The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-06-30

well remembered voice, one glimpse Ct
the meeting Of the father and son.
| How glad and proud I. was that the lit
| tle fellow showed no fear Of the tall,
bearded stranger, who clasped him 20
eagerly, and held him close, With such
passion Of pride and tenderness! I
knew who it was who had made his
fathers name and fathers face Z house
hold sound and sight to the ctild and
for moment, felt q mothers fond
exultation.. But the next instant came
the bitter thought that I had no real
part or lot 10 this reunion. I felt alone.
-out in the cold even my baby would
be Weaned from me now !; and I went
away and shut.uyself up in my room
determined to meet my new grief face
to face, and come to terms with it then
and there.
But could not. I could not think;
[ could not even sit still. A feverish
excitement had taken possession of me !;
my pulses beat quick; quick thrills
ran over me from head to foot every
time the sound of his voice struck my
ear.
They were all on the piazza; the
windows were open, and 1 could hear
the eager confusion of question and
answer the fathers delighted e1clama-
tions Over his boy; the child's gleeful
shout as he was tossed up in thos
strong arms; and I simply could not
endure to be so far removed-eo utterly
forgotten. ga
I sprang up, and went, all quivering
with excitement, to bathe my burning
face and smooth my hair. I started as
I stopped a moment before the mirror.
What sparkling eyes! What crimson
checks Oh, soouM be find me beauti-
fal once more T.? go p
[ brushed my hair with trembling
hands, aud turned 10 60 down stairs; I
had right to, and oh, I could not
stay away But, as fingered, doubt
iag and fearing, on the landing below,
I heard sound which checked me. It
was my baby calling for me IN his pref
ty patois:
"Baba, Bahaw
.' I stood still, and listened breathless-
II.
"What does he mean ?" asked his
father and again came the impatient
little cry:
"Baba, me want Baba ~
cit is Miss Thorne he is calling,''
said Mrs. Marples, coldly; "5ou have
probably forgotten her, the children's
governess"
[ waited for the answer as one waits
for the sentence of death. 1t came
presently, in constrained, offended
voica:
"No, I remember her perfectly. But
what can the child want With hers
+ "Ah, that I'm sure I don't know.
She has contrived, I believe, to make
him very fond of her. I don't know
how, for my children fear rather than
love hsr.-Come, baby, come to grand
ma, if you're tired OF papa"
s's sob, no." came the petulant baby
tone. "Me want my Baba Baba all
done away p. ..,.:s..'3 49,, 4@4v
And I know, without seeing, how
the pretty red mouth was beginning to
pucker, and the bright, blue eyes to fill
with tears. My precious baby! All,
they could not steal him from me! A
moment more, and I shoald 90 snatch
him from them all. -. -,
=: But, in that moment more, I heard
the fathers voice:
"Come, then, darling, and We will go
and look for Baba together;" and then
a mans step sounded in the hall and on
the stair. :, -. ...a
y. 1, was standing just by the school
room door; I opened it, and went in.
Ny heart beat as though it would burst
from my bosom. I held it tight With
both hands, and stood ii, window re-
cess, trembling, shiveriug, waiting my
doom. 1t came to me with long, quick
strides. The next moment Arnold's
tall figure stood beside me, and my
baby's glad cry sounded at my ear. l
put out my arms, and gathered the
child close up in my bosom, and then
I looked up with steadfast though tor
tured eyes to his fathers face. How
much older it had grown, and how
stern! Oh, where had the sunshine
gone which had beamed ON me 80 eeni-
ally that summer after 50 long ago?
"You see he is like bis father, Bar
bara;" hefsaid, in a bitter. tone; che
wants, as I did, what is not good for
him. But l hear you are kiuder to him
than you were to me" =
!. could not endure it any longer.
."Arnold," said, "for lis sake, for
give me. I was mad, as you said, but
your child has, clothed me in my right
mind. Won't you try me once more9
He loves me - x ....
There was moments amazed and
incredulous silence. Then va were
caught, baby and I, both together, in
one long, passionate clasp to that dear,
sheltering breast. And the precious
words sounded in my ear