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

"A, PUTNAM ? COUNTY, 4
when, at last, her few evening visitors
departed, sle was so manifestly relieved
that Ella inquired, in surprise If anything
bad been said OF done TO annoy her Il
was past ten, and Robert had not yet ap.
peared. Finally the befl was pulled
violently, and she hastened 10 the door
herself With livid lip and bloodshot
eye, her son stepped TO The threshold;
and starting at the sight Of her, he hur.
fed away 10 the library without giving
her another glance. How slowly passed
lie moments 10 the waiting moiher!-
How she glonged 10 cstch but a tone Of
these voices, both SO loved. Init she
might know whether they sounded in
confidence OF angeri What Roberts
course had been she could not guess, but
she knew that he would be required 10
Egive strict account Of himself, and she
dreaded the effect Of her husbands well
known severity. A few minutes passed
Qhey seemed an age to het) and then
she heard ,he door Of the library thrown
open; and moment after,a quick, light
step sounded upon the stairs. 1t was
Roberts. liisisRA 8i3~ .af s.si IA
"You are not going out again, my son?''
she inquired. bseR'ap alaR e.
."Father will tell you why I go, dear
mother" said the boy passing and press
ing her hand affec,ionately. at must
moi wait to answer questions now" He
passed on till he reached The door, then
turning back, whispered, ''be al Mrs.
Humans tomorrow evening mother,''
and before she had time to ask ques.
ton or after an exclamation of surprise,
he had disappeared up the street. s !.
But poo. Mrs. Lane was soon made
acquainted with the truth. Mr.. Lane
was somewhat vexed with himself for moi
perceiving his sons tendencyto error be-
fore; and like many another he seemed
resolved to make up in decision what he
had lost liz blindness. 1t was this which
had occasioned his sIlarpnes IS when he
made the appointment; and he consi-
dered his dignity compromised when nine
o'clock passed and bis son seemed re-
solved on acting in open disobedience 10
his command. g bs8alg a3 jR asr
/ An hours ruminating on the subject
did not tend 10 soften his feelings; and
when, at last, the culprit appeared, he was
in a mood for anything but mercy. He
demanded peremptorily full confession,
and Robert gave it. He did not color,
soften. nor, extenpaie but holdly=-tpo
boldly, ,perhaps--declaTing that he scorned
falsehood, he told the whole. He had
fallen INTO gay society, then into yicious'
and he was not the one 10 occupy minor
position anywhere. wit ana wine SO.
duced him. and in an evil hour he sat
down to the gaming table. He had
played al first for a trivial stake, then
more deeply, and tonight. in thehope Of
retrieving his fortune, he had plunged in
almost past exfricaton. AT any time
Mr.. Lane would have been shocked
now he was exasperaied, and spoke Bit
terly. At first Robert did not retort, for
he had come in resolved on confession
aud reformation; but finally anger got
the better Of repentance, and he an
swered as son, and particularly AMER
ring son, should not. Thensa few more
words ensued, unreasonable on bothsi
Mr.. Lane asserted that debts so con.
tracted were dishonest ones, and should
not be paid; and Robert declared that
they should be paid, if he gained his life.
time ito win the money; till, finally, the
old mans rage became uncomfortable
II was in obedience to his fathers CON-
mand that Robert left his home that
night, with the order never 70 cross the
Threshold again. d hst
1 For two or three weeks Mrs. Lane
now and then Of ain evening, met her SOL
atithe houses other friends, and then he
disappeared almost entirely :. While she
could meet him, andcspeak q fewwords
even in a gay party, and perceive that
he regarded herwi,h as much affection
as ever, she continued strong in the hope
of final reformation and Cancellation; hut
when evening after evening she carried
a hoping heart abroad, and dragged home
Ia disappointed one, imagination busted
itself With a thousand horrors. Her first
born, her only son, the darling of her
young heart, her pride in the firsty years
Of welded life, he whom she had loved
so fondly, and cherished SO tenderly--tc
what vice, what suffering might not he
be exposed! Then she had no conf
dent, no friend to sympathize with or en-
courage her. Since the first disclosure
she had never mentioned Roberts name
to her husband, and Ella only knew tlla
somc angry words had estranged he
father and brother for time-she wal
enyiably ignorant Of Roberts gill and
\ danger. ,t..,s.
The evening on which our story com
| mences, Mrs. Lane, had intended tc
spend abroad with her daughter, but had
been prevented by the receipt ofthe note
! above mentioned. Robert had neyel