The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-11-08


little outlet for energy in any housewifely
direction. Therefore it was no wonder
that my mother soon began to stray about
the parlors with a torlon and hopeless
expression, wisttully watching the vari-
GUS groups, each deep in the mysteries of
casino, Sancho Pedro, or such like un-
wholesome diversion for cards Just then
happened to be a mania with all of us
Suddenly, as | watched her on that
especial evening, | saw her whole face
light up as she paused beside group of
four who were collected around a small
stand. Naturally | strained my eyes and
ears to learn what could have produced
that look of placid and profound satisfac
ton but my observations were in vain,
until one OF this group, rising with an
apology to the rest politely offered his
chair to my mother. He, being a com
paratlVe stranger among us, knew moth
ing of her peculiar ideas, which were no
secret to the rest of the house. | saw the
look OF laughing dsmay exchanged among
| those who were left then, to my unbound
ed amazement, | saw my mother subslde
into the offered chair. In another instant
] understood it.
''Domnoes :" heard her say, in tone
| III Satisfaction. Il nave never played
them since | was a child, but was very
fond OF them then You seem to be play
ing some new game Of which ! do not
know the rules: but if you will bear with
my ignorance for Il while, make no
doubt thai shall learn them soon"
The others, with, | fancied, slight
hesitancy, began to instruct her in the laws
of the game, Soon | heard terms fly
INC reey-terms curiously familiar, but
strange and uncannY us proceeding from
my mothers lips.
A ''tlush," a pair" a straight flush -
what could it mean!
II chip" cried my mothers voice. in
tones Of wild excitement; but
''Too late" cried another voice. GLOW
many counters have you p
"Twenty- five" replies my mother,
blandly and unsuspciously.
Instantly a twenty-five cent stamp is
laid upon the table before her She starts
back, eying it with wild dismay. A hor
rible suspicion croeps across her mind,
and looking around the table, she gasps,
family,
"What-ochm have been playing ?"
Amidst a shout of laughter the answer
reaches her, brokenly, family, but, alas
only too ntcligibly:
Playingg Why, penny ante. to be
sure. The cards We're all in use, so we
have been playing poker with dominoes
| by way OF variety"
| must pass lightly over the tableau
which followed, or my tale will be too
long over my mothers apologies, re-
morse, fearful explanations; over her in
dlgnant refusal of the money; her final
! acceptance of it under protest, and its
subsequent dedication to the cause of
missions. All this | must leave to Your
imagination, and pass to the next scene.
| George had succeeded at last in her
efforts at persuasion. George LenoN was
my cousin and my mothers favorite niece
| She was married noW-marred year ago
to Rudolf Aronach, one of the best fellows
| in the world and they had taken up their
abode in EiobolIen, that most German of
| American towns. 1t was to the celebla-
ton of their wedding anniversary that my
mother had, after much hesitation, con
sented to go.
''lt is to be a very quiet dinner, George
had said; ''but Rudolf has SO many friends
| who must be invited, that we have decid-
Ell to give it at the German Club instead
OF our own house. which is much too
| SMALL
81 am afraid it will be very gay and
worldly affair" sighed my mother; "but
| George makes such point of it that, for
her sake, suppose | must go. But re
member Frederick, if | see any signs Of
dancing, leave at once for that real
ly cannot countenance IN my presence.
There is point beyond which | will not
| go"
OF conrse | satisfied her with cheerful
''All right" and she made her prepara-
tions with sort OF resigned equanimity
edifying to behold.
My mother was a handsome woman
still, in spite of her fifty years, with
tall, finely moulded figure, delicate, clear
cut features, unblurred vet 10y Times
ruthless touch, soft blue eyes, and heaps
upon heaps of snow white hair which
glistened like spun silk above her low
broad forehead. | was very proud OF her
as | looked at her that evening in her
sweeping dress OF black velvet, finished
at throat and wrists with soft falls of
creamy lace. Dress and laces had been
my present to her upon her last birthday
and she had accepted them with Il mild
rebuke OF my extravaganza, and wore
them with an air OF quiet protest, blend
ed with subdued pride, which was charm
ing.
GeOrgie s fiction Of the 'quet dinner" had
hardly imposed upon my mother, | think.
Nevertheless, felt her cling closely to my
arm, with a stitted groan, as we entered
the one long room which then composed
the entire second floor Of the German
Clubhouse, with its polished floor and
brilliant lights, and the little curtained
stage at the upper end on which her eye
fell first. There was no danger to be ap-
pretended from that quarter, however, as
she soon found ; but scarcely less alarm
ing, from her point Of view, was the array
of many -colored glasses which clustered
beside each plate all the way down the
three long tables.
"What does it mean 2" she moaned
family. Will they make me drink
wine9 Oh, Frederick, take me home !"
| should not have done so in any case,
but it was already TOO late, for George
had caught sight of us and FASTENED up.
followed by one Herr Muller, German
of the stout, jolly, rubicund type, whom
Sne introduced To my lnOtncf as the son
Of German Protestant minister. My
mothers face partially lost its look of be
wildered dismay at this item of news, and
she allowed him to lead her to her place
without further objection.
| am afraid that at this point my atten-
ton wandered slightly from my mother,
for Helen was there, the darling, more
beautiful than ever in her draperies Of
pale blue and paler salmon, with tea
roses and forget-me- -nots nesting among
the ripples of her bonny brown hair with
her pure proud face, and her clear, stead
fast brown eyes, and the gentle, tranquil
grace which, of all her charms, was the
one which had most attracted me.
OF course Helen knew nothing of the
state Of affairs between my mother and
me- She would have broken Off our en-
gagement in an instant. even at the risk