Middletown transcript., 1877-09-22

I'll. I never saw him myself Nab ne
never knew he had daughter"
"Motherp
Mrs. Lees lovely dark eyes filed
with tears as she drew Mabel down
beside her on the sofa.
II have been told that grandma
was a very beautiful, high-spirited
girl at your age. dear, animated, bril-
liant, thoroughly satisfied with herself
and her surroundings, especially when
Jonathan Jarvis fell in love with her,
Her father died when she was three
years old, and her invalid mother
adored the child, and spoiled her even
more than I do you"
Mabel kissed the soft hand laid on
her shoulder, and gave it wilful lit
tie bite.
Don't be horrid, mamma, or shall
eat you right up. AS if l was one bit
spOiledI"
"If YOU we're not my child you
would not need grandma's lesson. She
was spoiled, as I 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 fash
ion. and there was nothing to delay
their marriage; but the day was
scarcely fixed when her mother sud
denly sank and died. Grandmother
did not mourn 50 hopelessly that it
was thought best to put off her mar
riage, though out of respect to her
mothers memory, there was no we'd
ding 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 cohee-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.
"silly2 Yes, it looks wonderfully
silly to us; but I think heard a 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 a compromise on
this matter, agreeing to drink choco-
late in place Of coffee; but other small
disputes followed; they all burnt in
on grandma's mind, but I forget most
Of them, 50 slight and trivial were the
matters 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 indig-
nant and grieved wife hoped it also,
for each blamed the other, as combat
ants will bat the baby's eyes never
saw their strife, it died, and the hope
died with it. Little frets are what
wear away love and life Mabel. My
poor father land my poor mother
There was no kindly friend to say
judicious word to either. They showed
a 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 self consider
alton that forbade yielding, that cher
ished pride and petulance, that recog-
nized no duty except as owed to itself.
"The end Of these things hastened.
Before the nameless baby had slept in
its green grave a year father had set
out for Brazil in a merchant vessel
leaving this short adieu to his wife.
"You can say I have gone sonth 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 at 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 very long illness carried
her to the gates Of the grave. She re-
covered at last, stern and saddened
woman, with only one interest in her