Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-17
from Arthur's Home Magazine
THE MOTHERS BROOCH.

BY VIRGINIA F. TOWNSEND

ICoRcluded.l
Eight years have passed 1t was bright,
but rather clustering day in March. In the
pleasant parlor of modest, but genteel look
ing residence in the suburbs of the city, sat a
young and fne-lOoking man, with boy of
some SIX years by his side, playing with his
cane. He was a remarkably beautiful child,
though his deep golden eurls, his fair complex
ion, and sunny blue eyes, bore little resemblance
to his father.
Shall you like to live here awhile, Gerald,
my boy !" said the parent, looking down fondy
on his soh.
The ehild's eyes wandered around the SMALL
tastefully furnished parlOr
:" dout know, Papa. Can have nv rock
lng-horse, and play kite, and go sleighing every
day :"
MY poor child, I'm afraid the lady will find
you spoiled boy,'" sighed the parent
AT that moment the mistress OF the house
entered the parlor
Mr.. Rood, believed" she said with her soft,
lady-like voice and smile.
4" Yes; and have l the honor of addressing
Miss Lynde Z" asked the gentleman, with bow
whose grace was somewhat marred BY his look
of extreme astonishment, as it rested on the
lady. She was SO unlike what he had fancied,
thls small, delicate girl-woman, who looked as
1t she had hardly come out of her teens, while
the gentleman had expected to confront some
tall, sedate, maiden lady, the very antipodes of
the one that stood, fair, and apparently almost
N her first youth, before him, for Chrissiana
Lynde did not look her years, and they were
only twenty-five.
81 am she, sir, and this is the little boy
about whom you wrote me !" and she gazed
down tenderly on the sweet, upturned face of
the child.
" Yes; this is my little Gerald; and as my
business imperatively summons me to Europe
for this summer, | wanted to find some quiet,
pleasant home for the child, and the friend
OF whom l wrote assures me that l can OBJ
tain this of you. He has been motherless
for TWO years." and the mans voice shook,
g and the death of my wife broke her mothers
heart, so have no one with whom to leave my
boy"
There were tears in the soft eyes of the young
teacher, as she asked, "WilI you come to me,
my boyl" and Gerald looked at her moment,
and then went up to her, and she took the child
on her lap, and smoothed his shining curls, and
looking at the two. then, Mr.. Rood thought, II
can trust the child with her."
So the arrangements were all consummated
that morning. 1t was settled that Gerald Rood
should join the company of half dozen boys and
girls, which Miss Lynde receivedinto her house
as boarding scholars, while she had day school
of some thirty other children.
You can readily divine, reader, that to accom-
plish all this without fortune or for a long time
influential friends, Chnstiana Lynde must have
been no ordinary woman. In that small, deli
cate figure was comprised world of persistent
energy, and the early misfortune had developed
and matured it at an age which made the con
trast between her appearance and her achieve
ments very forcible one. She had remained a
district school teacher in Pentonville for nearly
two years; then an opportunity offering, she had
removed to the city; where she enjoyed greater
advantages forsu uppoEsing herself and established
private infant school, which gradually expand
ed, until she resolved to take home of her own,
on discovering an opportunity of receiving a
couple of fscholars into her family. The first year
she had met her expenses, and the next partially
paid for her furniture So God had blessed the
young orphan, and she was now a cultivated,
symmetrical, and Christian genIlewoman. She
was happy in the midst of her duties, and among
her children, but there were times when the
deeep heart of Christiana Lynde yearned for
that one fountain of tenderness which, for her,
in the wide world "was not" -atr
Eight months had passed 1t was Christmas
eve, and the young teacher sat in her room, load
ing great hemlock branch with gifts for her
children; now and then their soft, gleeful
breaks of laughter rose up from the room below,
and happy smile started over the lady's lipsas
she continued her work. She paused suddenly,
for there came the quick running patter Of
ehild's feet along the passage, an eager hand
grasped the handle of her locked door, and then
a child's voice shouted up suddenly and glad,
'sMiss Lynde, Papa has come papa has come"
"How well and happy my boy is looking,
aud he is greatly attached to you I do not
know with what words to thank you for all your
care, Miss Lynde," said Mr.. Rood, half an hour
later, as he sat with the young teacher, and
Gerald was futtering between them.
"You need not seek for the words, Mr. Rood
The care has brought its own reward" and as
the boy rushed up to her, Christiana bent down,
and passed her hand caressingly over his fair
face. Her guest started suddenly, though un-
seen by her. Then he, too, bent down, and
glanced at something on her waist, and as she
lifted her head, curious, significant glance met
it.
''Miss Lynde," be said, with little abrupt
ness, and yet very earnestly, "will you pardon
me for asking permission to look at that brooch
you weari 1t is a very singular one"
''Yes; it was my mothers, returned the lady,
as she unclasped it from her collar and laid it
in the gentleman's hand. 81 do not often
wear it, only on festivals, or something of the
kind"
Eyes; it is the very same. should have re-
cognized it anywhere" he said, more to himself
than to his hostess. Then turning quickly to
her, "Aay l ask you, also, Miss Lynde, if you
ever parted with this for short time !"
She looked surprised, and the color came into
her cheeks 81 did, aH
"And it came into the possession of lady
who returned it to you ~
"How do you know this !" interrogated the
astonished teacher.
"That lady was my wife-the mother of my
boy !"
'Is itpOssible is it possible !" her lips quiv-
cred out the words, and then, as memory
brought up the sad scenes of her youth before
her, and her meeting with the joyous young
bride, the lady bowed her head, and burst into
tears