The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-09-03

about those motherleSs children: anC
the next thing was that Mr.. March had
her in his arms, and they had forgotten
all about the lapse of twenty years.
Perhaps it had been wiser had they
told Maria the story of their youth and
their old love. But if they had done so,
probably she would have regarded it as
an Y e greater indignity to her mother
than the existence of Il second wife; and
1t was Judged best to say nothing, 81
lence being the part of both native dig
nifty and natural precaution.
But the new Mrs. March had not
stepped inside her home and received
the stiff touch of Miss Maria'S hand be-
fore she saw the lion in her way. She
did not blame the Young girl; she rather
liked her chiyalrous c~onStancy. She
drew her to herself and kissed her; and
Maria, r~esenting it rs an intrusive ip2-
pcrtimencc, ran down to Mrs. cc' TO
complain of it.
HShe'S 4 designing hypocritc," said
Mrs. Lee, ''quecning it there, and your
mother, that Saintcd soul, not cold in
her gravel As her mother had depart
ed two years before, this ultimatum
hardly sounded like the proper fate of Il
>ainted soul. ''Don't you," said Mrs.
Lee, ''let that woman get the upper
hand of You with kissing and palaver-
ing And there followed Il CONVERSE
ton on the brides toilette, from which
one could gather no other conclusion
than that the second Mrs. March'> plain
duty was to wear mourning for the first
Mrs. March.
Maria meant to make it her own duty
not only to wear mourning, but to OBJ
trude it. She had changed her linen
fuckers for Grape on the announcement
Of the marriage; she sat up by night to
put Il deeper Grape fold on her gown;
and going about rs solemn as though
looking into a tomb, she lost 10 chance
II airin" her handkerchicfS, recently
purchased, with Il black border twice rs
ieep rs those she used when her mourn
NO began. 81 have lost my father,
90, - said Miss Maria, with sweet SEN
;ibility. But that was mere bagatcllc
beside her general conduct. She had
ed the Younger children into full belief
n the cnormity of their fathers act and
he ATTRACTIONS qualities of his wife, and
here was little inSolcncc of which she
vas not guilty. The morning after
'lFs. March'S entrance upon her duties,
descending to breakfast, she found Ma
ia pouring tea. s'Maria, that is your
nother's place." said Mr.. March.
''It used to be, sir" she said, with
indignant Solcmnity.
''No, indeed" chimcd in Mrs.
silverly. ''Ihave poured the tea
o many years that, if Maria is will
nc to relieve me, | shall be glad"
md at that Maria tlounced out of the
Nor had Mrs. March been in the
ouSe Il week before she found that
earful sympathy for the mothcrlcSS
hiidren was an act Of grace on her
art, for they were enough to eXaSper-
te the recording angel. Accountable |
behavior, insulting in language, they
tterly perpleXcd the new mother. But {
ne verse in her thought on the evening {
er old lover came back to her, ssThou ,
lit show me the path of life" sound i
Il like a promise still, and she trusted.
'ne at a time she cOaxed the children
ITO her room, and talked to them 50
and seriously that, surprised 5
nd abaShed, they were half converted, I
IL Miss Maria undid the work. When, a
len, kindness had failed, and Mrs. e
felt that the welfare Of these chill G
depended on the integrity of her 5
lthority, yet felt unwilling to vex her t
usband in the matter, she was forced C
resort to punishment-to oblige little il
llia-whO, ut eleven, knew enough to /
now better, and who, being frank and 5
f~ectionate, would have done very well t.
one but ,stimulatedby Maria's amuse- n
ent, one day made a succession of {
ouths at her mother, and snapped her e
lgers in her face-to sit beside her all il
. afternoon, and to sew the seam of a tt
leet. She really tried to make it en- e
for the little thing, having no
sire to grieve her, but merely to 81
axe necessary authority felt; and the j
lid, beginning in rebellion, found,
fore she WIS dismissed. hat she had le