The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-05-04
Sslert Sturv.
The Reward Of Kindness.

Mrs. Gorham put down the letter she
had been reading, and looking around
the table at her blooming daughters and
two tall handsome sons, said in doleful
tone:
"Your aunt .Sabina is coming to Lon
don, and has invited herself here with
out ceremony"
"When p asked Arabella with an in.
tonation of intense disgust.
"She will arrive here this afternoon.
Wilbur, you will have to. meet her."
"Sorry, ma, but have promised to
drive Miss Caldwall to the Park. Fred
can CO."
"Certainly I will go," gravely replied
Fred, though there was hot flush on
his forehead. 81 am very fond of aunt"
Nonsense! said his mother; lyon
have not seen her for fourteen years. /
never went near that detestable old farm
after your father died."
"Nevertheless, / have vivid recollec
tion OF Aunt Salinas kindness when we
were there"
.'Dear me, Fred" drawled Lucilla,
"don't be sentimental. l wish the cid
thing would stay at home. I can't i'm
agine what she is coming here for"
"She is our fathers sister," said Fred,
"and can't find anything surprising in
her looking for welcome amongst her
brothers children"
Mrs. Gorham shrugged her shoulders.
If she had spoken her thoughts,i it would
have been: s"Fred is so odd! Just like
his father" She only said, "I may de-
pend upon you,t then, to meet your aunt ?
| will see about her room"
1t was source Of great satisfaction to
Mrs. Gorham, that her children were all
like herself, 'true Greers, every one of
them, except Fred," she would say, con-
graduating herself that the plebian blood
of "Gorham pere' was not transmitted
in the features of her elder son, Wilbur,
or any Of the three girls. . 19
That Greer pride meant intense sell
6shness that Greer beauty was of cold,
hard type; that Greer disposition was
tyrannical and narrow minded, did not
trouble Mrs. Gorham. That the son
who was s'all Gerham" was proud to the
core with the true pride that knows no
false sham, that he was noble in dispo.
sition, handsome in frank, manly type,
generous and self-sacrificing, she could
not appreciate. His hands and feet were
not'so small as darling Wilbur's he had
no fashionable affections, and no Greer
look. So his mother thought him rough
and coarse, and his sisters declared that
he had no style at all. But outside of
the home. where great show Of wealth
was made by many private economies,
Fred was more appreciated.
When he became a man, and knew
that his fathers estate, though sufficient
to give them every comfort, was not
large enough for the extravaganza bis
mother INDUCED in, he fitted himself fol
business, and took a position in a count
ing-house, thus becoming self-support
ing, though his mother declared that nc
Greer had ever been in trade. That the
money she lived on was made in soap
boiling. the fashionable lady ignored en-
tirely. Darling Wilbur had. studied law
but his first client had not yet appeared
and Mrs. Gorham supported him, trust
ing that his fascinations would touch thu
heart Of some moneyed belle. Mis-
Caldwell was the psesent hope. She was
her own mistress, an orphan hciress, and
very handsome That she was proue
and rather cold in manner, was only al
additional charm to Mrs Gorham ant
Lucilla; Arahella and Corrinne were EN-
thusiastic in their admiration Of "CorRe
lia Caldwell's queenly manner"
I Nobody suspected that Fred, blunt
straightforward Fred, hid one secret il
! his heart, confessed to no living being