The Shasta courier., 1871-11-11

/
effort, and the boy took his meals in the
nursery, walked out with the nurse and
brooded in silence, as very little children
often do, over his wrongs.
1t was easy enough to forget him in the
billing and Ding of the honeymoon, and
the father was careful to give Maggie all
she asked for--new shoes, caps, toys and
books I hat was his duty. He often said,
"he never forgot his duty to Maria's child"
The lone boy, fatherless as he was mother
less, dwelt alone, save for an old servants
love, in the very room where bis birth was
hailed with much rejoicing. "lt's the new
\ lady does it," said Maggie, honestly be-
lieving it and never dreaming that she bad
caused this unnatural estrangement by her
unwise chatter. She had taught the boy
that his step other came as an enemy,
else he would have greeted h,r with kiss,
and been petted until she came to love him
as her own; else he would have utterly
forgotten when, one bright Winter morn
ing, the sun arose upon little face that
its setting had not shone upon, and Helen
Bretman kissed the unconscious lips of her
| first born.
Little soul, little new born soul, am not
sure what miracles you may have worked.
Have you ever read Foque's sweet story of
Undlne, dearreader! nd do you remem-
Der how love gave the heroine sou
Sometimes | think mo, herhood seems to
work as marvellous chauge in this our
actual world. | know that less selfish
thouhts were in this girl-wite's heart when
she held the boy to it, than had ever been
before And somehow, as this child's
breath foated over the cheek, the remem-
brance of another child came to her whose
mother slept in the grave-whose salky
mouth and angry eyes, when he met her
in the garden path, had made her loath
him. So might some other feel toward
her babe, some day, if she slept beneath the
churci yard soil, and another filled her
place.
Dead Maria rose before living Helen's
memory; dead Maria's child found place
10 her thoughts. She pitied him tron her
heart, and for the first time since she had
worn his fathers wedding ring.
But old nurse Maggie did not come
near her, and she would not send for the
old woDlan. She had been b .rt by her
grim face and cold voice, and was now
hurt'by her neglect. No, she could not
call Maggie. But one day, when she was
able to leave her room, she made her way
to the nursery and peeped in. I ere was
on one there; only broken toy upon the
floor told her OF the boy existence. Mag
gle h d gone ont upon an errand She had
seen the sturdy old figure trot down the
street before she left her room, else she
had not come hither But where Was the
child . Afar she seemed to hear sobbing
soft, heavy sobbirg, like that Of grown
person. Her heart beat faster The little
stair door leading to the attic was OPEN
She followed the sounds and climbed the
stairs.
There she saw scene that seemed to
take away her strength. The Winter sun
light fell through the skylight in broad,
slanting stream. In the food of gold stood
picture-the portrait Of woman, fair
and young, with soft blue eyes aud dimples
in her cheek, with coquetlsh curls falling
about her neck, and diamonds 10 her dainty
ears-and upon the floor, his cheek against
the lace-veiled bosom Of this exquisite pic
ture, sat Freddie weeping as children weep,
and sobbing, "Mamma man una
1t was Maria's portrait Helen remem-
bered the words the child had spoken very
well-Maria's portrait banished from the
parlor wall when she came hither to take
her place.
She could not stir or speak. And as
she sat there some one else climbed the
stairs-ber husband, Marias husband
the father of these two children-the wee.
ing one here, the smiling one in the radle
below. Then the. wife and mother rose
and crept up to the boy aud gathered him
to her bosom.
paul" said she to the father, ais that
Maria portrait? Is that Fred s mother? p"
"Ies, love" he answered
"The mark where the picture hung is on
the wall still" she said. Let it fill its place
once more. Am so jealous as to forbid
you ever memory of the dear, dead wo-
man Let ME see her sweet face smiling
down on me, and fancy that she knows that
l love her boy as do my own. For do,
Paul and God forgive for the past, for
which the future shall atone"
Then she took Freddie by the hand, and
his blue eyes looked no longer augrily upon
her, nor did his tiny hand essay to push
her. from him as of yore. And she led
him down to the little crib where the
new born baby lay smiling, and laid him
beside the little creature.
"Love him, Freddie" she said sit is
your little brother"
The husband and wife stood hand in
hand and watch. the little.tear- stained lids
droop in slumber, with the dimpled hand
lying softly upon the neck of the young
creature who had opened place in his
mothers heart for him.
Marias portrait smiled upon Helen, and
she can meet its gentle gaze without fear /;
and it would be hard to tell which is the
dearer to her now of the two boys who call
| her mother