The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-07-26
BOTH HER BOYS.

OVAA DVIOe
The house stood in damp hollow,
regardless of ali sanitary considerations,
between two almost impenetrable belts of
gloomy towering trees. 1t was not q
cheerful house externally, though its gar
dens had more capital and labor invested
In them than was bestowed upon all the
grounds put together Of the country
around within radius of ten miles. But
nothing throve on the Balyon estate. Reg.
iments of standard roses were planted
atre>h every year, and regularly as the
next year came around they had to be re-.
moved, having signally failed to fulfill the
fair promise they had made as to bloom.
ing. SO, though the garden and grounds
were iu admirable order, and were
brushed and combed into neatncss, there
WAS no beauty about them, and posr Mrs.
Balyon began to despair of them altogether,
and To pine for greenhouses and cOnserva-
tories, in which she could superintend the
efforts that were male. and try her own
hand at the graceful work of cultivating
flowers. But the Balyons who had gone
before the present Squire, her husband,
had been contented with flowers that
were not too good to grow in Coils open
air" he told her, when she asked that the
glass house might be built; so, though she
plned tor them, she went on leading q
tlowerless life, for Mr.. Balyon's manner
OF refusing favors that were asked OF him
was, to say the least of it. depressing even
To the dauntless, and Mrs. Balyon was far
from being that.
No wonder that she pinned for flowers,
or for anything else that was pretty, at
The Court.
Not that Mr.. Balyon ever brought his
heavy hand to bear physically upon his
wife, but he snarled at her, and bruwbeat
her and terrified her with his rough looks
and rough words, till she came to look
upon the hours that he spent out of the
house as the only happy ones of her exist
ence. the only ones in which she felt ut
liberty to pick up book, or alter the 30.
Sltlon OF an ornament on the mantelpiece.
or caress her dogs, or romp with her chill.
dren.
But the poor woman's life was not such
an utterly arid plain as it would have
been had not the blessing of sons been
vouchsafed to her. She counted herself a
proud and happy woman when she could
manage to forget her husband in the 90.
ciety of her two handsome, spirited boys,
Rupert and Archie. They were all her
own; like her in disposition and person,
4ike her III generosity and affection. Fair,
beautiful, courageous, loving boys, they
We're as unlike the black Balyon stock as
Il was possible 10 conceive anything to be-
IEey were all her own! All the love of
her heart was given to these boys. All
her hopes and pride were invested in them.
The thought of their future enabled her
to bear her own desolate present with
something akin to cheerfulness, when they
were away at school. And when they
were home for the holidays they infused
certain amount of warmth and color into
her chilled and darkened life by the dis
play OF such love and tenderness, such
devotion and thoughtfulness, as she was
sure no boys but hers ever felt for q
mother,
Rupert was twelve and Archie eleven
when Kathleen BOyne came to live at The
Court. Kathleen was wearing Grape at
the time, in remembrance of a grand.
mother for whom she had not entertained
any very deep affection while the lamented
lady lived. But she loved grandma great
ly tor dying and being the cause of q sud-
zen accession of new black frocks. Father
and mother she had never known; the one
had died, and the other had better have
dome so-pOor, lost, unhappy creature
chan have deserted home and husband and
child, as she did, for the sake of q man
who, in turn, deserted her.
Kathleen was just eight years old, and
sweet little imperious queen of child,
when circumstances threw her upon the
guardianship of Mr.. Balyon. He did not
think it necessary to explain to his wife
what those circumstances were, but brief.
ly told her that such child existed, and
was coming to live with them. He further
added that the boys were to be taught to
regard Kathleen as their sister, and, i" as
for you, madam, if you cOddle her up
half as much as you do your poodle and
the paupers in the village, it's all l shall
ask of you.'
"Fll try to do my duty by her, " the sad
spirited woman replied, and conscientious.
ly she carried out her promise. No moth.
or could have bestowed more care and
love upon daughter than Mrs. Balyon
gave freely to Kathleen. The duty became
pleasure as soon as she saw the bright,
beautiful little girl, and, when Kathleen
nestled in her arms and begged her to be
!" real mamma" the gentle. hearted lady
yearncd to the little one, and she pledged
herself solemnlyr to be TO Kathleen what
she prayed some other good woman would
he to her boys if she were taken from
them.
Years rolled on, and the handsome boys
grew into tine young men, and the child
queen into bewilderingly beautiful girl,
and still the fraternal relations between
them seemed likely to be unimpaired.
STILL, when -.the boys. - abe called
them, came back q The Court, Kathleen
held up her lace to Ebek fssed by thcm, as
frankly now TINT the one was full. blown
barristcr. and flie other Captain in the
army, . in the old days Mhen they were
school boys, and she their pet and play
"fake care ia Soas.sous don't fail in
love with little Kate by and by" the
Squire had been WON tosay TO his wife.
when the boys were young. ri She has !
strain Of her mother in her, and will make
the heart of the man ache who's unlucky
enough TO love her-takc care!'' ...-,
"If spent my life in trying to guard
against it. it would come about just tue
same if it is to be So" Mrs. BABYLON, who
wassCDeehipg ore fataliQt, would seply.
And fcan wislI Sothi1 d 6tt6sa lof either
Of my boys thsn snoh q girl a. Kathleea
as his wife, but Til pROnise nevof to pui
the notion in their h6ads.s Ruport end
Archie will go out in the world ana Gee
other girls If one of them still thinks
Kathleen the fairest and sweetest, YOU
won't say him nay, will your"
"She is the dapDA terot the SFeatSst 60.
quette in Christendoam, - the 'Squire kfdM-
bled; however, we must keep the girl
here, and I'm not sorry for it, for I'm
fond OF her myself in way, and what ID
to be will be, rs you say. Il she marries
either of them, l trust 31631Ae R16e0
Tor he will be able to stay at home and
look after her-all your tsainine HASN'T
eradicated the seeds Of coauetry from il9r
nature. She's flirt to the very marrow Of
her bones"
Poor child, you've never seen her
tested J" Mrs. SBaylon pleaded. .The
boys areslke beolAtrs " -, I'D 80
never sees another man To- dilF Mhh. r /
think she's too true and too frank to trifle
with and wrong anyone who loves her.
have faith in Kathleen"
And | have none, for I knew her
mother'" the Squire laughed. But