The daily gazette., 1877-12-13
A eMUTHER'S SECRET

"rhere is no help for 1t, mother; the |
entire estate must be sold, and 1t grieves
me to think how powerless am TO sue
cor, in the hour of her extremity, the kind
benefactress who stood our friend when
all others turned their backs OH u.s."
"Stlli. she will not be destitute; tile
sum left her In her own right, you know,
was very considerable.
"But that, too, has been squandered;
her wretched sons extravaganza seems
-
"Iold!"-and Mrs. Spencer cast
look, half reproachful, half resentful, on
the youth who, a moment before. had
addressed her as "mother." 81 cannot
bear to hear you speak like that of the
poor boy that is now in his grave!'
"It is hard thing, l know, to pass
consure ON the dead, but not easier to
look forgivingly on vices and follies in
dulged in at The expenses of mothers
beggary." * C4.
An angry flush passed over the wo-
mans face, and yet, to one contrasting |
its sharp and crafty lines with the young |
mans frank and open countenance, IL
must have seemed not a little strange
that her hand, and not his, should be
extended to draw the mantle of charity
over the dead profgate's misdoings.
But to one that knew Judith Spencer 8
history, it would not have appeared
strange at all. When her debased hus-
band, on whose account her relatives had
cast her of, evaded felon's doom by
selfdestruction, leavidg her and her new
born babe on other heritage than a
"wounded name"-when the outcast
mother and child might have died un-
friendeds.n the public streets, and So
ciety v Guild have seen In it only the
d righteous visitation upon them of the
dead husband and fathers iniquitles,
gentle Gertrude Norman's heart was
touched with pity.
She, too, was widow; and though
wealth and an honored name was hers,
and though an almost princely fortune
awaited the little stranger for whose
coming one found expectant had not
been suffered to tarry, there was, between
her and her humble sister in sorrow, a
common tie that seemed to bind them
together. ... A .r.s.s ....F
And when, after not many days. the
little stranger:c came, and fora long TIME
Gertrude's life was despalred of, it wa
rs the poor widow that supplied mother
place to he helpless infant.
Toward the child she had thus foster.
ed It was but natural she should feel
something of mothers attachment; and
when, at length, the boy grew up, and
began to develop serious faults, over
which his mother grieved sorely, it was
Judith that stood forth in his defense
every ready 10 palliate and excuse what
soever he did amiss. ai
Not one of his dead fathers virtues, o.
of his gentle mothers traits, seemed tc
g. be reproduced in Cecil Norman's char
acter. His days and nights were spen
in all manner of vicious pleasures. Hi
extravaganza knew no bonds; and whel
at length, having barely attained to man
estate, his shattered health gave ava
and he fell victim of his excesses, b
left his mother impoverished, and hi
own estate encountered far beyond il
value. ..-'.tl Et
Widely different was the poor widow
son. With heavy odds to struggle agaihi
in the shape OF poverty and disgrace
name-generously aided for time, 1t
true, by the kind lady whose good etfor
we have seen he had not forgotten, bu
mainly by his own efforIs-step by ste
Arthur Spencer won his way, and b
was now ready to enter profession
whose brightest honors he might aspir
without vanity. .
Still the dishonored name he boz
weighed heavily upon him and whe
the father of the girl be loved forbad
her to receive his addresses, while b
sanctioned those of a rich usurer
: son, he could help feeling that
might not be solely owing to disparit
Of wealth. 1t was this same usure
Le- too, Caleb Boke by name, that hel
the mortgages under which the MOI
MO man estate was to be sold-a circun
'u' stance, it is fair to infer, that adde
are not u little to the bitterness of Arthur
( a reflections.
"Old Boke is a swindlerp Mr.
I'VE Spencer exclaimed, after a prolonge
SOL son sileace. 81 don't believe, If the trut
were known, Cecil Norman ever ha
,ill half the money he had chaged hi
at with" t--5t
Vill avery likely" Arthur moodiiy al
, Nered; .'but bonds and mortgage
al. a.. are not to be invalidated by mere SUI
ing misses, however plausible"
/ "Can nothing be dones Must tn
ave foul injustice"
ST. Mrs. Spencer, suddenly checked he
nod self, but her eyes cleaned with
or strange excitement, which 1t cost b.
AXE visible effort to repress.
urg "There is nothing to be done, mot
an or, but to prevail on our benefactre
ear to share our present humble hon
oor till we can offer her better.p
9to "1here is something else that mig
hut @ be .done,n the widow muttered hs
musingly. "Aud it shall be, tool" 81
the cried. rising suddenly, and speakii
Ma in tone that surprised and startl'
8 IN her listener.
uaS "Listun to mel" she continuea'
ing have a secret to tell--one that shou
blister my very lips with shame-ol
that no torture could have wrung fro
TO me, and that had thought to die wi
der out dIvulging. But no good. can com
oy. of keeping it now-no good to hi
ira re for whose sake ] have kept 1t so lol
de. l-nor can its disclosure bring haI
'ife- now. save to myself.
Ell For long time after the birth Gertru
,en ,er- Normaus child, 1 had sole charge Of
M and nv own. For many weeks she
the prostrated by fever, lowering betwe
rdi- life and death, and constantly delirous.