The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-09-27

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good. ! think she could not bring
herself to tell you. YOu are not her
daughter, and canEot love her as do,
and you never have had reason to pity
her as have. You never saw Grand
father Jarvis, Mabel"
"Why, thought he died before was
born"
"NO, he died ten years ago in Brazil.
| never saw him myself Nab; he never
knew he had daughter"
"MOtherm
Mrs. Lees lovely dark eyes filled
with tears as she drew Mabel down be-
sile her on the sofa.
81 have been told that grandma was
a very beautiful, high-spirited girl at
your age, dear, animated, brilliant,
thoroughly satisfied with herself and
her surroundings, especially when jon
athan Jarvis fell in love with her. Her
father died when she was three years
old, and her invalid mother adorcd the
child, and spoiled her even more than
| do you"
Mabel kissed the soft hand laid on
her shoulder, and gave it a wilful little
bite.
"DOn't be hOrrid, mamma, or shall
eat you right up. As if 1 was one bit
spoiledw
''If you were not my child you would
not need grandma's lesson. She was
spoiled, as said, and Jonathan Jarvis
knew it, but he was bewitched by her
spirit and beauty, and thought, as men
are apt to think, that he could control
and cure all that She loved him, too,
very deeply, after her fashion, and
there was nothing to delay their mar
riage; but the day was scarcely fixed
when her mother suddenly sank and
died. Grandmother did not mourn so
hOpelessly that it was thought best to
put off her marriage, though out of re-
spect to her mothers memory, there
was no wedding party, and the happy
pair began their life at once in the old
homestead where grandma lives to-day.
"The outlook before those two was
very fair; youth, health, competency,
what seemed to be devoted love, made
them an apparently enviable couple,
but no sooner were these unbrOken
wills brought into daily contact than
trouble began.
"You may laugh, Mabel, but their
first dispute was about a cOtfee-pOt.
Mother preferred the old-fashiOned urn
her husband the newer style of pitcher.
Neither would yield in mere matter
of taste, and this was the beginning of
evil.
"Silly? Yes, it looks wonderfully
silly to us; but think | heard very
warm discussion only yesterday on the
proper style of riding-hats for lady"
Mabel colored to the waves of her
dark hair and tried to smile.
"They came to compromise on this
matter, agreeing to drink chocolate in
place of coffee; but other small dis
putes followed they all burnt in on
grandma's mind, but forget most of
them, so slight and trivial were the mat
ters of discussion, though they grew to
active means Of torment.
"a child was born, and Jonathan, in
his sad and sore heart, thought that
would bring peace, and his indignant
and grieved wife hoped it also, for each
blamed the other, as combatants will
but the baby's eyes never saw their
strife, it died, and the hope died with
| 1t. Little frets are what wear away |
love and life Mabel. My poor father!
and my poor mother! There was no
| kindly friend to say judiCious word |
to either. They showed smiling front
to the world outside, but grew more
alienated daily.
"There was no real quarrel, no vital
disagreement, but the hourly fret of
undisciplined tempers, impatient ma
lures, strong wills and a self consider
alton that forbade yielding, that cher
iShed pride and petuance, that recog-
nized no duty except as owed to itself.
"The end of these things FASTENED,
Before the nameless baby had slept in
its green grave year father had set
out for Brazil in a merchant vessel,
leaving this short adieu to his wife.
"You can say have gone South on
business, Mehetable, but you must
know shall never come back. | am
tired of living in torment, and you will
be glad to part with one who could
never please you. SO farewell. Yours
at command.
JONATHAN JARVIS.
"Mother was frantically angry at
first. She raved in her own chamber
over what she termed mortal insult,
but as day after day came on, and her
loneliness and weakness grew over her
she began to see things more honestly;
and when news came that the ship had
foundered Mt sea; and all hands per-
ished, then she was entirely prostrated.
As she told me her past life rose up,
looked her in the face, and struck her
down.
was born after my fathers depar-
ture, and a very long illness carried
her to the gates of the grave. She re-
covered at last, a stern and saddened
woman, with only one interest in her
life; but she brought me up with strict
ness and care, tcnderly as she loved me
and, when was about to take my life
up for myself, told me this bitter story,
and gave me this ring.
\ l.1 I.lII..I a.. it..t.