New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-20
THE ENCHANTED MANTLE.
BY JULIAN HAWTHORNE,


the rest of the world by mighty ocean
flowing illimitably around if. Here dwell
q mother and her two children, girl ana q
hoy. She loved them exceedingly, and they
returned her love; and because the boy was
older and stronger than his sister, ne TOOK
care Of and protected her; and she, being
delicate and fair, cOnfided in and looked up
fo him. And it was always summer around
them; ever since the boy and girl could re-
member it had been warm and pleasant,
With sunshine and soft winds.
But one day the mother called the son to
her as she sat III the shadow of the cottage
porch looking out to sea. The sun was
resting on aeecy heap Of golden clouds
above the waters edge, and the boy saw
that long golden lines seemed to stretch
from HIM TO them.
'sLionel" said the mother, lit is law Of
this island that no one can remain here at
ter reaching certain age. My time has
come, and / must leave you, to return no
more; but hereafter, when your age is full
filled, you will follow me. Now, when |
am gone, you will find the summer like
wise has departed, and instead there will
be cold winds and snow, and clouds will
gather before the sun. In those days you
will wish to wrap yourself up warmly, and
sit before fire, where the cold and dark
ness can not reach you. But you must
never forget to care first for your little sis
ter; the cold and the darkness will be
harder for her to bear than SCR you, and
you must keep her always warm and cheer
full until she comes to my arms again"
Lionel looked in his mothers eyes, but
said nothing. Something filled his heart so
full that he could not speak.
His mother gazed a while in silence over
the sea, and the shadow of the cottage
porch grew darker around her, so that Lilo
mel began to fear lest she should vanish al
together; but the brightness of the setting
sun had dazzled his eyes so that he could
not see plainly. At last his mother spoke
again:
After l am gone you will find in my
room long dark mantle which your father
left me when, many years ago, he reached
his allotted age and departed from us. This
mantle ID enchanted, and when you see it
You will very much wish to wear it; and if
YOU should do so you would be enabled to
see me where / am gone. Notwithstanding,
you must never yield to this desire until
your sister Rose shall have ceased to re-
quire from you any further protecting care
and labor; for as long as you wear the
mantle ' gu will be powerless to give her
any assistance in time of need, or keep her
warm and cheerful in the winter weather;
and though you would be able to see me, |
should look pale and sad, and the cold
winds and darkness would increase around
you. But if you have strength to resist the
spell of the enchanted mantle until your
whole duty to your sister is performedysyou
may then wear it without fear, and 1 shall
appear bright and smiling to you, even more
so than you have known me here"
As his mother ceased speaking the shadow
of the cottage porch became SO deep that
Lionel could scarcely see her where she sat.
r Nevertheless, it seemed to him that she bent
over him and kissed his forehead and his
eyes, and when he opened his eyes again
she was gone. But looking across the sea,
where the last glimpse of the sun was just
sinking beneath it, he noticed bright
golden path, extending thence to the island
shore, and at the further end Of the path,
where it was merged in the sun, he thought
he saw his mother standing with the glory
all about her. Then something so dimmed
his eyes that he could hardly distinguish
her; yet it seemed to him that Just before
she vans he'd she looked around at him and
smiled. He stood gazing until the sea had
become dark and gray, the golden path had
vanished, and a cold wind, which came sigh
ing from the east, had begun to drive the
breakers INTO foam against the shore. Then
he withdrew, with a SILVER, into the cot
tage, and lit candle and entered his moth
sr's room,
BY the light Of the candle, as he looked
around the chamber, he saw long dusBy
cloak or mantle thrown over the chair on
which his mother used to sit. 1t hung IN
sOmbre folds, unrelieved by any bright en-
broidery or trimming. AS he gaZed upon
1t wOnderingly-tor he never remembered
20 have seen it before--he was conscious of
a strange and almost irresistible longing to
put il on. 1t seemed to him that it would
protect him, as nothing else could, from the
chill Of the east wind, which was already
beginning to whistle around the cottage.
lie even felt as if it would in some way
bring back to him the comfort of his
mothers presence and love. SO he ap-
preached and lifted the heavy mantle from
the chair. As he did SO o dreamy, eneryat-
ing sensation began to steal over him; his
strength and yigor seemed to ebb away, and
the noise of the sea waves on the shore
sounded ia his ears like the voice of one
sobbing in her sleep-Eke the voice of his
mother
But ere the dusky cloak could descend
over him he heard his sister Rose calling to
him loudly: Lionel! Brother Lionel
where are you 2"
Lionel started and let the cloak fall back
upon the chair. In moment all his
mother had said to him rushed over him.
This, then, was the enchanted mantle Of
which she had spoken-this the effect OF the
spell 1t had already begun to cast over him.
Even now he could scarcely shake it off;
but summoning all his strength, he rushed
who sat shivering on the doorstep, and for
the hrst time in her life there were tears in
her eyes. In his anxiety to cheer and COM
toF5 Rose, Loneltorgot all about the dusky |
mantle.
What makes the sea so gray and angry?" |
ASKED she' teartuilyi why is the wind SO
cold and where is our mother goneF
''Ihe last / saw of her" reDlied Lionel |
''she was standing on the furthest edge Of |
Che sea, close by the sun; and think she |
must be gone to him, SO that whenever he |
shines we may know that she is smiling ON |
us. And then we shall not mind any more /
about the cold winds and the angry sea"
So Lionel took his little sister back into.
the cottage and brought wood and built nm |
q warm fire in the fireplace; and the Iigbf |
danced ana hiokered about the room, play- |
ing all SORTS q FRANKS with the chairs and |
tables and the ornaments on ths mantel- |
piece; and Rose and Lionel sat looking INTO |
the fire, her little hand resting in his. 1t |
seemed almost as If the sunshine had come |
back to them. At last Lionel cried ont:
"See, Rose, IN that red-hot coal il a per
feet picture Of the sea and sun resting on its /
and iii the sun cangou nas Seq ogp zSafE8er@s |
face smiling on us 7, I
j.. ). Yesl yesp sfiea Rose sfa3q5lag Re2 !
little lands for Joy 70 sRa nGW We RGe9l +
never fear the cold AND lfaSRngs9 0qlt.eqfo ;
doors, for we can always dlaga uitr mothers /
sunshine in the cottage S 50 THAT aifgGt I
they both slept soundly, ana K5s0 drgE3isd ;
mat the warm weather and soft Winds SR1
some back, all the more delightful for hav- /
pg been lost. But Lionel thought he was |
Itanding by his mothers chair. on which |
lung the enchanted mantle, and wondering |
whether the time had not yet come when /
,e mighb put it on. Then he heard voice |
,aIlinG him, and awakened with start, he /
i hSus looking anaTnn !