The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-03-03
Gelefte1.
MRS. KIRHAM's BOARDER.
BY FANNY FEATHERBRIE

"Boy, you ,oM break my heart"
Mother, you would break not only
my heart but my spirit also, yet if l can
help it you shall do neither"
"No impertinence, Edward Again
l command you to take this note to your
teacher" and as Mrs. Kirham spake,
she bent down, and with flashing eyes
and knitted brow looked hard in her
sons face.
Edward Kirham did not reply, and
for a few moments both were silent.
The little porch upon which mother and
son stood was shaded nd'entwined with
the creeping wild rose and scarlet trum-
pet fower-the bees hummed merrily
amongst the fagrant blossoms, and from
the spreading branches of the tall trees
near, the morning songs of joyous birds
aoated forth. Mingled with these swee,
sounds came the silvery gurgle Of" Blue
Stream" which passed through the
village flowed down the fair meadows
and widened as it entered the deep
wood. As these melodies of nature
broke the strange silence, Edward Kir-
hams heart seemed touched. The
fierce scowl fed from his face, aud tuln-
Ing away from his mothers steady gaze
and with suffused eyes he murmured:
Please don't ask me to take that
note, mother l cannot do it 4"
81 don't ask you-I command you to
do it. Ned, will you obey me :" Mrs.
Kirham spoke harshly, sternly, as one
who expected rebellion, and she seemed
not surprised when the answer came
I" In all things reasonable will obey
you--in this matter, never" Young
Kirham folded his arms as he spoke, and
turned full upon his mother a gaze of
defiance.
4" And do you look that way upon your
widowed mother; you, whom have
carried in my arms, my first born-my
only boy Z" The widows lips quivered,
but she did not weep. Again Edward
Kirham seemed moved again he spoke
in the language Of entreaty.
Mother! l love you" he pleaded.
81 will do anything for you, but 1 can
not 90 back to school with that note"
"Your bcyish whim shall not inter-
fere-with your obedience to me. Ned,
take the note and l forgive you-dis-
obey me, and you cross not my threshold
again" Mrs .Kirham set her teeth firmly
together as she uttered these words
her fierce temper was fully up, but the
same spirit lived with her son.
"Very well, I'll drown myself in
" Blue Stream" ere carry that cring-
ing note to yon school house. Mother,
you have no respect for your son, but
he has some for HIMSELF" aud turning
away Edward Kirham was about to de-
scend the steps when his mother laid
her hand upon his arm.
Boy! you have fearful temper >
she muttered " but your threat shall
not frighten me from my duty. My
command still rests upon you"
"Does it :" carelessly responded Tho
boy springing down into the road.
=" Take your books" called out Mrs
Kirham from the porch, flinging tn,
school -satchel after her son aud dom
come home until you have obeyed me
then going in she closed the house door
with violent bang. ...
For moment Edward Kirham stoot
irrcsolute and then a sudden though
flashing through his mind, he picked uI
his satchel, and his slender, boyish figur,
soon disappeared amongst the trees
Two little girls sat upon the top rail o
an old moss grown fence, near the en-
trance of the woods. They wer,
evidently expecting some one had lin
lgered there a long while, on that brigh
June morning, aud their school book
were idly scattered about. When Ed
ward Kirham approached, they raise'
a shout of JOY.
j CT told you, Mabel, he would come,
said the younger of the girls, springin,
to his side then looking up in his fac,
artlessly inquired: "What ails yo,
Ned? What does make you look s.
sad 7"
"Not much, Allio dear-never min,
Just now, but here, take care of m,
satchel while / tell Mabel something
down by the spring yonder."
"And not me too 7" asked Allie
looking reproachfully at her brother.
cit is nothing that you would car,
about hearing-nothing funny that I an