Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-11-18

I before had seemed almost superhu
man in their beauty. They wer
@ tOnthless ! made q step or tw
7 towards them, when, with anothe
r peal of horrid mirth, they fled.
} cOn(d not follow. | was transfxe,
: to the spot. One mystery, however
waG solved. These poor, tOothles
idiots were Inmates of the house
: and, until this moment, unknown Il
) mo. l sat down for awhile, to re
fleet how | could break to that poo
mother my knowledge Of the secre
she had so striven to guard from mt
how to tell her that | had seen hel
poor, benighted offspring, whom
knew, now, were the caLse of her re.
serve and sadness. | thought of nv
own darlings, so precious to me, in
glowing health and unusually devel.
oped intellect, and | felt that in graf
itude to God and in humanity to q
suffering sister, | must in the fulness
ofmy own treasures, deal gently
with this poor bankrupt in all that
makes a mothers hope and happiness.
The return ofthe children put an
end to myreverie, for my mind had
wandered from my first feeling,
which was anger, to the wretchcd
woman who was doomed to witness,
every day and hour, the humiliating
spectacle, slight glimpse of which
had inspired me with so much hor-
ror. The more thought of it, the
more | shrank from the task | had
undertaken. l thought, tomorrow
will do; shall then be more com
posed. 1t was rClict to hear the
young voices of the children as they
approached the house. They did not
return from their walk as cheerful
as was their custom. They had evil
IDENTIFY been talking the matter of the
morning over among themselves, for
as soon as their hats were thrown off,
Julia, the eldest of my girls, took a
chair by my side, and, after looking
up gravcly at me for moment, said !:
Mamma, | think we have found
out who it is that laughed so strange
ly, though she never did it before.
"She! Who?" exclaimed, my
mind instantly reverting to the
daughter of the house.
"Why, we all think it must be the
old lady our Nell calls grandma.
cold lady! What old lady?
There is no lady in this house older
than Mrs. Marston."
con! yes there is replicd my lit
tie informant; "There is an old lady,
and she is very old. Nell, tell mamma
about grandma, and you call her."
/ Why cannot you tell me as well
as Nellie?" Iinterrogated.
Because no one has seen her but
| Nell. "
"Come, then, lady-bird, " said |,
forcing a laugh, and drawing my lit
| tle sight-Seer to my knee; "come
and tell call about it,"
The child did not appear at all
frightened, evidently supposing
grandma " to be a mortal member
Of the family.
"Well, mamma. she began, u
never saw her but three times, and it
was at night. | don't know how
she come into the room, but she did
come in, and looked on the floor for
something.
"Does she look like Mrs. Mars
ton?" | inquired.
"Oh, no. She is little, and Mrs.
Marston Is big.
"Well, 90 on, said | " describe
her to mc-tcll me how she is dr9sscd.'
Il cant tell exactly, for the night
taper does not give much light; but
she had on n queer hood, and she
walked this way;' and the gipSy
threw her skirt over her head, and
with tottering steps, and bent back,
hObbled around the room with all
the gravity and inlirmity of a wo-
man of ninety, which elected a peal
Of laughter from the other girls, in
which joined, though much against
my will.
"Why do you keep your hand
stretched out in that way?" | asked.
"Is that the way grandma held hers ~
"That's the way she held the can
dlcstick, mamma"
"Oh. Then she had candle
stick?"
"To be sure she had; and she was
looking for something on the floor.
! drew the candlestick," continued
my little masquerader, " for it was
of such strange shape-not a bit
like those we use.
"Indeed!" said I, lightning to
feel very much as if | were in a
dream. l should like to see the
drawing" Straightway it was pro.
duccd; and sure enough, there was
the antique Candlestick of a century
back. " Stay here, darlings, a little
WHILE" ! said, rising hastily; al
will soon be back" and, impelled
by feeling of mingled curiosity and
annoyance, | went in search of Mrs.
Marston.
She was not in any of the rooms
usually occupied by her. | callel,
but received no answer. On went,
until | reached the wing of the build
ing hitherto unfreQuented by me.
AS lapproaChed | heard voices, evil
IDENTIFY raised in argument or anger,
The Scotchwoman's tones were loud |
est, and distinctly heard her say,
81 do all l can, but l Gamma watch
them any more" On this | entered.
The two women were alone. Mrs, |
Marston started on seeing me, and |
turned so white l thought she..would
have fallen.
"IIas anything happened, mad
am?"-shc faltered--"that you
have"
She stopped. | was in no mood
to pause until she had recovered her.
self.
ayes, Mrs. Marston, something
has happened-much has happened
since | was unfortunate enough to
enter this house. God forgive you,
madam, for the deception you have
pacticed upon me! Your conduct
is inexplicable, and your manner,
motives, and surroundings are amys.
terry. If you had told me you had
other inmates in your house, | would
have been prepared for circumstan-
css which have shocked me beyond
expression. Had you no thought
for me, your humanity should have
....,. II .on,o confederation fOr