Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-02
BERTHA:r
Or the NIother-inI.aw.


been only half accepted; the mother, that
another now stood between herself and her
son, and one, too. who set her Will at naught:
| while Cecil thought of the annoyance it
would be to have such constant chickering's
as he foresaw, and wondered why two peo-
Pile whom he loved so much could not live
happily together.
Cecil Hamilton was in everything a man
of compromise, and like all other persons of
! that class, he pleased neither party; so he
quickly walked into the library and shut
himself upwfth the old dramatists, to revel
| in their delineations of character, when there
was a page of human nature in the next
room, which be, in his indolent egOtism, had
not troubled himself to read
Mrs. Hamilton pursued the even tenor of
her way" in naughty silence, always frigidly
polite but never cordial to Bertha; but this
was a mood to which her son was so accus-
toned that he even did not remark it: and
consequently the change in his wife's man.
ner struck MIN the more fOrcibly. He saw
nothing for her to resent. and secretly regret
ted what he thought her sullen disposition.
| All the vivacity which formerly characterized
her had disappeared, and Cecil sadly missed
the tender caress and light kiss which he used
to receive so frequently. He was a most
undemonstratiye man, aud little knew how
his GOODNESS and Indifferent manner had
chilled the warm heart of his wife. So time
passed; Bertha yearning for reconciliation
with her husband, for which her proud spirit
forbade her to ask since her former repulse.
and he cooly waiting till her fit of petulance
| should he over.
Mrs. Hamilton no longer took the head of
the table, nor interfered with Mrs. Howell
nor too closely scrutinized James work, yet
her influence was felt nevertheless. The ser
wants complained that there no possibli-
ty of pleasing her in anything they did, and
those who had lived in the family for years
constantly threatened to leave. 1t required
all the tact and dignity of Bertha's charac-
ter to retain her servants, yet not to compro-
mise her mother-in-law.
A year passed thus at Beechwood. Bertha
Hamilton's heart was now suffering for want
of early discipline! Her temper had become
naughty and irritable under the cold surveil-
lance of Mrs Hamilton. She had formerly
yearned for the old caresses and kind words
from her husband, for which her pride for
babe her to ask: hut she was now almost
beginning to despise him for the in manner
which he yielded everything to his mother.
Cecil, on his part. wondered how he could
have been so mistaken in a character. His
wife, in some unaccountable way, always APP
peared to greater advantage before bis
mother. 1t panied him to the heart to think
that it had only been childish fancy on
Bertha's part for him, and he determined not
to trouble her with circumstances; so the
two went on outwardly indifferent, but in
wartlly suffering, with Mrs. Hamilton sway
ing her son as of old.
Aud Tins it was, when an heiress was born
to the united fortunes OF the Donaldsons and
Hamiitons.
The young mother wept wild tears of joy
as she pressed her child to her bosom, and
thought that no,c she would have some one
to love her exclusively, though for a moment
destiny-''to make idols and find them clay"
as she herself had done. Cecil Hamilton
heaved a deep sigh as he saw the lavish ten
derness which Bertha bestowed on his daugh-
ter, and secretly envied the unconscious
little thing. while Mrs Hamilton declared
that the mother was too delicate to nurse the
child, so both for her sake and its own a wet
nurse must be provided.
Bertha listened in silence when in Cecil's
presence one evening, Mrs. Hamilton pro-
posed it to her, but her color rose and her
eyes flashed long before her mother-in-law
had concluded.
Madam" said the young mother, "you
have governed your own child during his
whole life. and shall do the same by mine.
In this thing / will not be thwarted. i am
perfectly able to nurse my baby, and would
rather lay her in the ground than on another's
bosom. This is never to be mentioned to me
agar"
but Bertha" commenced Cecil. who was
really alarmed for his wife's health, from his
mothers representations
Il have decided the matter" Interrupted
the wife, in tone of such icy GOODNESS that 1t
left no room for remonstrance.
Mrs Hamilton lifted her eyes and hands
with the air Of martyr. which graphic pan
tomime was not lost on either Bertha or her
son.
So till little Marion Hamilton was three
wears old. she was a source of contention be-
tween her grandmother and her parents.
Mrs. Hamilton looked upon the child as be-
longing to herself, quite as much rs to its
mother; she nterfered with its food its exer-
else. its dress; she scolded its nurse, and of
ten contemptuously chided Bertha herself.
Bertha watched every encroachment upon her
maternal authority with jealous eye. and oft
with angry words; and Cecil petted his dar-
ing. and appealed TO his mother with regard
to its education.
Il tell YOU. Cecil. she will grow up as head
strong and passionate as Bertha herself. If
you let matters go in this way" said Mrs.
Hamilton, one morning. Her mother hu-
mors her in every within. and really believe
the child takes pleasure in disobeyiag me-"
'She is perfectly obedient 10 Bertha or her
nurse,n argued Cecil. Il think she is a child
who must be managed by love and not harsh
ness; for severity seems to call out all the
bad qualities of her character
After four years OF marriage. Cecil Hanil-
ton beginning to have giimmerings of
his wife's heart through his child.
But what Mrs. Hamilton had said was true.
Little Marion defied her authority TO The great
est possible extent. for her whole nature was
reused to antagonism by her grandmother's
manner. At that very moment she had es-
pied a bed of carnation pinks, Mrs. Hamilton's
especial favorites and care, which she had
been ordered not TO touch, and with mis-
chieyous laugh she few at IT, aud commenced
pulling off buds aud blossoms, her little hands
trembling with haste. lest she should be dis
covered before the work of destruction was
complete. With a sigh of satisfaction Marion
contemplated the wreck; then gathering up
some Of the flowers in her apron, she seated
herself on the piazza steps 10 play with
them.
The nurses voice was heard calling Mari
on, aud the child's answer from the hstiom
of the steps caused Mrs. Hamilton to look
out of the window. In q moment her sewing
was tossed on the floor. and with the sweep
of hawk she rushed upon the child. Mari
on was so cngrossed with her flowers that she
did NOT hear her grandmothcr's approach, and
with n scream size turned her eyes with wild
alright upon Mrs. Hamil;oa's face, as she
seized Der 10y the srms with grip which her
anger made like iron. Blow after blow red
dened The little face and neck. aud the sharp
fssser nails sunk into the chld's flesh as she
pulled her along the hall. With shake aud
a push that sent the little thing reeliug ~
| gain<t a shelf she pushed Marion into dark
| pantry and locked the door.
The child : screams attracted Bertha, who
was in another part u the gronnd giving d.
rections 10 the gardner. Fearing some dread
ftll accident had happened. she hsw to the
house, aud oa ent-ring the hail. the whole
/ was explained BY her mother-in-laH's face,
the broken flowers aud the shri=ks IRON the
/ closet. With bound she reached she door
turned the key, and sxlzed Marion. who was
| the darkness. Without word she carried
the child a. her chamber. wherc her husband
/ was sooa att Z eted by the continued crying