The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-11-30

come o cold, heartless woman OF the
world. She saved me-irom myself !
And abe was so lovely There was no
fault that could see in her. Could q
mother say more
She had been mine Ave happy, happy
years, and had grown to bo q beautiful
child Of eight-so beautiful that the
people on the street turned 10 look at
her, and called her "~hite.fose," and
"red.rose,p and nWild.rose," when
they learned her fanciful name. I had
utterly forgotten there had ever been o
time when I did not own her, when, at
last, there came q terrible shock 10 my
remembrance / II was In the early
fall, and bitter cold. 1had fires burn
ing In sitling.room and library for sew
eral days and at night ordered that
the windows should not be closed up
early, as I had q fancy that Sheetiil
home.lights shining otlth weary way
farers might brighten their paths and
thoughts and my home being Just on
the outskifts Of the town, IL was no up-
common thing for passers.by, at night
fall, to stop sometimes and,look in.
We were sitting together In the
library-my. darling and i. She cud-
died up beside me, looking over some
pictures Of buds. and flowers, when I
heard . footstep on the grayel,walk be-
side the window, turning, 1 saw a
woman's face. I walked over toward
IL, and II vanished in the darkness.
"Ah some poor trayeleh perchance," "
IthOught, "who has dared 10 steal q
look in on my home.happiness. Ihope
shp has q little one waiting for her
aomewherei' and / kissed my Rose.
marie in the fullness Of my happy
heart. The following morning, very
early, I was told o strange lady wished
to speak with me. a y
"She would not give any name, and
had no card, /" the servant said. b ~
I went down Immediately, expecting,
as usual, in those cases, 0 solicitation
for alms-ior aims, I said As / en-.
tered the parlor, woman, very beauti-
ful, young, and elegantly attired, rose
10 meet me. Her manner was graceful
and impressive, and yet ! saw directly
she was not lady-nay, even past my
claiming her as pure woman and
sister 1
''You have childa" she began, in.
terrogatiyely. X
al haye,S I answered, q little sur
prised OF her strange, abrupt manner.
Walking over 10 where I still stood,
she glanced at me with wild eyes, cry.
You liel She is my child, and /
have come for hertz p
Istepped backward, and should have
fallen possibly, but my quick ear
caught the patter Of my darling's little
feet upon the stairs, and as she came
tripping into the room-oh 80 pure,
and sweet, and lovely II summoned
all the strength and courage Of my com.
mand. and SAID, in q low, firm tone to
tho woman, who still glared at me: 81
"Hush mot word before her r
She looked down at the child, and
up at me, and then-oh then, 1 saw
my darling's face in hers I But with
such hideous lines Of passion -such
ifightiul marks Of dissipation-oyer
all its beauty and purityl ~ =
"What Is your name !" she asked the
child, and her voice lost its harsh
sound and grew full and low as she
spoke. ..
Coming to my side and putting her
little hand in mine, as though she felt
some hidden danger, my darling
answered.:
~ am mammals Rosemaris."
The woman made q step toward her /;
then ] claSped her closer in my arms,
and whispered, quickly:
aGo TO your room, lock the door,
and open to none but me, and / kissed
her, and she ran away"
"Now," said /, closing the door and
seating myself beside Il, "now 1 will
hear all you have to say to me.'
The woman looked down at me-
looked all over the room and back to
mo again-then, seeing something in
my face, she seemed TO lose her
brayado, and began in husky voice,
which grew shrill and sharp as she went
on: Ha int' 7-iag G
0who are you, that calls my child
yours2 What right have you to her 2
You stole her; 1neyer gave her up. /
have searched for her for years. I have
found her at last She Is mine, aud
I'll have heri"' ~ ~ m
I shuddered Of her words, but
answered calmly, and my heart seemed
to havogrown still, SO faintit throbbed
and beat: t. ,,f
F"You ask what right have I to the
child? What right have you to the
little one you left to the rlercies Of q
cold, wide world? You threw Her
away-I saved her She may be born
OF your body, but her soul Is nihei"
She paced the room now, up and
down like some Gagged thing, then,
speaking with vehemenoe, she cried,
passionately. 1 tlt,al Nsl ln gbf \
al swear III have my child | and I'll
break every door and window In your
fine house 10 get her. and she struck
the door with her clenched hand as she
spoke. y i,llq u,
"silence r. I commanded, looking
into her angry eyes with mine. ',Lis.
ten TO me, and II when I have fniShed
what / have TO say you can still take
her from me, Twill yield her without q
word. Yes, / continued, as she looked
up from the fringes Of the shawl she
was tearing, and seemed surprised,
eyes, ! will give her,up to you, though
II will break my heartlpl and I felt I
looked the words ! uttered.
She grew calmer, and I went on ear.
nestly /" For fye happy years l have
been a mother to yeuf little one; 4