The Worthington advance., 1881-08-18
BERlNICE.


cottage, and came out into the midst of the
gloomy, freezing cold, wistful, anxiou.
look on her white face. Putting her thin
childish hand to her mouth, she callet
"Bennie! Bennie!"
Presently there came an answer:
Yes, am comm mother!''
And simultaneously with the answer. ,
sturdy little fgure appeared upon the sum
NIT OF an icy knoll.
"Ah, Bennie! have been SO anxiou,
and you are so coldw
Not bit; but took longer tramp thar
usual. But only see the faggots; they're
as clear and rich as butter!" and the sturd,
little figure advanced. drawing after him
small sled heaped with pine knots.
The woman's wan, moonlight face lit uI
to absolute radiance; and q tenderness
that was touching, beamed from her great
biue-gray eyes, as they rested on the boy
"a stalwart, sturdy little fellow, robed AMI
whipped like an Esquimaux, with white
hair, and an honest, manly face. Beu
Chudleigh's own boy!
When they had crossed the threshold,
she kissed him, parting the haxen locks
on his brow. The lad blushed like q Girl
at her caress, and then fell to unloadin q
his sled, and heaping the fire with fae-
gots.
There, now, mother" he said, as the
ruddy blaze shot up the broad chimney.
isn't that nice? Now you shall sit down
and get real warm, and I'll make the tea:
I'm such strong fellow I never get tired i
Benny threw on fresh fagg ots, and got
out his illuminated primer to amuse him
self, while his mother did her sewing: but
somehow the bright pictures failed in their
usual iaterest. His ears were full of the seas
wild sobbing, and his blue eyes-bola, kind
eyes, SO like his fathers wandered furtiye-
ly to his mother sfface.
A lovely face, fair and refined: face
that, in it's early bloom, when all its rare
colors were unfaded, and all that SUPER
abundant gold.brown hair was in its glory,
must have been wondrously beautiful.
Bat now ali! SO indescribably sad, so full
OF an undying relnorse.
The lads eyes filed with childhood's
quick tears as he watched her, and his face
grew solemn with a vague, doubtful won-
der.
.Mother," he said at last, just the least
culver in his voice, mother, was it sll
right between you and father when he went
away I've wanted to know so long"
The mother looked up, startled and
amazed; swift, burning red shot up into
her white cheeks. and then she let her
head drop forward on the sewing stand and
burst into passionate sobbing. The child
grew pale with fright and pain.
"Oh, mother! POOR, dear mother!" he
whispered. going to her side, AMI dropping
kisses and caressing touches on her bowed
head: Il am so sorry! I didn't think it
would hurt you so!' >.
Sho Groxu hin, <<> ho~ l1o~,,o s. .:1.-
aad stall sobbing: His childish questions
right with her and father when he went
away?" All, no! it was all wrong; and now,
God pity her! it was too late ever to make
it right-the cruel wrong must live through
all time, and eternity, perhaps!
How vividly, sitting there in the ehastlv
glimmer of the freight, did she remember
that last parting, three weary years ago!
Bennie was but q wee lad, then, and his
father, who had followed the sea all his
life. was starting on long voyage. He
wanted paper of some importance q prom
issory note, or something Of the kind, and
came to his wife for it. -
berenice, his pretty girl-wife, had takon
care OF all his papers and all his money
since the first day Of their happy marriage,
he being great, careless, loving, frey
hearted fellow, as sailors usually are. But
Berenice was quite busy that morning get
ting his outfit In readiness; and the March
winds clustered down the cottage chimney,
and putfed the smoke and ashes about, and
put her out of humor; and, perhaps, for all
her sweet child ways and rare beauty, this
petted wife Of Ben. ChudleiRh was bit
impatient and quick. .temrered by nature,
or because Of too much petting ana indulg-
ence, as is oftener the case. At any rate,
after hasty search for the note, she de.
clared that it could not be found and that
It had not been intrusted to her keeping.
Ben. opened his handsome blue eyes in
amazement.
Why. .Berenice," he said, not bit CROSS,
only decidedly, syou know I gave it to you.
Of"
"A foolish habit, TOO, sretorted Desenice.
spNe9aly. why not hks caFe oe than
(