The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-03-31
HIS REWARD.

"You are most unjust, Charles, and I
know the Lord will one day sting your
conscience for your cruelty, and for
your heartlessness toward that dear
child"
The speaker was a comely lady of
about fifty, tall, slim and upright, and
neatly clad in widows weeos. Charles
Pemberton, her eldest son, handsome,
stalwart young man of eight
whom she addressed, answered impa-
tiently:
"Confound the boy, I wish he was
dead"
He did not mean that, for he loved his
little brother and delighted to make him
happy. But his mother had fatal fac.
ility of tongue, and for the last three
hours she had been attacking him on
the subject with aggressive meekness,
and had stung him with half-truths, and
the latter of which he could not deny,
though in their spirit and essence he felt
them to be immeasurably false. And
now, out of his grief ard his impotence,
he flung forth those bitter words. angry
with himself SO he did so, and rising to
per should betray him further.
His sanity mother flung parting
shaft after him."
you expect. Charles, and more than that.
He will probably not trouble you many
years, for he is very delicate, and 1
shall not outlive him very long. Then I
suppose you will be very hap-hap-
happy"
Charles Pemberton saw the cambria
prepared for the shower, and, shudder-
ing, fed whereupon Mrs. Pemberton
retired to her bedroom to pray that her
sons hard heart might be softened.
And then from curtained recess at
one end of the old paneled room there
came out little boy OF twelve, with
blanched, serious face, half-parted lips,
and wild, dark eyes. Toward the close
of Mrs Pemberton's lecture he had en-
tered the room by an open window, un-
perceived, AID, finding that he was the
subject of the discourse, he had con-
cealed himself. He had heard only the
concluding words, and they chilled his
very life-b blood. He stood now with one
hand clutching the curtain.
$50 Charles wishes l were dead, does
he? And his mother thinks am going
die to please him. But won't. won
der what makes mother think am going
to die Perhaps she only said it to ag-
gravate Charles. Why should he wish ]
were dead? 1 though he was fond of me, "
and here was nearly choked with a rising
sob, which he gulped down with diff
Guilty. - wonder why-Tll ask him. "
The next morning, after breakfast, his
brother, who had forgotten the incident
of the previous day, taking ball, called
out: Get your bat, Teddy, and let's
have half an hours practice"
As they were walking down to the
field Edward suddenly startled his
brother by asking:
would it be any good to you if !
was dead, Charles?"
GOOD to me! why, Teddy, what are
you thinking of"
"Well, yesterday you said you wished
I was dead; and you would not wish
that if it would be no good to you, would
you?"
Charles stopped abruptly, and said,
with stearness: who told you that?"
Nobody. just came into the room
as you said it. and you didn't see me.
And ever since have been wondering
why"
Charles Pemberton flung away the bat
and ball he was carrying, and clasped
the boy in his arms, kissing and hugging
him, like girl with new doll.
"Oh, Teddy, Teddy. Teddy" he said,
81 wish my tongue had been torn out by
the roots before had said such thing
but didn't mean it Teddy. You never
thought I meant it, did you? Why,
Teddy, l wouldn't lose you for all the
world, my little play-fellow, my brother.
1t isn't right for me to complain of You
to mother, and when have just told
you how it happened that l said those
cruel words-that didn't mean, didn't
ever mean, you know, for q moment
Teddy-then you must forget all about
it. I had told mother that wanted to
make q man out of you, and that it was
time you went to school, and learned to
stick up for yourself; and then she said
/ was cruel to you, and that didn't
care for you, and lectured and scolded
me all the afternoon, and then forgot
myself-which ought not to have done,
for know it is only her love that makes
her over anxious-and said those hate.
full words that never, never meant,
Teddy"
II thought you never could mean il,
Charles" said Tie little fellow. he had