The weekly Butte record., 1863-10-17

WonanlV sell possession >etfneU TO give
her doui le power. both of act and Wis
ion, and to bury forever al the child in
her heart. She forgot herself. She
thought only Of her mother, and what
would be good for her. As with all
strong natures, sympathy took at once
the form of help rather than pity. She
rang the bell and called the maid. Go
down and tell my father lie IS wanted
here" she said quietly. Mamma is
very i'll. Make haste and tell my faith
er; but do not frighten him.
She went back to he mothers room
quietly and steadily, without a sign Of
terror and bewilderment. She washed
the blood from her face gently: and
without rising her head she drew off the
crimsoned cap. Not TO shock her father
by the suddenness of all the ghastly ey-
idence of danger, perhaps of death, she
threw clean linen over the bed, and wet
towels on her mothers breast. Then,
as her father entered, she drew back
the curtains, and opened the window,
saying softly. ''Do not speak loud,
dear papa. She has broken a blood
vessel.'
Herbert Gray, from whom his daugh-
ter had inherited all her self-command,
saw at glance that everything was al
ready done which could be done without
professional advice; and, giving his
wife's pale cheek gentle kiss, he left
the room with simple God bless you,"
and in loss time than many younger
and more active man could have done it,
was at DR.. Nelyille's door.
All this self-pos>ession seemed to
Mrs. Gray only intense hcartlessness
AMI she lay there brooding over the in
difference Of her husband and child with
such bitterness, that at last she burst
into fit of hysterical tears, and threw
herself into such agitation, that she
brought back the bleeding from the rup-
tured vessel to more alarming extent
than before. She would have been more
comforted, ten thousand times, if they
had both fallen to weeping and wailing,
and had rendered themelyes useless by
indulgence in grief. Love with her
meant pity and caresses.
ooh, child ~ gaSped Mrs. Gray,
show little You love me -
Isabel said nothing for a moment
She kissed her mother hand, and with
difficulty rep.essed her ars; for it was
terrible accusation and almost dcs-
troyed her calmness. But fearing that
any exhibition of emotion would excite
and harm her mother, she pressed back
the tears into her inmost heart, and only
said, "Decrest mother, YOU know love
you more than my life
But Mrs. Gray was resolved to see in
all this calmness only apathy She
loosened her daughters hand pettishly
and sobbed afresh. IfIsabel had wept
a sea of tears, and had run the risk Of
killing her with agitation; she would
have been better pleased than now. Is
abel thought her mind was rather affec-
ted, and looked anxiously for her father.
Don't stay with me, Isabel. Co
go-you want to 60" sobbcd Mrs.
Gray, at long, long intervals; SO to
your lover; he is the first consideration
now."
Dear mamma, why do you say such
terrible things p said the girl soothing
ly. "What has come to you?''
eff you loved me-" sighed Mrs. Gray
''you would act differently"
At this moment Herbert Gray and
DR.. Melville entered. Having examin-
ed the patient, the doctor at once said:
''You have done everything, Miss Is
abel, like the most experienced nurse.
You deserve great praise. Had you
been less capable or less self-possessed,
your mother might have lost her life
He said this to comfort the patient;
but she turned away sadly and mur-
mured-
My child does not love me; she has
done her duty, but duty is not love-"
Mrs. Gray recovered from this phase
Of her illness only to fall into another
more dangerous. In few weeks she
was pronounced in deep decline, which
might last for years, or be ended in
comparatively few days-one of those
lingering and capricious forms of con-
sumption, that keeps everybody in sus-
pense, than which the most painful GER
tainty would be better.
Of course Isabel's marriage was post
poned to an indefinite time, and Charles
Houghton raurmured sadly, as was nat
eral. He proved to Isabel in most con-
elusive logic, that the kindest thing she
could do for her mother, and the most
convincing proof love she could give her,
was to marry him at once, and then she
would have great deal more TO attend
on her, for now his visits took up 20 much
time, and that would be saved. His
logic failed, and then he got very angry.
So that between her mother and her