Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-02
awhat is the matter, Bertha y asked

Cecil.
Nothing, except your mother has nearly
killed the child" was the reply as she still
gaZed into Marion's face, and walked burredly
up and down the room with her in her arms,
endeavoring to qniet her. 1t was long
while before the shrieks subsided into sobs,
and the little thing sunk into feyered sleep
upon her mothers bosom. -
Cecil dad paced up and down the room be-
side Bertha in her hurried walk, not daring
to ask question, as he saw her stern, white
face, = xytrFa FTTgf@
s.Cecil Hamilton ~ she said at last, as she
turned upon her husband like angry
lioness, "your mother and can live together
no longer. You must choose now between
her and me and your child You ceased to
love me years ago. so l suppose your pref
erence is soon made. thought that when
my baby was born that you must love me,
but I was mistaken. Ii was no little thing,
Cecil Hamilton. to wreck my happiness so
carelessly as you did, but your mother has
ever stood between US. My child's temper
| shall not be made as irritable as mine has
become through her presence; and if she ever
touches Marion again.I give you no choice
for decision-for take her and leave your
house, ts r.-,f.
But what was the matter to-day. Bertha?'
askcd her husband. in voice which differed
very much from his usual norochdlont tone.
Look there, and there. and therer' was
the reply, as the mother barred little Marion's
shoulder, and pointed to the cheek and arms,
on which the marks of Mrs. Hamilton's fin
gers still fingered. "Marion was to blame,
have no doubt; but / was the proper person
to punish her in suitable manner Had she
been shut up in that dark closet five minutes
longer, she might have been an idiot for life"
The fathers brow grew dark as he listened.
In Bertba's excitement the whole story OF her
trials with her mother-in-law was poured into
her husbands ear, the more readily, perhaps,
that be had never evinced SO much interest
in them before.
But Bertha, never expected all this!'' he
said at last II have done wrong in letting
my Incidence and love of peace so long close
my eyes to your troubles. / have been aceus-
toned all my life to being ruled by my mother
without knowing the fact, perhaps, and was
really afraid that my wife was becoming irri-
table and unamiable without a cause, little
thinking how much you had TO annoy you"
81 could have borne it all if she had only
left me your love, Cecil; but to take that, too!'
and here Bertha burst into passion fit of
weeping, brought on by her husband s change
OF manner; for had she not been sure that he
now heartily sympathiz"d with her, her old
pride would have forbidden her to regret to
him a love that was lost.
"My poor little wife! you love me yet, as
much as when we were first married and SO
happy. do you not ?" and Cecil imprinted a
tender kiss on her forehead. she lay sob
bling on the bed where she had at last placed
Marion.
Bertha threw her arms around her husbands
neck. and with tears and bushes she comics
sed how unhappy his indifference had made
her, and blamed herself more than she need
have done for the domestic trouble, declaring
that now she saw it was only her pride and
naughty temper that had caused it ALL.
Mrs. Hamilton was herself alarmed at the
effects of her violence. as little Marion con-
tinued her screams after being carried to her
mothers room, and she was about following,
to make what amends she could, when she
saw her son go into the chamber. She await
ed his return with much impatience, and
when an hour passed by and he did not make
his appearance, she felt that he was no long
er under her authority, that her kingdom
was divided" already. This fact, combined
with the events of the day and Berthas in
dependent disposition, made her determine to
accept from bachelor Brother, who had re-
turned from India but a short time previous,
an invitation to take charge of his house.
Cecil and Bertha in the mean time were de-
hating as to the kindest mode OF asking Mrs.
Hamilton to leave, Bertha with sudden re-
vulsion of feeling, caused by her happiness,
having in vain endeavOred to persuade her
husband to let her remain But he was IN
flexible. Cecil Hamilton now understood
both wife and mother too well to see much
chance for happiness, and he bad suffered
/ too much for four years to be willing to run
another risk.
They did not all meet again till dinner
time when Mrs. Hamilton said she had receiv-
ed another letter from her brother that morn
ing renewing his request for her TO live with
him and that she had already written to say
she would accept the invitation. Both Cecil
and Bertha breathed more freely, for it was
an unpleasant duty to ask a mother to leave
the house.
At the end of the week they were standing
on the piazza. bidding Mrs. Hamilton adieu
though little Marion to the last refused to be
friendly.
Many years have passed since then, and
there are other little feet now. besides Mari
on's pattering through the garden-walks and
and along the halls and Bertha Hamilton has
proved to be all that her Cecil's fancy had
pictured her before he was married. and she
only counts her life as really begun since the
departure of her mother-in-law.