Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-03

WATT" the elder woman says, holding
up her hand and she goes back and shuts
the door of Reubcn's room. Then she re.
turns, and says sternly to the frightened
girl. "What do you want, Miss Morrison p
80 Mrs. Leir Rose is angry as well
as frightened-"don't look at me like that
don't now! You only make me feel
SICK
81 should like to make you feel unhap'
py, as YOU deserve it that ii was you mat
! sent my son nearly to his death; I've
learned from his talk in his illness; he
never speaks of you now
"Ah !''-Rose wiped her eycs-''please
do let me see him, poor dear fellow l
know the sight of me will do him good.
and am so sorry, and he will believe /
am Sorry he is not SO cruel as you are.
DO let me in; long so to see him again
Roses voice is sweet and persuasive.
but Martha Ler is flint.
You long to see my Reuben you, who
could fancy he was content to share you
with that French fellow Gaspard! Go
along with you! You are worse than |
thought, Rose Morrison. You are not fit
even to look on Reuben's face again -
She puts her strong, bony hand on
Roses shoulder. and pushes her from the
door and closes it.
When she goes back to Reuben she is
amazed to find that he has dragged him
sell to the window, and stands there look
ing out.
"Was that Rose ?' Then without wait
ing for his mother to answer: chow kind
OF her TO come and inquire for men'
Mrs Leir turns full of wrath and with
bitter sentence ready, but Reuben is cling
ing to the easement, trembling and over
powered by the unusual exertion he has
made She puts her arm round him very
tenderly, and guides him back to the sofa.
"My poor, dear lad she whispers,
''forgve me; must only think OF you.
VI.
Another month has gone by, and Reu-
ben can now get about alone. leaning on
a stout stick, present which Farmer
Williams brought him from Exeter. His
mother still likes to think her arm as nee
e>s ary as the stick, but Reuben is anxious
for independence, and to day he has per-
suaded her to drive over to Cloyton with
neighbor, for the sake of the change.
As he PAGES slowly up and down in
front OF the cottage. he is thinking of his
mother.
How long and unselfsh her care for
me has been, and not one word OF re-
proach. How could have vexed her for
such girl as Rose Morrison ?"
lie turns to pace down the road again,
and there is Rose She has come up be-
hind him unobserved. Reuben grows pale
and then red then he trieste pass her so
fast that he stumbles, and would fall but
for the stick.
"Reuben," the girl cried out, "wont
you even speak to me? You would if you
knew how unhappy am, and if you could
see how | grieye for you"
I'll am obliged to you, Rose he says
in a strange, choked voice, "but there can
be no friendship between you and me
now"
She fixes her dark, glowing eyes on
his changing irresolute face, and then she
bursts into passionate weeping.
Reuben is troubled-the old love tugs at
his heart, but he forces himself to re-
member Jacques Gaspard and that walk
moved by Roses tears.
Don't cry Rose" the poor fellow says:
Il forgive you-and l hope you will be
happy
81 shall never be happy again, Reuben.
Your mother says | was the cause of your
accident, and you think l deceived you"
Reuben is tired, and this agitation robs
him of his little strength. The girls quick
eyes see his weakness.
"Dear Reuben" she says tenderly,
"you are not we'll enough to stand talk
ing; let me help you in. There-put your
hand on my shoulder, and let us come in
doors.''
Her eyes are so sweet and loving-her
whole manner so softened from the petu-
liant Rose he had loved SO dearly-that
Reuben gives up without resistance. He
puts his hand on the little, soft shoulder so
lovingly offered-which does not give
much support after all-and yet, somehow
by the time he reaches his sofa, he looks
brighter and more like his old self than he
has looked since the accident.
CONTINUED TOMORROW