Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-12-06
NO. 2ss
Gales aud Sketehes.
MY MOIHER'S OBJECTIONS.

on earth VIII ever induce me to give nv
consent"
1t was my mother who spoke, and sat
silent. vainly endeavoring to find some
argument which should induce her to
change her mind. Unless she did so, the
ease. l knew. was hopeless tor Helen,
proud. beautiful darling that she was.
would never marry man whose family
refused to sanction the match. MY moth
ef was the best woman in the world too
good for the world, ! sometimes thought
too good, at least, for the world in
which | lived, and TO which had recent
ly transplanted her from the quiet New
England village in which she had lived
all her married life. II you know any
thing of the rigid spirit which prevails in
those quiet spots OF New England where
stern Puritanism rides rough-shod over
| all natural tastes and instincts, you can
perhaps, appreciate the force OF my moth
er's objections to my betrothed, Helen
Leighton; otherwise, you must take my
word for their cogency.
"She dances; she gambles; she laughs
in church."
These were the grounds on which NV
mothers objections were based. | had
argued them with her, point by point.
by one, forcing her to acknowledge their
untenability. SO far so good; but as
piece OF whalebone springs back when
the pressure upon it was relaxed, Just SO
| surely did her mind spring back to the
original point:
'She CANDLES she dances; she laughs
In church"
Dance ? OF course she danced, like a
al ha q htrhh - -, ,.-
Thanks to my Puritanical training, had
no opportunity of learning the art until
my muscles had lost their youthful hexi-
bility. Nevertheless, it was my delight
to watch her graceful figure and to catch
the bright gances which from time to
time she sent me as she iloated past.
Gamble? She played cards as every
body does, which hardly constitutes gam
bling; but this was distinction which
my mother would by no means allow.
Cards are cards." was her line of ar
gument. 1T may be shade worse to
play Tor money, but in either case the
| principle is The same"
As tor her laughing in church, who
would not have laughed, under the crcum-
stances, ! should like to know You see
her brother Harry Leighton was gifted
with naturalists tastes and instincts
Bugs and beetles, worms and lalva, and
All hideous flying and creeping things
were to him. types of beauty in the di-
vlnest essence. Now, on that soft August
afternoon, as Helen and Harry were cross
ing one OF our city parks on their way to
church, his eye tell upon specimen Of
| the rare Dorcas brevis, which by some
| means, had strayed thilher. How was il
possible Tor him 10 resist capturing such
| prlZe As he came out unprovided with
| the collectors supply OF boxes, pins, and
| such like. an empty envelope served to
| contine ii. and he had thrust it into his
pocket. tnluckily, the envelope was not
| sealed: the beetle, by no means, pleased
with his incarcerations, made its escape.
| and being OF an investigating turn Of mind
proceeded to purrrOw under Harry's gar
menis. II ls IN vain to endeavor to pre-
serve a calm and decorous demeau or
| with my sterlous claws burying themselves
in your skin in inaccessible places When
to this is added the fear OF injuring rare
| specimen in your frantic attempts To re-
capture, and also the dread of attracting
| the attention of the clergyman and con-
| gregation, Harry Leighton's state of mind
may be imagined.
As for Helen, at first she had gazed up
| on her brothers wild contortions and
grimaces with mild wonder and alarm.
The alarm was relieved by his whispered
explanation OF the true state of the case.
profusely illustrated by frantic but can
| tious grabs at the cause of his woes.
Now, ! ask, could any mortal maiden re-
slst tins, especially in place where to
| laugh was to feel herself forever dis
gracedP The very sense of horror which
| she felt at the idea OF her own untimely lev
/ lty only FASTENED the explosion. A little
hali-smothered rivulet of laughter trickled
| out; shame and fright only made matters
worse; the laughter uncontrollable, hy-
| sterlcai, until the welcome sound of LET
us pray !" enabled her TO hide her blush
ing, agonized face.
Now had again and again explained
the circumstance to my mother, but it was
all in vain.
eff she had had proper sense of the
solemnity of the place. she never would
have been tempted to laugh" was all that
she would say. adding, as her ultimatum:
"lf you ever find me gambling, dancing
and laughing in church, | will give nv
consent; but, until then. il is quite useless
to ask me-"
Ana SO saying, my mother terminated
the argument by sweeping from the room.
leaving me TO chew the cud of sweet and
bitter reflections. How my mothers OBJ
lections were to be answered, confess
that could n@ see; that she would ever
change her mind of her own accord. /
knew her too well to imagine. Could
invegle her into faro-bank under pre-
text of prayer-meeting, engage her at
tention. and then bet in her name, per-
suading her afterwards that the act was the
effect of her own volitionP Hardly feasi-
bic; and, even if practicable, how were
the other miracles to be accomplished
My mother dancing my mother laughing
in church Unless she Joined the Shak-
ers, ! could not see how the first WAS to
be effected. As for the last, monkeys
might perch on sounding-boards and an
gle for clergymen's wings, stray dogs
might run muck up and down the aisles.
with sexton and Sunday school children
in full cry after them. bats might flap and
clergymen blunder. but was quite sure
that never a muscle OF my mothers face
M,