The Republican journal., 1877-08-16


foxes :" and looked up freshly astonished
into her mothers face.
''l suppose grandma means to tell you
a story, Mabel, which she told me when
| was engaged. 1t hurt her bitterly tC
tell it but it did ME much good. ! think
she could not bring herself to tell you
You are not her daughter, and cannot
love her as do, and you have never had
reason to pity her as have. You nevel
saw Grandfather 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 a daughter'
'Mother"
Mrs. Lees lovely dark eyes filled with
tears as she drew Mabel down beside her
on the sofa.
Il have been told that grandma was a
very beautiful, high spirited girl at your
age, dear, animated, brilliant, thorough
ly satisfied with herself and her surround
ings, 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
more than | do you.'
Mabel kissed the soft hand laid on her
shoulder, and gave it willtul little bite.
'-Don't be horrid, mamma, or I shall
eat you right up. As if was one bit
spoiled y
off you We're not my child you would
not ned 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 marriage, but the
day was scarcely fixed when her mother
suddenly sunk and died. Grandmother
did not mourn 50 hopelessly that it was
thought best to put off her marriage,
though out of respect to her mothers
memory, there was no wedding party,
and the Happy pair began their life at
once in the Old homestead where grand
ma lives to-day.
'The outlook before these two was
very fair; youth, health, competency,
what seemed to be devoted love, made
them an apparently enyiabe couple, but
no sooner were these unbroken wills
brought into contact than trouble began"
"lou may laugh, Mabel, but their first
trouble was about Il coffee pot. Mother
preferred the old-fashioned urn, her hus-
band the newer style Of pitcher. Neither
would yield in amere matter Of taste, and
this was the beginning of evil,
''Sily. Yes, it looks wonderfully silly
to us, but | think | heard Il very warm
discussion only yesterday on the proper
style of riding hats for a lady,
Mabel colored to the waves of her dark
hair and tried to smile.
'Ihey came to a compromise on this
matter agreeing to drink chocolate in
place of coffee: but other small disputes
| followed they all burnt in on grandma's
mind, but forgot most of them, so slight
and trivial We're the matters of discussion,
they grew to active means of torment.
IA 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 babys eyes never saw their strife :;
it died, and the hope died with it. Lit
tie trets are what wear away love and
life, Mabel. My poor father and my
poor mother There was no kindly
friend to say a 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 dis
agreement, but the hourly fret Of undis-
ciplined tempers, impatient natures ,
strong wills and self consideration that
forbade yielding, that recognized no duty
except as owed to itself.
"The end of these things hastened. Be
fore the nameless baby slept in its grave
Il year, father had set out for Brazil in a
merchant vessel, leaving this short adieu
to his wife,
you may say have gone South on business,
Mehetable, but You must know | shall never come.
| am tired Of living in torment, and you will be
| glad to part with one who could never please you.
| So farewell. Yours to command
JONATHAN JARVIS.
"Mother WAS frantically angry at first.
She raved in her chamber over what she
termed a 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 toundered at sea-,
and all had perished, then she was en-
tirely Frustrated. AS she told me, her
past life rose up, looked her in the face
and struck her down.
II was born after my fathers depart
urc and a very long illness carried her to
the gates Of the grave. She recovered at
last, a stern and saddened woman, with
only one interest in her life ; but she
brought me up with strictness and care,
tenderly 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
.'If had killed the little foxes" said
she sadly, ~ might to-day have a good
ly vineyard of my own. Beware of them
Hetty They have spoiled my life"
"And after all, Mabel, my father was
not lost on the wreck. He was picked up
by another vessel, and under an assumed
name, lived on in Brazil. In the GRASP
of mortal illness. he wrote to his wife
asking and giving pardon. 1t was from
him that all her wealth came, but she has
never forgiven herself
''Poor grandma" sobbed Mabel, ''anC
| have been so hateful to her.
1t will console her for all your freaks
my darling, if you only profit by her pit
iful story
The next time Grandma Jarvis came
over Mabel greeted her with a stringent
hug and a heartfelt kiss, not at all of the
clamshell order.
"Gracious !" exclaimed the old lady
Withdrawing herself little to look a
Mabel but she saw the brown eyes fill
and her own grew dim.
"Go along, child, go along !" she growl
ed under her breath. ''And now you'V,
got your lesson don't forget it."
1t would have been hard for Mabel t.
do 50, when the eNquisitely wrought tea
set that adorned her table through al
her marrie1 life bore on every cover th'
sly and eager head of q tiny fox and th'
very cream pitcher had for its handle th'
slender body of that treacherous animal
its eager head peering over the brim, an(
its long, bushy tail curving outward al
the base. Many and many a time, whel
some tri1ing matter irritated her, and ;
quick and singing word rose to her lips
,, a glance at the tea-set shut her prett,