New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-06-15

lSDAY, JUNE Is, 1881.
lest any questions should be asked, and
knowing that in the excitement he
would not be missed, he slept in the
woods all night, and so took this chill
which will end in his DEATH
She stopped abruptly and held out to
Ross faded knot Of blue ribbon that
had been torn in two.
"See, Ross-here is proof of what
he says. The boy tells me that as lit
tie Hugh fell he clutched at the shout.
der-knot my darling wore, and it gave
way'in his hands. He has kept it ever
since"
"And Leam," cried Ross, "has
sacrificed her freedom for thisl''
"She will be free now," said Lady
Cumnor.
FreeP Yes-with blight on her
life that nothing can remove; she will
be free, but the odium will cling to her
to the lastr'
mo" cried Lady Cumnor, "you
are mistaken! There will be no faint,
no blame, no shame. Everybody will
know how Lean loved you, because of
what she did to save you. So far from
being condemned, she will be more
loved and honored than ever.''
II should like to see the boy" said
Ross. land hear the story from his
own lips"
He went up into the room where the
boy lay dying. There Ross found
Gotham, the .boatman, and the lawyer
who had written down the statement,
and the Clergyman who had listened to
it. Sir Austen was comforting the dy-
ing boy with kindly words.
ITO think" said the old boatman,
while the tears dropped down his face,
''that my lad should have done such a
thing as that and kept it to himself!''
II was frightened" gasped the boy.
1 dared not tell"
my poor Leamp' sighed Sir Aus
ten.
The boy turned his haggard, dying
face to him.
IT never had the lady out of my
mind, SIR" he said. II heard mother
read how the young lady said she was
guilty; but knew that had done it,
and no one else. Ask her to forgive
me, sir. l was 50 afraid of being
hungr'
Half an hour afterward the boy died,
his last moments soothed by the cler'
gyman ct bis side.
Some days elapsed before Lean was
liberated, and then she became the
heroine of the day. Her story was III
every newspaper and on almost every
lip. It was another nine days wonder,
and then it died away; but in the hearts
of the people who lived near her home,
and in the hearts of those who loved
her, the memory of her great sacrifice
never died.
The first to welcome her, when she
crossed the threshold of the mere, was
Lady Gunner; and Lean, whose heart
was all aglow with happiness and love,
forgave her her past hostility. She
kissed the proud, fair face bent before
her In such utter humiliation.
It wish,' she whispered, gently
"oh, how I wish, Lady Cumnor, that
could give you back your little sonv'
Twas Lady Cumnor who fixed the
wedding-day; she was SO humble, SO
loving, SO patient, so anxious to make
Lean and Ross happy, that they could
not resist her.
1t was on Christmas Eve," she said,
that II came here; and brought with
me misfortune and sorrow. Let me
atone for it by bringing to this Christ
mas Eve gladness and love-"
1t was a strange day for a wedding,
as every one agreed; yet it had charm
of its own. No wedding-day could
have seen two fairer brides; for Prince
Cenci had won beautiful Lady Viola,
and they were married on the same day.
That same Christmas Eve, while the
wedding-guests were all busily occu-
pied, Lady Cumnor called Ross and
Lean into Sir Austen's study. She
looked right queenly in her wedding
attire. She took the hand of her huS-
bands son and held it in her own.
Ross she said, gently, II did you
a cruel injustice once; now let me atone
for it. My little son in Heaven has
taught me many lessons that should
never have learned from earthly wis.
dom. Let mo atone for my injustice
now. Heaven may bless me with other
children; but your inheritance, Ross,
shall be yours. I have asked Sir Austen
to leave Larchton Mere to you and your
heirs forever; and he has decided to dc
so. Kiss me, and let us bury the past. u
And he did so.
Another matter that touched and
pleased Ross was this. On going into
the gallery where his mothers picture
hung, he found it wreathed with ivy
and Christmas berries. He brought his
wife Lean to look at i, and Lady Cum.
nor followed them. The carol-singers
were singing just then, and tho Christ
mas bells were Ginning merrlly.
Lean turned and clasped her arms
round the stately figure, always for the
future to be loved and never again
feared. They formed q pretty group
when Ross lovingly put bis arm round
his wife's shoulders, smiling the while
into his step-mother s face.
"What CHANGE he said, "from
the Christmas Eve when you came
How perplexed and anxious was then.
and how happy I am now!''
my heart has been touched by the
vision Of a little child" said Lady Cum.
nor. Heaven knows best. Perhaps,
II my boy had lived, / should always
have been proud, jealous and envious.
believe his bright, pure little spiri,
overshadows me. All me, ah me, the
snow on the ground is not winter thdn
that little body was, not purer than the
little soul that winged its way to Heav.
en-! I could fancy this" she said, go.
ing to the window, and drawing aside
the hangings, "the Christmas night OF
many hundreds Of years ago"
Ross bent down and kissed his wife 6
sweet face. Lady Gunner turned to
him suddenly.
"Ross," she said, lido you think my
child died that I might live higher
lifeP''
at cannot tell.n he renlied. and