The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-26
hereI" she added, as she took
loser sl1rvev of her vfsitor'e Face

| IOSoI SURVEY vi AOA NlolIOi . 1uCOs
But her question remained unan-
wered, for Lottie was already hurry
ng away. The last faint hope that
the report was dreadful mistake hao
perished before Mrs. Crawley's placid
utterances. Austin, the gay and care
less, whose spedthrift habits had Of
ten displeased his parents, had pre-
served his integrity; while Charles
Morrison, the son Of many prayers,
the steady Intellectual young man.
who INDUCED in no low tastes, no
"loud" attire, had forfeited his high
character and disgraced his family
this was her conclusion.
Away through the busiest streets OF
London, hurrying on with her face
muffled in her veil, lest any one should
perceive the anguish depicted en- it,
she walked, till she found herself be-
the well-known offices Of Messrs.
Smithson. They had been closed
hours earlier, but the old man who
was porter and care taker was stand
ing at the door, talking to some curl
Gus acquaintances.
Unperceiyed by the garrulous
speaker, Lottie paused long enough to
hear lovers name coupled with
words indistinctly caught relating to
the large sums of money that were
missing.
ellis father was here this morning,
as soon as the news was made public"
the porter went on-"such respecta.
BILE old gentleman"
Here his voice was lowered, and
Lottie passed by, hearing only some-
thing about the young mans broken
hearted mother as she went; but it re-
minded her thatshe was not alone in
her grief; that the loving parents,
who had cherished their son in his
childhood, and seen him gradually
expand into the bright, intelligent
man, must be well-nigh crushed be-
meath the blow that had so suddenly
fallen upon them. Oh, what was her
| grief to theirs?
And now Lottie flew to her own
haven-the arms Of her mother-and
there wept the first tears her burning
eyes had shed.
Shocked, and for sometime incredu-
lous, Mrs. Warde, with infinite pa
tience and tenderness, sustained her
child during those hours in which her
anguish was almost more than she
could bear.
Never again woald Lottie accuse
this dear friend and comforter of be-
ing wanting in sympathy. Who else
would have borne so kindly with her
wild burst Of impatient sorrow-her
restless pacings to and fro--her passion
ate complainings? Who else would
SO skillfully have taken advantage of
her better feelings to bring her to her
knees, and teach her to bow her head
to the Divine will?
GLOW good you are to me, darling
mother!" she sobbed, when Mrs.
Warde had prevailed upon her to lie
down. and was bathing her aching
head; "and indeed don't deserve it.
I have been so selfish, SO ungrateful,
that if you knew all my hard and bit
ter thoughts you would sure cease to
love Ile 6L ull
Mrs. Warde's only reply was to
stoop and and kiss her; and that kiss
uprooted the last fibre of selfishness in
her child's heart. Never again did
Lottie let vanity stand in the place Of
duty; and in the midst of her trouble
she could be humbly thankful that
this dear mother was still all her
own.
All that night she wept and be-
walled herself, but when morning
dawned and she saw how weary and
exhausted Mrs. Warde was looking,
Lottie put her good intentions into
practice and restrained her sorrow
and grief.
While her mother rested, she moved
quietly about, dressing the little ones,
whom her altered looks and swollen
eyes awed into unwonted soberness !;
nor was it till every task had been ac-
complished that could spare Mrs.
Warde fatigue that she seated herself
at her mothers feet and wept herself
into the sleep of exhaustion.
But stronger arms were sustaining
her when, with a start, she awoke.
It was not the mild face Of her mother,
that bent over her and smiled at her,
it was Charlie Morrison himself, and
for moment she believed herself to
be in a happy dream.
Can it be you?" she asked wistfully.
"Speak to me, for 1 know not what to
think, nor what to believe"
"You may believe that Charlie Mori-
son has committed no act that dis.
graces him, said her rejoicing mother,
who now stood by. "Need we tell
you any more?"
Lottie pressed her hands to her
head, and looked from one to the
other, till the tender smile on Char
lies lips confirmed the tidings.
! Il seem too much bewildered to be
as glad as should be, she exclaimed,
cam really awake? has there been no
/ robbery after all? That dreadful
| newspaper? Why did T believa the