Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-07-25


Ia her secret and-oh, my boy don't fret ~
The mother was powerless TO combat this
grief or to assuage it in any degree. These
sons had been her Joy and comfort all their
lives, and now, when trouble fell upon one
of them for the first time, she could do
nothing TO aid him to bear it, nothing TO
tighten the burden to him Such trouble,
too If it had been brought on him by any
other man, she might have been able TO
counsel him how to bear it, But to have
fallen on him through his brothers agency |
They were both her boys, and she loved
them both better than she did her life; and
now one could only be happy at the expense
OF the other, ii her fears were true.
Mrs Balyon determined to 60 TO Kathleen
So she sought and found her in her own
room, doing nothing and looking sad.
You have come 10 scold me-" she cried
impetuously, jumping up and putting her
arms round Mrs. Bslyon's neck "don't do it
yet; I'm so sorry, I'm so frightened"
What about Make clean breast of
it, Kathleen Mrs. Balyon said, softly. al
may have to scold you afterward, but m
hear what your trouble is first"
You'll forgive me, whatever it is ?"
Stop moment dear, instead of scoldinp
you or hearing your confession, I'll make
everything easy for you by telling you that
| Rupert las taken me into his confidence, and
that congratulate my adopted daughter on
| her engagement to my eldest SON"
Mrs Balyon tried to speak cheerfully, but
her heart was beating quickly with appre
hension of what she might be called upon to
hear. The girl fdgeted and blushed, and
finally asked
"You say it as if you wouldn't have con.
| graduated me If you had heard of my en-
gagement to your youngest SON."
"Ah, Kathleen, remember they are broth
ers they love each other so we'll"
"You do know-you do suspect something
more than Rupert has told YOU" the girl
said, eagerly. "Oh, love me still, help me-
! am so unhappy; | kept the secret as
joke at first, and then Archie came home
and-now | dare not tell him"
Then it is true he loves you too" the
mother painted. Kathleen child that I've
loved So what have you done ? Heaven
help them both of my sons deceived by
| you Why have you stabbed me through
them in this way? Their happiness has
been the only thing good that I've had in
my life; couldn't you leave it to me ~
She had put away the girls clinging
clasping arms as she spoke, but Kathleen
would not be repulsed. She had worked
not want of heart, and it CALLED her to the
! quick to be reproved and treated coldly.
Don't push me from YOU" she pleaded
Rupert would be kinder than that, aud it's
Tor Rupert's sake you hate me now you
don't care for Archie's pain he loves me too
aud he will have to lose me, and have to tell
him the truth and teach him to despise me
and oh, no one will pity me ~
." will pity you, | will try to help you, if
If you'll only be truthful, ii you'll only Try
to mend the mischief; you must not see
Archie again | knew he could not have
wronged his brother knowingly. | knew he
was ignorant. My boys are gentlemen, and
they have always loved each other and given
each other their due. Archie must be
spared as mucn as possible Kathleen, but
not at the expense OF his brother; you are
pledged to Rupert, and Archie must bear
his disappointment"
you'll teach him to hate me-" the girl
interrupted; 'let me see him once, only
once, and tell him of my fault myself that
will be punishment enough for me let Inc
see Archie once again"
"My sons are gentlemen" the mother re-
peated, proudly; " there can be no danger in
what you ask they will both renounce you
if you go with your heart to one, while you
leave the promise of your hand with the
other; what has made you do it, child |? Why
have you played at love with natures so much
finer than your own, when it was only vanity
actuatng you 2"
No, no, no !" Kathleen cried, falling down
Oh her knees, "not vanity when Archie is
concerned love him, love him, and he will
never know it-isnt that hard enough You
only feel for Rupert -"
And you only for yourself" Mrs. Balyon
said, sternly; there shall be no dissension
made between my boys; If Rupert can trust
you after this, I'll not interfere, but Archie
shall not see you and be worked upon by
| you; my son is but human, and though
/ think it impossible you might teach him to
/ be untrue to his brother and himself. Leave
him his honor, if you have robbed him OF
his happiness
You have no care for me," the girl
walled; al have loved you all so much,
and you'll all come to hate me, and though
| may deserve it, shall feel it hard all the
same. | never meant to do any harm. |
never knew it was real harm till to-day,
when Archie said a word or two that
showed me that the end was come Kiss
me and forgive me, mother | may lose
you all, and the worst that may happen to
you all is that you may lose me, and as I'm
such doubtful blessing that may be the
best thing that could be."
What could Mrs. Balyon do but kiss her
aud forgive her 7" Evil can't come through
her. the too partial friend thought as she
caressed the girls bent head but there
must be no more secrets, no more folly,
dear" she added aloud, aud Kathleen, re.
ieved from her fear of being further repre-
hended Just at present, sprang TO her feet
I hat
asked of. her.
" Rupert need never be troubled about
Archie" she finished up. Go back and
tell Rupert that our engagement shall be
public Immediately, and then he'll under
stand that there's no difficulty; as fol-
Archie"
She paused, and Mrs Balyon asked, anx-
iouslv;
Yes, what of my other boy ?"
He'll never make sign, I'm sure OF
that" Kathleen answered, proudly; "if I'D
behaved three times as badly as | have
Archie would never blame me and never
seem to think me wrong. We can all trust
him-you to spare his brothers feelings,
to spare mine
"And may it all end well aud be warn
ing TO you, Kathleen" Mrs. Balyon said
Neepingly; 81 am trying to think hopefully
about it, I'm trying TO believe that all my
children will come unscathed out of tn,
trial" But though she said this and st
tried to cheer the girl, who was crushed 10y
the consciousness of her error, or, perhaps
by the consideration of its consequences
Mrs. Balyon's heart misgave her sorrow
fully, aud for the first time in their live
she shrank from meeting her sons. L
seemed to her that if Rupert could b'
thoroughly satisfied with Kathleen for hi
: wife after all this, that she (his mother
could never be thoroughly satisfied for him
and this, to woman who so completely iden
titled herself with the interests and hope
! and disappointments Of her children, wa
r dishearteniug conviction.
t Through the long hours of this day tn
& two women kept apart from each other
each bearing her special burden alone &C
e cording to her lights. Mrs. Balyon charac
5 teristically confined herself in striving L
mature some plan by which she could keel
5 the peace, make her children happy, AM
u still not out age her own conscience kath
\ leen occupied herself equally characteristic
,, cally in arranging how she could place he
5 conduct of the last few days before them al
b in such pleasant, pretty light that the
= would go on regarding her as the bameless
r bewitchiug, always-to-be-forgiyeu idol of tn
household that she had been from her littl
I childhood. And the two young men spen
1 their time in nervous avoidance of eacl
70 | other in dlstrust of themselves their mother