The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-10-28

judged me % vile said he, sorrowfnIlv !, them.
"a she turned towards him With look of some
little anxiety, ghserapidly added II sought
your consent TO take her fes my wife"
Arsdtieming rose to her feet in passionate
disnsy, and cried. -, = - 49,,
What Youl Marry country ,trollop
1t cannot bel You are beside yourself Jas.
Agaie that Indignant q ush spread over Jas.
pers fsee, but he restrained himself, rose from
bis chair, and, taxing his mothers hand in his,
al know that you would not willingly psiu
me, dear mother, but your words have done 80.
more than you can possibly think. Yoa have
been always my ideal of lady, mother. You
admit that have some judgment; our tastes
are somewhat similar. Well pronouncs her
whom I have chosen TO be my bride, your
equai--of different character, certainly, but
In everything that goes to make mn womsuly
and social perfection, your equal Sit down
again, mother, and hear me to the end. / wish
to tell you of her s. ssFE
His mother passively resumed her seat, With
lace vsrysvGy ps1sy lbr nov .hs knsx that
fthese VI dsQeek Lest aAoae tso impsriops, nss
tnres should c0mS IN Son6iM, and she dreaded
the issue: Jasper, in . steady calm voice,
resumed his recital." This time, however he
/
pacity for the situaaion to which sha would
come, being his wife. Mrs.. Fleming listened
very quietly, there, from her high backed chair,
seeming to weigh every word, but her lace vas
very pale and those great syss Of hess tere
fixed upon him, % If she would look down iato
HE very soul, and read the thoughts there living
behind the words that passed his lips, listened
very quietly, until he began TO spesk of Ruth's
father, and to describe him, his ways, his no
bleness, With the particularity and fsithfulness
Of sdmiring affectian. Then, he fancisd che
grew yet paler, and that the csmalia quiveeed
over her ear, and that the scsptrsd hand, vkch
rested on her breast nov, wAs clenchel until
the blood left the finger ends. He went On
With his description, howsver, until his mother,
in q strange, dry, hoarse tone, that tremblsd
and yet was despairingly calm, asked hin
"Ths mana name, .Jasper-ths"-
1T is Congreve, nother, M. Gilbert Con
greve. Ithought I told -- Good God mesh.
er, why do you look 20 - you arc nli" and
he sprarg to his feet, and her aide. Bat she
pushed him back with clenched hand, and in
that same hard, hoarse tone, now triply inten1.
fed, said:
peace, boyl I can help myself Keep
your seat-I have that to tell you which tears
my heart. Peace I"
1t was not surprising that Jasper should have
been 90 startled. For the change that came
over his methef's face was terrible. Let the
reader imagine how one would look, Who, nm.
suspicious. and thanking Heaven that after
much pain he had made expiation for his crime,
suddenly finds himself seized ost of festai
scene, by the unrelenting hand of Nemesis
Fancy one by some sudden flashing stroke
made utterly, utterly, utterly hopeless pris-
oner ct the hour of execution, arrested lust
when he thought he had made his escape Ger.
tain. Bring to your eyes picture of the hor.
nble nightmare feeling, and intensity it thou.
sand fold, and limit its embodiment to posture,
and a face hslfconcealed. All, words, words,
words! They claim power for ye, and justly, but
how miserably do ye fail when it is needed to
paint an agony With your poor Instrumentation |
She bowed her head upon clasped hands, that
rigid, stately woman, all weak, and nerveess, and
womanly-yet no tears came, no sob, only
low vail and moan, that struggled through her
rlArcbad teeth aud filed the xonm NTH, berxas,
which seemed to have been instilled all the pas.
sion of that anguish, all the stonyness of that des
pair, gazed upon her son, while the fingers
cutched the sceptre still, as if through it she
was restored to strength and frmness.
Jasper" said she, and she spoke with
camness that was az wonderful as her agony,
Jaeper, you are probably aware that l love
you more than anything else God has given me,
and his benefactions have been many. You
know that if my death would alone purchase
for you that which desire for you, would die
this instant. You know-but why do prate
Jasper, ask me aught else, and it is yours, but
do not ask me to consent to this marriage; You
must not marry her. forbid it /" She rose to
her feet, and stood commandingly, threatening.
ly, before him.
"My son." she continued, much as / love
you, would rather see you dead, now. l
would rather have your pale face resting here
on this bosom, and your lifeless hand in mine
own, than have you marry this girl. Jasper,
you have had your every wish. have never
thwsrted you, l never expected to thwart you,
my son but oh, if you have any love for me,
give up this girl, give up Gilbert Congreve's
daughter" She plead, now, and her pleading
surpassed her imperative, since it implied the
greater departure from her normal nature, and
consequently the greater anguish.
Jasper, inexpressibly grieved, put up his hand
in painful depreciation, but murmured-
Mother, cannot obey you"
Instantly again her imperious nature re-
sumed its sway, and her eyes cleaned as she
said
Jasper, the curse of parent ia an awful
thing 10 90 through life with buff you do not
yield, swear -; then she paused, and press
ed her hand across her forehead. Once more
that pleading look returned to her eyes, and,
with the wistful, loving half smile of the en-.
treating mother besming over her face-that
wondrous smile which once seen is never for.
gotten-she murmured, tremulously-
But my son will grant me this one favor,
this one little favor, to save my heart from
breaking. Let me entreat you. / will kneel |
See, my son, your mother-the mother that
bore you, and gave you suck, and watched the |
first feeble smile breaking over your face, and
eagerly liatened to catch the first little inartic.
ulate prattle of your lips your mother, to |
whom you owe honor and obedience, kneels to |
you, and asks of you one little favor, to keep |
her heart from breaking"
Jasper raised her from the floor, kissed her |
cheeks and lips, and held her hands in his own |
a moment. Releasing them while she still |
stood there, he trsversed the floor with agtated |
steps for some moments, as if to nerve himself
for an encounter. His face gave no hint of |
his mother "a much pain as possible. Then he |
turned. and faced her az before.
Bid me kill myself mother, but dare not |
again ask me to put this foul wrong upon
myself and upon her love more than myself. |
Why would you not have me marry her Give |
me q reason, and humble me not 90 much again |
as you have just now done. Tell mel"
BE was pale and painting, throbbing with ex.
element, bat his lip quivered with indignation,
while his mothers stern will flashed in his ava.
ksned eye. Those two strong wills we're in d.
rect conflict nov, and neither had o thought of
yielding. Mrs. Fleming drew back step, and,
with naughty gesture, cried
l .oW tell you, boy, that dsres to question
me IL is because hate her-hate her name
Eternally ! hate the ground che tresds on.
Whom she and her race love, them love not.
Whom they bless, will curse Yes, I hate,