The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-10-01

Inc rain ulOucTdleu duu one VI TWO
watery stars peeped out, to that the
darkness was not so intense. The light
grew brighter and brighter, and at last
we pulled up at the gate of large, COM
fortable-looking farmhouse.
8 You'll find Mrs. Mansell a queer
woman" said my companion. as we I'M
saddled the horses and turned them
loose in the yard. "I'll you about her
when we get under shelter"
He knocked at the door, which was
opened by an elderly woman, evidently
a servant, who called Mr.. Bruce by name
and ushered us into a large front room.
Standing in the middle of the floor and
bending forward in an attitude of expec-
tatioD, was a woman with snow-white
hair. She leaned on a stick, for she
seemed very infirm, and her eyes were
fixed eagerly on the door, which opened
to admit us.
ooh, it isn't Paul." she sail, in tones
of disappointment. "What can keep
my boy? Mr.. Bruce, did you see my
Paul? Does the lamp throw out much
light ,"
"Oh yes, Mrs. Mansell," he answer
ed; "you can see it nearly five miles
away on the ridge"
{" put two in the window, it was
such dark night" she went on. "My
boy must have plenty of light, you know,
or he might get in the salt marsh.
What can keep my Paul ? / want him
so much, " turning upon us her piteous
eyes.
son, youth sec him soon, ma'am, {"
Mr.. Bruce said, cheerily. Don't wor-
ry about him, for it will all come right. 4"
ooh, yes, he can't stray, can he, with
that light?"
She tottered to the window and trimmed
one of the lamps, and then sat down in
an easy char near it and took no more
notice of us. Every low and then she
whispered, els Paul never coming 2"
and at every sound would bend forward
III the attitude of expectancy.
:" Is she worse than usual tonight ?"
Mr.. Bruce said, in low voice, to the
servant who had entered again.
"She's always worse stormy nights.
She won't go to bed tonight, but will
sit up there until morning. I've kindled
a fire in one OF the bedrooms, Mr..
Bruce, and you and the gentleman had
better go there and dry your clothes.
She won't speak to you again tonight,
poor soul.
We had dried our dripping garments,
and were enjoying pleasant talk before
Mr.. Bruce satisfied my curiosity about
our singular hostess.
"She had an only son, Paul, he said,
"and both mother and son had violent
tempcrs, and did not try to control them.
She adored Paul, but she did not allow
him to cross her, and he was fully as
self-willed as she. She sent him away
to school. He returneda handsome, i'm
periOus youth of nineteen, who refused
to content himself with the narrow life
in the old home, and insisted upon q
wider field of ambition in some other
country.
"She refused positively. She was
we'll off, and all she had in the world was
his, but he must remain there and share
it with her.
GAS an old family friend, [ was often
calledSn to their discussions.
"'I can't breathe here said Paul.
ITS not life, it's mere stagnation. If
you want me to be satisfied in such a
place and among such people, why die
you send me away and educate me :?
Why give me taste of another life, and
I've no taste for cow-herding and hog
hunting, and that's what you want me to
do !"
"'You've no taste for anything but
your own selfish will = she answered bit
terly. Not dollar of mine goes into
this craze of yours. The life that's good
enough for me is good enough for you;
| and if it don't suit-well, you can go;
but without cent, and you will never
return again, [ can tell you'll I'm no
silly mother TO make ducks and brakes of
my money to crafty the whims OF silly
boy
He flung out of the room in a fury,
and did my best to persuade the mother
! to consent to his leaving her, and making
a trial of the life he longed for. He
would probably fail think he wanted
| to be an artist, and then he would be
content with his pleasant home. The
nest of the old birds, I told her, did not
restrain the young ones who wanted to
! try their wings.
az spoke to deaf ears. She only said,
He's my only son, and while | live, he
| shall never leave me with my consent.
"When / left the house, Paul joined
me on horseback. [ was interested in
| the lad and L saw that mother and son
were making themselves wretched by
! their own wilfulness. / counselled sub
mission, and told Paul that his mother
might yield in time to his wishes.
| "Neverp he cried. IF / can't be
! happy her way, she prefers making me
miserable. You say shelovcs me. Per-
haps she does, but it's strange kind of
| love, isn't it
"'Never mind he added, laughing.
I've thought of a way. A greater evil
drives ont a less, don't it? Now, what
will you bet before two months, you'll
hear mother begging and pleading with
me to go away ?"
Aud then he laughed long and loud,
but refused to say more.
SIN a few weeks / heard Mrs. Man
sell was wild about her sons attentions
to the blacksmith's daughter, Lottie
Grey, bold, pert girl who was the talk
of the neighborhood. As usual, she sent
for me to hear her troubles.
"'I can't understand it, she said.
Paul hates vulgarity, and she is coarse
and vulgar. Why, the creature can
neither read nor write It's a most dis
graceful hirtation-for, of course, it's
only tlirtation-and / wish, Mr.. Bruce,
you'd give him good talk about it.
So 1t would be better to let him leave
here, Mrs. Mansell, said. You in
sist upon keeping him among these peo-
pie, and young men who are idle will
amuse themselves with whatever may