The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-02-28

George Cleveland p
That's my name. am not aware of hav-
ing changed my identity
The young man showed a slight degree of
annoyance.
could hardly have believed that, for
friend
Really, Mrs. Ray, this is all riddle. One
would think from the way you are talking,
that I'd been actually abusing my mother.
in-lsw.'
There are many ways of abusing others,
besides that of cruel speech or personal vio-
lence. Abuse of the heart goes deeper aud
is far more cruel in the suffering it inActs.
The eyes of the young man opened wide
ly and with half.startled expression.
Abuse Of the heart He shock his head
slowly. Il do not get at your meaning.
1T pains me deeply, George, to hear you
speak SO lightly and so indifIerently of Mrs.
Fleetwood, Marie's mother said the lady,
the gravity of her manner increasing. Il
had expected from you the tenderest consid-
Grafton for one to whom you are so largely
indebted. For enc who has brought you
the most precious gift of your life-robbing
her own heart, and making it desolate that
yours might be rich with blessings. Dying,
so to speak, that you might live.'
A look of almost blank surprise came into
Cleveland's face, but he said
That is sentiment
IF give shock to your heart and par
TALLY paralyze it, 90 that it beats with pain
and sends only feeble current of life
through your body, will you call that more
sentiment, George Cleveland And is the
heart within the heart, and from which it
has organism and life, and power, less vi
tal thing and less susceptible of hurt or par
alysis Your thought and consciousness are
on lower plane than l had imagined
Perhaps they are, and perhaps you can
enlghten me- was the answer made with
some constraint and with a slight fretfulness
of tone.
The lady sat silent for few moments
then said, speaking in a changed and more
pleasant voice:
Marie seems to grow loveler day by day;
every time | meet her see some new grace
of mind or charm of manner, | call you
one of the most fortunate of men,
And 50 | am,' was the warm response.
look at her. sometimes, half in wonder and
half in gladness, and then think, with new
joy, she is mine, all mine, mine forever.
No time coming when she will turn from
you and go to another Go to anoher
There came flash out of the cloud which
had swept into the young mans face.
AS she went from her mother to you,'
For a little while silence fell between
them. Swift changes were passing in Cleve
lands face.
From the mother resumed Mrs. Ray
who bore her in pain, and cared for and nur
tured her through all the years of her help
less infancy and childhood. From her moth
Ell, who watched over her with loving solic
itude and a tireless devotion all along he
path of life, guarding her from evil ,,drawinl
towards her all the ministries of good with
in her reach, and moulding and fashioniu!
her with wisdom born of love which n,
mans heart can measure or comprehend, in
to being of such lovelness that your hear
bowed down before her as if she had beet
an angel. From this mother she went t.
you Was nothing hurt in the transition
Were no chords rent? No hearts stricken
~ r. L. 4 I. l. =,
from you
George Cleveland sat as one who ha
been stunned by sndden shock.
And think continued the lady, 'of ma
accepting this transfer with just a col
Thank you p and then turning away fror
the giver without touch of gratitude, &
the feeblest sense of obligation in his heart
'When did you see mother, Marie p aske
Cleveland as he locked across the table {
his wife that evening There was new qua
ity in his voice. A something that cause
her to look at him intently.
She was here yesterday Marie answere,
How is she p The interest expressed
her husbands voice sent quicker. .throb
: Marie's heart.
About as usual
/ Some one said she was not looking ver
WE'LL
The young man saw change in Marie
countenance. 1t was half surprise, and ha
alarm. Swift as the movement of thougl
had tho inner and now clearer sight of IL
daughter passed to the mothers place. I'll
, face into which she had looked with h
natural eyes on the day before. How muC
more she saw in it now than then n
she was not feeling we'll. A feeling of anS
ETY. crept into her heart, and began to sha
ow her face,
E Her life must be very lonely now tn
I'm away from her, said Marie, slig
quaver in her voice, Il wonder sometim
= that she is as cheerful as she is.
Yes, it must be great change for h
. greater, perhaps, than we have realized !
# marked her husband, speaking in repress
tones, as one trying to hide some feeling.
Little more was said during the me
I. Both were absorbed in their own though
thoughts which neither was ready to unv
to the other.
Suppose we call round and see your mo
er this evening" said the young husbal
- as they arose from the table. We have
been there for can't say how long,
'Oh shall we I? I've been wanting to
y her all day. Poor mother! | often thi
how lonely her life must be. She was qui
~ er than usual when she was here yesterd
and didn't take as much interest in thil
j. as she has been in the habit of doing. A
e. now | remember, that it struck me once
twice that she had an expression in her t
n which had never seen there before,
which did not understand
I'D No, Marie had not understood the me
ing of what she saw in her mothers
DIX at their last meeting. The affiuence of
mothers life, Feeding herself upon
e. mama of love,aud with its rich juices col
IN ing through her veins, how could she kl