The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1851-07-25

j
~ ,aeia YeblHffG o. yifl .tfsgHn So
10 exposinla:e with and advise himA-in
short, er''mother's heart told her That
everything could be done in that one
evening. oiei ia1Aaa sHeEfa ~ gni
#Whi)e Mrs. Lane walked up and down
her lit,le sitting room, wishing that ten
o'clock would come, her son entered his
smaII, scantily furnished apartment in a
decent boarding house, and throwing him.
self Upon the .only chair within it, he
covered his face with his hands. For a
long time he sat iithis position, then he
rose, and taking down pocket-pistoI, he
examined il carefully, primed il, and laid
II tbeneathhis pillow. Immediately, how.
ever, he took il out, charged il heavily,
and laying il on the table, folded his arms
and gszed upon II, muItering. sItmay be
neeSed when least expectit. / have
one ffiend, at least, when this is by."-
After pacing two or three times across
the narrow space between his bed-head
and tie little window at the foot, he
opened small closet, aud taking thence
cloak and muffler, carefully adjusted
them; then, slouching broad -brimed
hat over his eyes, he hurried down stairs
into the street. Two or three times
Robert Lane paused and reasoned with
himself, before ne reached his fathers
door: and even when his haEd was ex-
tended 10 the bell-knob he hesitated.
~ must see her at any risk, ,"he at last
exclaimed, pulling lightly upon the cord.
The girl started when she opened The
door, but gave no other token Of recogni-
ton. Robert inquired for Mrs. Lane,
and following after the girl, found himself
ia the back sitting room, remembered but
too, TOO fondly for his composure. As
soon as the door closed behind him, he
cas-, off his muflings, and throwing him
self upon little ottoman at his mother.
feet, leaned his forehead on her knees. Il
sIs It any new trouble, Robert?" she
inquired, tendedy, and laying her lhant
gently on bis head, ''any ney--guiltr
she whispered, bending her lips close to
his ear, and placing the other arm oyel
his neck. -, si,,.., ys
aTell Your mother, Robert-tell her
everything-she may help you-ob, Ro
bert! YOU know she will love you and
cling TO YOU thfoughit ail!n
The boy raj ised bis head, and now she
saw, for the first time, the change thai
had come over him. His face was hag
gard, his eyes sunk and bloodshot, tina
round, rosy cheek, which her lip ha'
|Icsed tossneeI bad grown pale and thin
and in place of the gay, careless smile
had risen looks ofanxiety and bitterness
81 shall break your heart, mother,'' he
said, sorrovfully, "and poor little Elias
too. Oh! it is a dreadful thing 10 mur-
der those one loves best, l never meant
to do it-try to believe that, dear mother.
whatever comes" 4.i...
~ do believe it, Robert"
"Ab! you know only small part yet
but | could moi go away without seein G
and telling you. knew you would
learn il from others, and | wanted tc
hear you say you could love after all.
knew you would, but / wanted TO hea
you say it," ,
sT will, Robert, l will; but surely yor
have nothing worse to tell than ! know
aIreadyg" 4. '.......s, q .,.
The boy looked down, his lip quiyered
and the large purple veins upon his fore
head worked themselves into knots, ant
raised and swelled as though ready tt
burst every moment. t
She passed her hand soothingly owe
them I.
aWhatever It is, Robert, you are no
before harsh judge now. Tell il t
your mother, my darling boyi perhaps
she can assist, advise certainly ca
love you through all"
s'Oh mother! you must not speak 500
| I can never iell you. lfyou talk like thi
---ic you do moi blame me, | shall almos
wish had gone away without seeing you
Oh!irI had only listened TO YOU si'
months ago! but they fattered me, and
was foolish, i was wicked. But Though
Of you all the time, mother--of you AM
Ella--and | promised myself every nigh
when | went TO my pillow that ! woul'
break away from the things that were en-
tanglng me and become all that you de
sired. ! was moi conscious then Of doin,
anything decidedly wrong; ;but knew tha
my companions were not such as yo
| would approve, and | knew could nc
but know-ihat Twas too much inioxlcate
by their batteries. AT last / resorted I
cards. l..played very cautiously at frs, ,an
only 10 do as Others did, ,and then for large
sums, and again still larger, till finally
became my sole object to recover tn
money ] had lost, and thus prevent Ii
necessity of applying to my father fy
more. l still lost, and still went on, ii
Finally the discovery, VIII ch, | beliey
dear mother, all in kindness, you brougf
about, was made. Perhaps Twas in III
wrong, but mother, i, did seem to m
dishonorable 10 refuse to pay those deb
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