Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-07-02

By FLoRENcE MALcoM. .

six o'clock-it was now seven,
and dark, so dark, that when the
child's large wistful eyes wander
ed around the room in which he
was sitting, they could not tangi-
bly, distinguish any obiect-even
the great chandelier with its innu-
merable crystal pendents, being
lost in the general gloom. Don.
aid, however, did not fear to sit in
the darkness-his little five-years-
old heart was brave and strong,
like that of his soldier father,
whose brow had bronzed beneath
midas suns for five years, grow
ing fair again in the few months
which had passed since his return
to his native England.
Papa was going to Ireland, in q
few days, with his regiment. Don.
aid remembered this with a sup
pressed sob, as he sat with his
head pressing against his heavy
damask curtains Of one Of the
drawing-room windows.
Papa was going to Ireland, and
yet 1t was but four months since
his regiment had been ordered
home from India. Surely It was
very hard that he must 60 away
so soon from his little boy; all
the harder, because Donald had
never seen or known him until
during those four months. Papa
went to India before his boy was
born. Mamma would not 90 TO
India-it was too hot there, and
too unhealthy; she would die in
that far-of country.
How late mamma stayed to.
night! and he dared not go to pa.
pa who was writing in the library
it was so lonely, sitting by ones
self in the greatdrawing-room
but papa did not like to be dis
turbed when he was writing, sc
Donald waited and watched pa
tiently for mammals coming, con
tent to sit in silence and darkness
He hoped she would kiss him
and call him her pet and darling
when she came. Mamma did no
do this always; sometimes sh
was in a great hurry to dress, o
go out, aud could not spare time
aud sometimes her head achet
and made her cross, and then sh
would call him tease, and sen
him to his nurse If he asked he
to kiss him. Papa was neve
cross, no, never, and yet Donal,
was not quite sure that he did nc
love his mamma best. Papa wa
80 tall and stern and silent, thoug
his lips always curved into
smile, and his voice grew soft an
sweet when he spoke to his littl
boy.
| It was getting cold, and tn
tiny watcher Crept toward the reg
ister; there was but little hea
coming up. Donald shivered an,
rubbed his hands together t,
warm them. The night was on
in December, and the atmospher
intensely cold. Donald was bu
thinly clad, his dress being o
cambric, cut low in the neck, an,
leaving the dimpled arms full,
exposed. His nurse had attiret
him for the warmth of the nurser,
alone, but Immediately after tax
ing his tea, he had stolen dow
stairs into the drawing room Ii
await the coming of his mammo
who, to pacify his grief at her de
parture, had promised to com
home "soon-very soon."
The servants were merry in tn
large, cherry kitchen, He coul,
hear their voices distinctly; higI
and clear above the Others, that O
his nurse, Betty. Had he no
heard her voice, perchance h
might have left the dark, col
drawing room, and gone dow
into the kitchen, where light an
warmth and merriment reigned
but Donald feared and dislike
lis nurse, and to keep away froI
her as much as possible, was q
ever present instinct.
Eight o'clock and still no man
ma! The little boy erouche
down by the register and waite
patiently, so patiently; but a lgh
would have shown how very pal
his face was, and how his sweet
sleepy eyes were full Of unshe
tears. The register had cease,
to give forth heated air, and puff
of chilly wind were BLOWN
through its delicate iron grating
Donald was miserably cold, but h
made no attempt to seek anothe
apartment. He sat with his leg
curled under him, and his smaI
hands clasped together, waiting
waiting.
Nine o'clock. The boy was no
cold nova drowsy, pleasant sen
sation had stolen upon him, and b
had stretched himself upon tn
carpet 10 take 10 little sleep" be
fore mamma came. Theservants
voices seemed faint and far of
nor could be now distinguish Bet
TVS from the Others. He wonder