy, and what was said
about the theatre, for which service little son
Wallace received dram, nicely sweetened :;
and Mrs. McClary listened to complaints of
the unrighteous boy, as though it were all her
fault
Mr. McClary had grown more sordid and
selfish with the wears. and he was now border
ing upon fifty; his iyon-gray hair was still
thick and curly, his frame erect and vigorous,
and his face constantly flushed with brandy !:
he was rich man, important in his own eyes
and the eyes of otherv As he had never loved
he had grown more Eetful, and petulant and
exacting than formerly.
Mrs. McClary went through the formula of
devotion with the most rigid precision; but her
heart was sadly estranged. Her children, see
ing that their father had none, felt little love
or respect for her; true, William, the eldest,
was sometimes dutiful and kind /; but the other
sons never were. Her expensive inclinations
were more INDUCED than IN earlier life, because
of her husbands love of show, and not that it
afforded him any pleasureto crafty her With
all their wealth, they were disunited and I'M
happy family love of brandy was sort of
bond of union between father and sons, which
did not exist between the mother and they.
She, too, was somewhat changed with time
she had known suffering and toll but at forty
she was still handsome woman--nOt a gray
~. A. s<SsZ - 2 - ~ ~ ess' :,
her cap There was never much beneyolence
or snftnass in her ehsvacler. and the original
stock nad greatly alImmsseu.
As the husband is the wife s-thou art mated with
a clown,
And the grossness Of his nature shall have power to
draw thee down"
So says Tennyson, and The lines contain as
much truth as poetry.
To this home the little orphan nephew was
brought: not for the low his relatives bore
him but what would the world say At home
the rich man said, any Lord mother what
will become of us with such family!" but
abroad he boosted loudly of the pleasure il
gave him to provide for the homeless. He had
always had more or less, he said-makng nc
difference between them and his own children
Truth is, he was compelled to take little Willie
and Molly had been taken because of her
sprightliness and aptitude. and in reality for
sewing girl and chambermah. They called
her daughter, that they might be thought tC
have done very benevolent thing
The first morning after the coming of Willie
as he sat on the rug playing With kitten his
uncle said to him, throwing down a pair OF
coarse boots at the same time, Here, Bill you
must learn to earn your salt take these out Of
doors and black them
Willie drew up one little naked foot with a
! painful expression One of the boots had
struck him, and the blood was flowing freely
"Come, come" said Mr.. McClary "no crying
for such trifes. IL You had not been sitting
on the floor, as you had no business to be- you
would not have got hurt" But Willie cried
the more, and Molly began searching for I
| piece of cloth to wrap s.boat his foot
stake the handkerchief you had yesterday,
said William.
"No need of wasting time or rags either
much less handkerchief said Mr. McClary
|
stop bleeding And into the cold air, wit
his heavy boots and naked and bleeding feet
the little boy went.
How did you know anything about Molly
handkerchief! said Mrs. McClary, looking
sharply at William.
Molly blushed scarlet.
80 no, no ~ said George, pretending to be
convulsed with laughter. And Wallace SAID
IL saw him give her a new handkerchief,
did,
GO up stairs and do your work, MISS Mol
ly," was Mrs. McClary's reply to this piece OF
intelligence.
any Lord, mother, such work is enough to
break mans heart !" And the outraged
man sat down to breakfast, saying "Come my
son George come my son Wal!ace--mOther,
come, you look worn down with your trou-
bles for he sometimes affected tender in
terest in his wife's welfare.
And so they sat down to breakfast, Mrs.
McClary helping her husband literally to
everything after which, she helped herself
sparingly She never wanted much-at least,
she said so.
William continued to read the morning pa
per, as though unconscious that breakfast was
ready, and Wallace went from the table to the
window, with his mouth full, and reported
Willie's progress-exclaiming over and over,
80, father, he is wasting the backing !"
When his work was finished, the child came
in and stood shivering by the fire, and looking
wistfully at the breakfast
Mrs McClary looked at him reproachingly;
but he did not understand looks and continued
gazing as before.
Are you starved y she asked
"No mam,D replied Willie, dropping down
on the rug and extending his feet to the fire.
"Sit in a chair" she said and continued to
her husband
Somebody will have to have some sharp
lessons before somebody learns much" She
was silent moment and then said
"You will have to get shoes, won't youi"
"For whom 2" said the husband, affecting
not to understand
"For little Mr.. Somebody"
MY Lord mother, | can't get everything
Haven't you got some about the house some
where, that will fit him?n
Mrs McClary could not have mentioned any
article under heaven, no matter what, but that
her husband would have thought she either
had or ought TO have it somewhere about the
house.
At last, Molly came down, not, however
till the remnant of the breakfast was quite
cold, her face and hands very red-partly from
anger partly from the freezing atmosphere Of
her chamber.
Wallace slid away, saying in a whisper to
his mother, that he believed Bill would eat
everything on the table--he looked just like n
boy that was a big eater.
aMolly didn't want any breakfast !" but
when William said, I" have been waiting all
this time to eat with YOU" she smiled and sat
down with him.
What a purifier and refner is love A
change had come over the spirit and life OF the
young man since the day of the funeral; True
his proposal to give her home, IN the frst
place, was more the result Of pity, mingled with
a sort of chivalrous feeling, than any softer
sentiment He knew that his parents would
;pternosa hcxween them an awful barrier, and