Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-19

Marc, for he has never accepted the
vision as revelation-has never be-
lieyed that II was anything but dream.
lie has always opposed my course with
baby, and he pains me by using her as
he does Tommy, making no difference
except for her age. She is now sob
bing in her sleep from her fathers dis
cipline."
This is the story Of that painful hour:
The children had each an orange. Lucy
ate hers, and then snatched ut Tom
my's, and cried for IT, The baby-cries
smote upon the mothers heart and un-
nerved her. In an excited way, eagerly
intent on soothing Lucy, she began
coaXing Tommy to give his orange to
his sister Tommy refused, and the
mother was about to force il from him
when Marc interposed, speaking qui-
etly and firmly. mabel, you must
not do that" he said. "You would
injure both children; you would cuti-
vate baby's selfisbness, and you would
confuse Tommy's ideas of Justice and
weaken his faith in you"
"Oh," cried the smother with pa
thetic beseechment, chow can YOU
oIthh dbbub lltI III llllb tOlN-UIOOiltu
way, when in six months we are to see
her deadPh
81 do not believe this" said Marc:
"but even if 1 did know that she was
to die in six months / should want the
child rightly disciplined. l think her
face in the next world will be influenced
by her training in this"
I'm glad she's going to be beaded, "
said Tommy, who wildly realized that
the baby was a discomfort in his life
"And you'll be covered up in big
hole he added, turning to his sister,
- wOn'tl l won't' cried Lucy in
passionate protest. 81 won be lowered
in a bid hole: will me, mamma?'
Tears were running down the mothers s
face Il would die for you, my heart.
my lifer' cried the poor soul, "but /
can not help you"
Meanwhile, the little Lucy in child
ish rage spit in Tommy's face and threw
"a china doll into it. Marc picked up
the little passion-swollen girl, went in
to the next room and locked himself in
with her.
He is going to punish her." thought
the alarmed mother, at is sacrilege
Hers is sacred ilesh--it is angels flesh
He will punish her, and then when she
is gone he will break his heart over it. -
She went swiftly to the door, as one
would fly to avert disaster. She begged
to be let in; she ordered the door
opened. He made no reply. 81 warn
you, Mare" she said, "that if YOU
strike her will never forgive it."
She heard the little Lucy passionately
crying, "Mamma! mamma! wants my
mamma! l wants my mamma! 1 wants
her so hard! Papa, Lucy loves mamma
so bad! loves my mamma so badrn
And then she heard with burning
heart Mares reply: "You must stay in
here, away from mamma, because you
spit in Tommy face and struck Tommy.
You must stay in here, away from
mamma, till you stop crying stay in
here till you are good, When you stop
crying you may go to mamma. There,
now! be good-stop crying"
In spite of his tender tone Mabers
heart was resentful. Tommy had fol-
lowed her to the door, and was now
pulling at her skirts and hand. Almost
roughly she put him away.
81 wants Tommy's orange; Lucy
likes um so bad" pleaded the sobbing
baby
"No, you can't have Tommy's or
angei you had one" said the father.
Yes, she may have it, papa" Tom
my called through the keyhole. He
had been habituated to giving up to her,
and had begun to learn little of the
sweetness of self-denial,
Mabel felt sudden heart-warming
toward her boy; she reached out for the
little sun-browned hand and drew him
nearer
Soon after the sobbing on the other
soothing words from Mare, and then he
came out with the baby. The mother S
arms were opened; Lucy fell into them,
and laid the wet face on its old resting
place.
"Baby may have it," said the little
brother, holding out the orange.
Lucy reached both hands for it, and
a bright smile broke over the liquid
face.
Then Mabel, pressing the child close,
went away with her. A hundred times
she kissed the dimpled flesh, the angel
flesh, in passion of tenderness, in a
rapture of pain.
While resenting Mares action with
the child, it was serious suggestion to
her: Would ungoverned, childish pas.
sion, unchecked selfshness, show theiI
tracery on the spirit in the hereafter!
Would discipline of the child here bet,
ter fit her for the coming life? Would
it be gain for the spirit there to take
lessons in self-control here? For days
these questions tore at the mother S
heart, breaking its devotion, so sad, SC
sweet, to the child. At length she de,
cided: Il will not in1ict certain pain
on my baby for probable good. l will
go on filling, if / may, her brief days
with happiness.
1t was with this feeling that she be.
gan the preparations for baby's Christ,
mas. The child was now at that age SC
enchanting to its watchful lovers. when
all its walk is among wonders, and it is
seeking the keys and asking them of al
about it.
I" 1t will be her last Christmasr' the
mother said as the festival drew near
Mare rose up at these words with q
gesture of impatient remonstrance,
Z" Now don't, please she hurried tc
add. g know what say, Marc: il
viii be her last Christmas, and we must
bring together all the Christmas de-
lights. She must hang up her stocking
on Christmas Eve: on Christmas Day
we will have a Santa Claus, and al
night tree, the handsOmest possible
| We must crowd the Christmas with iOy
for her--must make it so delightful tC
her that even amid the bliss of HEAVIER
she will remember her last Christina;