Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-05-03

cords and thrashed me awf'ully; but
have the satisfaction Of thinking that
managed to get hold Of his leg with my
teeth, and left mark upon him for his
life.
When the wedding-day came, although
| l was forced to go to church, vet l reso-
| lutely turned my back on the proceedings,
and made faces expressive of scorn and
contempt at the little boys up in the gal
lery.
After the marriage Baker ruled our
house in everything. NV mother was a
gentle, weak woman, and Caroline wor-
shipped him. One of his first improve.
| ments was to send me to warehouse in
the city of London, where had to sweep
| out the floors and make myself generally
| useful.
was not likely to do much at this, and
after putting up with it as long as could
ran away and went back 10 mothers
house. There, as luck would have it,
my sister Caroline-he always made use
Of our house as hospital--was stopping
during an illness. She went into hyster-
les about me, and l was hauled off and
taken back to London like criminal
Then, of course, owing to Bakers sug-
gestions, my employers gave a very bad
account of me and refused to take me
back, so that Baker, to get rid of me,
placed me on board an emigrant ship
bound for Australia that belonged TO a
friend of his. Here was treated like a
dog, and as soon as we reached Melbourne
l ran away to the diggings. And now
was in a line that just suited me. I had
no great luck, but was making my living
and enjoyed myself first rate. SO pleased
was with myself that must needs write
home to mother with packet Of gold
dust and lot of stories about the dig
gings. | was even so much Modified that
| sent my love to Carry and kind regards
to Baker.
Well, it so happened that my letter
reached home just after Carry and mother
had fallen out, and mother had mustered
up spirit to send 'em out of the house and
get rid OF them. And she wrote to me,
poor woman, such kind letter. Twas her
own dear darling boy, and she saw now how
that willy Baker had set her against me.
But if I'd come home now and close her
eyes all that she had would be mine, and
| should take my proper place in the
world. Added to that she sent me a bank
post-bil for el00 to pay my expenses.
After that felt was bound to go, and
yet things kept turning up that hindered
me from stating. | had TO finish out a
piece with my mates and then ! waited
for chum Of mine who drove bus IN
Melbourne, who was going home too; so
that ii was year or more before | found
myself anchored in the Downs, with the
white cliffs Of Old England shining in the
distance ! landed there and made my
way without troubling myself about my
baggage, just as / was, half sailor, half
digger, across the country to Biddlesden,
where mother lived.
fancy | see the place nova red
brick house, with bow windows kept
wonderfully bright, wire blinds, and green
venetans; the High street with tuft by
the sides, and nice trees growing here and
there. 1t looked 50 quiet and cheerful,
with the sun shining brightly on every
thing, that | said to myself, quite in the
poetic vein, IF there's peace TO be found
in the world the heart that is humble may
hope for it here p"
There were beautiful white steps up to
mothers door, and | walked up them
with strange, uneasy feeling, half joy
and half toreboding. 1t was just four
O'Clock. Mother would be sitting by the
fire, She always had bit of fire, except
in the very hottest weather. Dinner had
just been taken away. There would be
two decanters on the table in little round
stands, a few biscuits, two or three apples
and some walnuts, in dishes of old china.
Mother would have her feet on the fender,
with her dress tucked over her knees and
her black quilted satin petticoat warming
in the blaze. | would just pop in quietly
Halo, motherr' | should say Just as if
I'd come home from school, and slip be-
hind her chair and give her kiss before
the old lady knew where she was.
Lord, how my heart did beat as | softly
opened the door! This was what | saw
the lecanters were there all right, and
the dessert, and the smell of dinner and
wine, just as of old, but there was no
| mother sitting there.
Carry in black on one side of the fire;
Baker in black on the other: little Tim
mings, the lawyer, in the middle, smack
ing his lips over glass Of port.
My voice died away in my throat.
| shut to the door gently and went off into
the kitchen. There was Patty, mothers
old servant, putting away the silver She
was in black, too, and crying over the
things. She gave such a scream when
she saw me. ] was arough- looking chap,
Dear In Inlnu, ana Sne ulunt know me al
the moment.
I'm Dick" said, Patty. Where ,
| mother ~
co." she cried, putting her hands on
my shoulder, and looking into my face to
make sure | was speaking truth; 80
dear, Master Dick, why didn't you come
home before ?n
30 it was Mother had been dead and
buried fortnight ago. Baker had
| smoothed her over long before her death,
| and he and Garry between them had
| made it right about the property. | don't
know what lies Baker had told about me,
| but | saw her will atterward in Doctors
e.. IL 1.