The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-23
MISS ARNOLD.
Another Story of Love that was True,
but Didn't Run Smooth.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "rwo OLD MEMS
TALES" ETC.
CHAPTER |.

CHAPTER /.
| 1t is the generous spirit who, when brought
! Unto the task OF common life, hath wrought
Even upon the plan which pleased the childish
thought
Who. doomed to go in company with pain,
And fear, and ruiu-mlserable tram!
| Makes that necessity glorious giin,
| by actions that would force the soul to abae
Her feeling, rendered more compassionate.
More gifted with Acknowledgment more pure
As tempted mOre-mOre able To endure,
As more exposed 10 suffering and distress;
Thence, ais more alive " tenderness.
-IWoRDswoRTH.
"No, dearest mother, no! | can not.
What after all the tenderness, care. and
love, have received from you, for now
one and twenty years, to leave you and
my father in your old age, to yourselves!
o, no! o, mol"
"Nay, my child" said the pale, deli
cate, nervous woman, thus addressed by
a blooming girl whose face beamed with
every promise for future happiness, which
health and cheerfulness, and eyes filled
with warm affections, could give, "Nay,
my child, don't talk SO. You must not
talk so. 1t is not to be thought of" And,
as she said these words with effort, her
poor heart was dying within her, not
only from sorrow at the thought OF the
parting from her darling, but with all
sorts of dreary, underlined terrors at the
idea of the forlorn, deserted life before
her. Abandoned to herself and servants,
so fearful, so weak as she was, and with
the poor invalid and crippled veteran,
her husband, a martyr to that long train
of suiterings which honorable wounds, re-
ceived in the service of the country, too
often leave behind them-a man at all
times 50 difficult to soothe, so impossible
to entertain-and old age creeping upon
them both; the little strength she ever
had diminishing; the little spirit she ever
possessed failing; what should she do
without this DEAR animated, this loving,
clever being, who was, in one word, every
thing to her?
But she held to her resolutiOn-no
martyr ever more courageously than this
trembling, timid woman. A prey to ten
thousand imaginary fears, and, let alone
the imaginary terrors, placed in a posi-
tion where the help she was now depriv'
ing herself of, was really so greatly need
ed.
"No, my DEAR" she repeated. "don't
think of it; don't speak Of it. You dis
tress me very much, Pray don't, my
dearest Catharine."
"But | should be a shocking creature
mamma, to forsake you; and, | am sure
Edgar would despise Inc as much as
should myself, if | could think of it.
can not; | ought not TO leave you"
The gentle blue eye of the mother wa
fixed upon the daughters generous, glow
ing face. She smothercd Il sigh. She
waited a while to steady her fatering
voice. She wished to hide, if possible
from her daughter, the extent of the sac
rilicc she was making.
At last she recovered herself sufficient
ly to speak with composure, and then she
said:
"To accept such a sacrifice from chile
| have always thought the most mon
strous piece of selfShness of which 8
parent could be guilty. My love, this
does not come upon me unexpectedly.
have, of course, anticipated it. | knew
my sweet girl could not be long knowr
and seen without inspiring and returning
the attachment of some valuable man.
have rcsolved-and God strengthen mt
in this resolvc"-she cast up silent ap
peal to the fountain of strength an(
courage-"that nothing should tempt mt
TO what | consider so base. A parent ac
cept the sacrifice of life in eXchang,
for the poor remnant of her own. A
parent, who has had her own portion o
the Joys of youth in her day, deprive I
child of a share in her turn! No, m,
dearest love, never; never! l would die
and | will die first"
But it was not death she feared. Th
idea of death did not appal her. Wha
she dreaded was melancholy. She kney
the unsoundness of her own nerves. sh
had often felt herself, as it were, trem
bling upon the fearful verge of reason
when the mind, unable to support itself
is forced to rest upon another She ha'
known a feeling, common to many yer
nervous people, believe, as though tn
mind would be overset when pressed fan
if not helped, strengthened, and cheere
bv some more wholesome mind; and sh
shrank appalled, from the prospect.
But even this could not make he
wavcr in her resolution. She was a gel
erous, lust, disinterested woman; thoug
the exigencies of most delicate const
tuition, and most susceptible nervous syt
TEN, had too often thrown upon her
from those who did not understand sue
things, and whose iron nerves and vigo
Gus health rendered sympathy at sue
times impossibIe--the repreach of being
tedious, whimsical, selfish hypochondria
Poor thing, she knew this well. 1t W;
the difficulty of making herself unde
stood; the want of sympathy, the imposs
bility of rendering needs, most urgent
! her case, comprehensive by her friend
which had added so greatly to the timo
GUS cowardice, the fear Of circumstance
: of changes, which had been the bane
r her existence.
And, therefore, this kind, animated, a
fectionate daughter, whose tenderne
seemed never to weary in the task
n cheering her; whose activity was new
4 exhausted in the endeayor to assist al
i serve her; whose good sense and spin
kept everything right at home, and mo
especially kept those terrible things, Il
servants, in order, of whom the po
mother, like many other feeble al
languid people, was so foolishly afrai
therefore, this kind daughter was as t
very spring of her existence; and the i'd
of parting with her was really dreadfl