Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-15
From Arthur's Home Magazine
THE MOTHERS BROOCH.
BY VIRGINIA F. TOWNSEND.

BY VIRGINIA F. TOWNSEND.
'Mr. Rood just left this here for you, ma am
said the servant, with very broad smile, as
she stood in the chamber door holding out a
small pearl box to her young mistress.
She was combing her hair at the mirror, that
Christmas morning, and she turned around with
a little eager cry, while the blood leaped to her
cheeks: "Has he gone, Betsy I"
''Yes; and he left merry Christmas" tor
you!"
Genevra Wild unclasped the delicate casket
with quick, but tremulous fingers; and then as
the beautiful gift met her eyes, she sprang to
the window, threw aside the curtain, and held
it up to the light.
1t was Christmas morning, and the night be-
fore had covered the earth with thick mating
of snow, but the rising sun had scattered the
clouds, and rode up gloriously in the east to re-
joiee over the Anniversary; and its full light
flashed upon the curious, antique but most
beautiful gift with which Norman Rood had
commemorated the day for his betrothed.
1t was brooch, with singularly artistic
design: rose of carbuneles set among leaves of
emerald, fastened to a stem of gold, and the rich
jewels flashed up currents of crimson and am
Der, as the lady waved them in the sunbeams.
"How beautiful! how beautiful !" she mur-
INJURED to herself, in the ecstacy Of youth and
delight. '.How kind Norman was, to send me
this, and what exquisite taste he has. How
wish had ssmething better than that to give
him." and she looked regretfully upon the hand
some riding cap which hung upon the chair,
and which her own tasteful fingers had been so
many hours in executing.
Genevra Wild had the face of picture; of a
soft delicate, girlish picture with curls OF sunny
brown, and ewes of Summer blue, and cheeks
of faintest pink Somewhat did she resemble
the portraits one finds in old English galleries,
except that her style was more delicate and fra
gile. She was an only child, the daughter of
wealthy parents, petted, caressed, idolzed from
her youth upward.
She was all the best, at twenty-five, that with
her character, such life could make her. She
was gentle, loving, lovable, with no great force
or earnestness, and peri APPS no broad soul sym
pathies; and of course she was unconsciously
selfish and exacting, for what else could life
like hers make her! But she was full of good
impulses, and warm affections, and accomplish
ed, after the fashion of her day, generation and
society.
Norman Rood loved her, and was her affianced
husband and she had promised resign her
girlhOod in one week from that Christmas morn
ing. He was finer character than she, on the
whole, that is, be had more breadth, more
strength, more lofiness of soul, but he had not
her womanly instincts, sympathies, affections
here iconlaa has aiIcays the advantage Of a
man. He had graduated five years before at
college, but he had no particular taste for any
of the professions, but he occupied a lucrative
and responsible position in the bank, and all
Genevra's friends were pleased with the match,
and thought she would ''marry we'll"
And on that Christmas morning of which
write, and in the very hour that the servant
handed to Genevra Wild the gift of her betroth-
ed, young girl stood in the large. old fashion
ed parlor Of farm house, in the village of PEN
tonville, some ten miles from the city where we
have met the former. A birch fire was curling
up the chimney, and giving ruddy tone to the
whole room, but it did not flush that girls face
with its look of radiant eagerness, as she stood
gazing at rolls of bills which au old farmer, in a
white shaggy over-coat, and blue pantaloons,
had Just placed in her hands.
Eyes, Mr.. Ritter, sixty dollars, it's all right.
l am very, very much obliged to you"
'WeI,' answered the old man, drawing on
his wooden gloves, 81 hope you you'll have a
ready to take up school bran new, two weeks
fIom Monday. 1 guess yell need the rest, any.
how, for ye don't look over strong, and it's an
obstropolus set enough overyonder. Anything
l can do for you %
"Well, Mr.. Ritter, should very much like to
have the pipe mended, so it won't smoke SO,
and new latch put on the inside door to keep
the wind out"
"Well, Ill attend to it; and now Mss Ritter
and the children will like to have you come over
there, and stay two or three days; we're plain
sort O folks, but guess We can make you COM
Portable"
81 don't doubt it, Mr.. Ritter, and l shall be
very happy to come"
Then the kind-hearted ''school trustee" shook
hands with the young teacher, and took his
leave. She shut the door, and paced rapidly up
and down the great parlor, with the little roll OF
bank notes clasped tightly in her hands.
"To think" she murmured, Il have sixty
dollars-al my own, and 1 earned it. who
am not yet sixteen; and can get back that
brooch, that precious brooch of Mamma's,-
wonder how much it will be. The jeweller
only gave me thirty dollars for it, and of course
there1l be enough left of this to get me a new
dress, pair of shoes, and collar. These
will last me till next time. Oh l am so glad
so glad l can get that brooch back, who
would not have sold it for anything in the
world, but to get Mamma, dear Mamma, buried
respectfully. Oh, it is the first Christmas
since" here the girl gave way; the Light
faded from her face as the shadows of memory
rushed over it; she burst into tears, and sal
down on a low cricket before the fire, and sob
bed as the lonely and the living sob for the
dead.
Christiana Lynde had neither father mol
mother, brother nor sister. The few years o.
her life were thickly mottled with shadows
although few words will tell her history.
Her father, who was clergyman, died soor
after her birth. Her mother was a gentle
sensitive woman, from an old, but decayeC
English family, who had come to America tC
repair their fortunes Mrs Lynde's husband
left her no property, and her own barely man
aged to support her and her child, as the lady
became an invalid soon after her husband
death. She had never been accustomed to the
practice of economy, and habit and her failing
health rendered the Injuries of life necessities
with her. So year by year her small fortune
disappeared, and at length, with the remnants
of it, she retired to the village of Pentonville
as all her immediate relations were dead, anC
she needed country air and quiet Here sh'
resided several years, failing slowly, but stIl
experimenting the education of her daughter
The last year of her life, her faculties became
partially paralyzed, and the entire care of the
household devOlved upon her daughter, whose
mind was thus stimulated to precocious activi
ty, They were obliged to dispense with theil
only domestic, and at last Christiaua wa!
forced to dispose of portion Oftheir furniture
to procure her mothers medicine, and the few
delicacies which tempted her falling appetite.
With rare discretion in one so young, the