The Van Buren press., 1861-04-10
gggistellally.
MY HUSBANDS CHILD.
A Second Wife's Story.
By MARTHA II. WILLARD.
1 had little daughter,
And she was given to me
To lead me gently backward
The heavenly fathers knee
i

To lead me gently backward
The heavenly fathers knee.
LOWELL.
| (Concluded.)
Where is little Laurie? How has she
passed the time while we were getting ac-
quainted, and these weeks since our mar
riage ?''
suppose he interpreted the question as a
sign OF awakening interest in his child. for
he bent over me and kissed me before he
answered.
THANK you. Agatha. 1 am glad you
think OF Laurie, sometimes. She has been
spending the summer, SO far, at my sister
but she will DO there to welcome us to-mor-
row. | have taken care that she should be
taught in advance to love her new mamma -
< X
1t was beautiful home on the east bank
of the Hudson to which we went the next
day. A handsome carriage met us at the
boat landing, and the drive wound from the
river along the ascent Of a wooded hill, ev-
cry moment rejecting new glimpses OF
beauty. a short turn brought us in sight
of stately stone house,
With the battlements high in the hush Of the air
And the turrets thereon.
1 had not been prepared for SO splendid a
sight. 1t was a perfect architectural inspi-
ration. The eminence on which it stood,
commanded fine view of the river flash
ing in the sunlight. The rocks left as nature
had hewn them out, were gay with climbing
vines, and the air was full of the odorous
breath of sweet scented flowers.
81 never saw anything half so beautiful, -
/ whispered ecstatically to Hiram who sat
enjoying my surprise.
AS the carriage stopped out ran little
girl upon the piazza. 1 think should have
known her anywhere, from her mother S
picture. She had the same appealing blue
eyes, the same transparent skin, the same
features only the gold of her hair was
lighter and SUMMER than the picture |,
lay about the child's ringlets, such as you
have seen in paintings of cherubs. My hus,
band stepped me from the carriage and only
paused to hand me out before the little
creature was clasped in his arms.
And is that new mamma ?" heard
her ask, as he put her down.
| He nodded.
May l kiss her %
Surely
She came up to me, little timidly
bent over her. and received her kiss pas
sively, but the kiss gave her was . cold
one. Selfish heart that was. could not
| love her, for she was her mothers child-a
daily reminder, so felt, to her father, o.
my dead rival.
should blush to describe all the Incl
dents of the wear which followed. How
patiently the poor, motherless little girl
motherless, still, though had taken hel
mother name and place, strove to propi-
tiate and please me. How cold was to
her. i neglected none Of her bodily need.
but to q heart which asked me for bread ]
gave only a stone. Not once in all thos,
twelve months, did gather her into my
arms and kiss her not once bestow on he
any voluntary caress. l wonder l did MOI
soften to her, for was myself expecting t,
welcome little child, who might be left
motherless as she had been. Perhaps this on
ly hardened me the more. If my child wer
| SO left, question whether its father woul.
love it half SO we'll as he loved Laurie Sh
is his idol, l said bitterly to myself. hi
idol, as her mother was before her and
who gave him in spite Of myself such alb
sorbing love. hold only . second place j
his heart. Looking back to those DAYS,
really wonder that he loved me at all
had disappointed him SO thoroughly Fl
had believed me noble and generous II
had found me selfish and exacting. Yet
do not believe his great, noble heart, eve,
fer moment, failed toward me in tende,
ness and patience. He bore with my way
: wardness, 81 one bears with tho faults Of .
irresponsible child. Perhaps he never 10.
faith in my ultimate regeneration.
!, l think Laurie suffered beyond what
had supposed . child's capacity for purel
: mental suffering. The disappointment {
her was most cruel. She had longed 4
her life for mother to love her 6 shs ha
seen other children loved. For many week
lbefore came ehe had been told that sh