Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-03-19
When ahe bad grown calmer and

When sh4 had grown calmef and
more q rest, beginning to look xound
md wonder and admire, . Little feeling
Of irritation began 10 grow at his heart.
Why had she comet Had he not made
III comfortable for her at homer Here
she would be constrained, unnatural
And Violet. He coud picture the -
tonished look which would creep into
her eyes when he said to her, This Is
my mother" nay, more. the naughty
curve which would gather about her
mouth, 90 rich and ripe, and sweet.
So the question ct his heart found
words, and he scarcely himself knew
the innate irritation they betrayed.
Mother, Why did you not Jet me
know you were coming2"
I meant to surprise you. my boy.
she answered fondly. Can it oe. that
I have done wrong9"
49, aNo, no." he hastily replied. Come.
You must eat and go to bed: You need
srest."
,good-night, he sat and thought.
His mother had come to make her
home with him. This was clear: II he
told her he ,willed il otherwise, she
would obey him. =,
!; For time he planned it out how
he would tell her the city life was not
sdspted to her needs; aud then Violet
need never know of the plain, humble
little woman-who had not shamed to
toll with her own hands that his might
he the hands of q gentleman.
oh, shame on, himl Gould he ever
wash them clean, even of the thought2
No, Violet should know the TRUTH He
could bear tho scorn now in her eyes
- and in her voice, rs she would question
him how dared he look up to her, but
his mother should share his home and
heart to the end. $50. -
. It was too late now to visit Violet to-
night, but he went upstairs, and. softly
turning the knob Of the door OF the
room where his mother slept, he noise
.lessly approached the bed, and, bend
ing down, touched his lips to the old
eHithered forehead reverently.
She started up, with q glad sob OF
joy:
-. my boyl my boyl who thought
was not glad to see his mother"
He quoted her at last, wondering
why his own heart felt 80 Light, and she
fell asleep with his hand tightly clasped
in hers.
"You did not come last night" said
his betrothed, when, next morning, he
stood in her presence.
No, Violet" he answered; but l
come to-day to tell you how unworthy
am of your love. Last night my mother
came to me. Nay, do not start: It was
no visitant from the spirit land, but an
actual reality. I have never told you
of my mother. Think of ia man so
blessed, and yet dumbl All her life
she toiled with poverty-for whose sake,
think you? Her son's-that she might
make him a gentleman. God prospered
him, and enabled him to take all the
burden from her old shoulders, and so
he thought he had done his duty. He
fed the body, but let her heart starve.
Last night, in the desperation of her
hunger, she sought me out. For q mo-
ment- oh, bitter humiliation my
heart rebelledl Think of it, Violet
the cruel, unnatural pride which would
bring into q mans cheek blush for the
woman who bore him! I thought of
you, with your pretty, dainty ways, side
by side with her plain and homley ones
knew the two never could be recon
ciled, and so, Violet, have come to ask
you to forget me. Ny heart, my home,
are my mothers henceforth and for
ever.
Had the man some lingering hope
that the girl before him would refuse
the sacsifce2 Certainly an added look
of suffering grew into bis eyes as she
answered nothing, only laid her hand
in his moment, as if in farewell.
His visits seemed very long, very
weary, all that day, but, as he crossed
the home threshold at nightfall, he
smoothed the frown from his brow a. he
remarked:
I "She must suspect nothing"
He would find her, he knew, in his
study. As he softly opened the door
he anticipated her cry of, my boyl' as
she tremblingly rose to greet him but
ahl he had not anticipated the picture
which met his gaze.
His mother was sitting, indeed, in
the arm. chair by the fire, but at her
feet her head resting in her lap. while
the old fingers carelessly stroked the
luxuriant chestnut hair, was another
figure, which rose, instead, to welcome
him.
Bernard" the sweet voice whispered
in his ear, II lost my mother when I
was baby. It has been so sweet to
find one agsinl You said, Henceforth
your home and heart were hers Obi
my love, may we not share the boon2"