The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-17
THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

How very lonelv 1t seems Tonight,
mother" said Mabel Richardson, as she
and her mother sat alone in the deepen
ing twilight. Both had been silent for
some moments, occupied with their own
thoughts; and each face, to a careful OBJ
server or student Of physiognomy, would
have been marked for its sadness of ex-
pression-a wish TO know why one 50
young as Mabel Richardson should have
broken the painful. silence with term
50 indicative Of deep feeling and mex
pressible sorrow. Although Mrs. Rich
ardson endeavored to hide her feelings
from her child by feigning indifference,
yet her face and voice could not deceive
,he careful observer as she asked:
HWhy should you feel any more lone
ythis evening than any other, Mabel~
aAll day long my heart has been
Eeavy, even the wind means to me like
he means Of q grieved child that refuses
b be comforted, and fills my soul with
pdpess. Old memories that / have
tsinly sought to keep within their
ecked chambers come crowding upon
ny brain as if refusing to longer heed
by bidding, and bring the gentle face Of
br, my early confdant, who, nine years
30 tonight, left me in agony and tears.
Fother, Just nine years ago tonight, sis
tlice went awayW
"Mabel, why do you speak Of her?
that very night you were forbidden to
ver take her name upon your lips, or
tter it in your home. Has it been that
thinking you have forgotten her that
ihave deceived myselfT
Mrs. Richardson was very pale as she
bid this, and turned her head away that
Label might not discover how great was
be- agitation, or the effort it was to her
pfeign indifference and displeasure.
"You certainly deceive yourself, my
ear mother, in thinking for moment
bat had entirely or could forget my
ster Alice. Although I was but s
ears of age, I remember the night she
ame to my bedside and kissed me and
,ept as though her heart would break.
he bade me good-by, and her last words
, me were: Mabel, do not forget your
Unhappy sister. We part, perhaps, for.
Yer. Let not the cruel world teach you
b believe me wholly vile She was
fatly agitated we'll knew, although
kas only a child, and wept until the
aornings dawn because I knew that
Alice, was wretched. Before she went
INTO the cold and darkness, she knelt be.
iide my bed and prayed long and fervent-
Ey. That prayer have not forgotten. II
had all the earnestness of helpless soul
IT. was so indelibly impressed upon my
young mind that lifetime can never
Jake one little of it from nv memory
She prayed for father and for you
mother; and when she breathed youl
name, she buried her face in the pillow
hnd moaned as only a sorrowful woman
can moan. Child that was, I we'll re.
member how I kissed her cheeks, wei
with tears, and smoothed her dark hair
thinking to quiet the tumult that was
raging fiercely within her heart; anc
when I entreated her to weep no more
she folded her arms about me, and the
agony of her voice is in my ears now, a.
I recall her words: Mabel! do not lei
the story of my weakness estrange yor
from me in the years to come. Ever b
my sister, though we never meet. Sa,
you'll love me, love mev And mother
I promised her that would ever keeT
her in sisterly remembrance. My WOW
has been faithfully kept, for l care no
what was her fault, or shame, the sam.
blood that has kept my heart and being
alive all these years, is in her veins. W.
have the same father the same mother
All day I've thought Of her. Tonight
the wind seems to be but the echo ol
that night when Alice left us, and al
though you and father have both forbid
den me 70 speak Of her, yet I can moi
think that your motller-heart has not
yearned for your child. Mother! these
nine years have changed you. The lines
of sorrow and anxiety are deeply marked
lin every feature Of your face. Tell me
i am not wrong in what say"
"My child, you know not the struggle
1t has cost me in my efforts to appear
cheerful, for my thoughts all these years
nave never deserted my child. Her face
,as ever followed me; her sad, reprovine
yes in my dreams have ever haunted
ne. Oh, Mabel! do not for one moment
mink mother can 50 easily forget {
aild. God alone knows how much
Ave suffered in these years of anxiety
taw I have longed to fold my arm
pout her, to feel that she was indeed
ith me! It was no fault Of mine. You
ther was too proud to overlook he
eakness. and his word was law in ou
luse. Ientreated him not to forsak,
Ir, but nv words we're Of no avail.
eaded to send her out into the worle
pne and unprotected, a fathers hous'
Ridden her! / knew how cold ant
uel the world was to the erring, and
nged to fold my arms about her ant
lep her from the scorn and sneers of ,
licked world-a world that has no sym
THY for the weak. Oh! Alice! Alice
Id Mrs. Richardson wept tears such a
ly misery weeps.
"Mother," said Mabel. soothingly, I'd
IT weep Tell me why Alice left us, ant
forget-novI'll cease to speak of he
Eyou." E& $8 9&ftt ~ II
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