New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-06-08
S1EP-u07HER AND STEP son.
A Story of Love, jealousy, Ha-
tired, Revenge and Heroic
Self.Sacrificc.
BY the Author OF s'D0ra Ih0r7,e," "a Dvttl0s
Of Loy ,S;,,, ~ A.. War With Herselt.""A
ood M,, D &s.9,,., :. Ivh Ba., Loved
YIO11lS," &C., &c.

l
quickly!''
There was confused murmr; and
then the words of the servant who an
swered grew clear and distinct:
"Master Hugh has been drowned
drowned in the mere! He lies dead on
the bank!'
When she heard that, she laughed-a
loud, horrible, unearthly laugh.
81 do not believe it., she said; "it is
a horrible jcst!'
She thrust aside the arms that tried to
keep her back. then suddenly gave a
loud cry, and fell with her face upon the
ground.
"Can IL be truep" some of the guests
asked. "Let us hear what the men
have to say"
ut is quite true" answered one of
the men, named James Hubert. II
Was passing the end of the mere, and
saw something shining amongst the
water-lilies. went to see what it was,
and saw the child lying dead there
drowned, with his face towards the sky
and his curls tangled In the water-li lilies.
He was quite cold when got him out
of the water and laid him on the bank.
He lies there now"
Before he had finished the words
Lady Cumnor sprang up and flew to
the banks of the mere. The guests
followed her. Ross, who had been
busy in the refreshments tent, ran with
them; but none ran so swiftly as the
unhappy mother.
It was too true. There, In the long
green grass lay the dead body of the
child, water dripping from his gar
ments, his face set in the calm, restful
smile of death, one hand clutching a
water-lily, as though he had made some
piteous little efforts to save himself.
Lady Cumnor threw herself down by
the body and clasped it in her arms.
She was true woman, then, dignifed
Heaven to restore little Hugh to life;
she called the boy by every loving
name, by every tender word; but her
voice would reach his ears no more,
nor would his pretty lips open to her
ever again.
An agonized cry came from her when
she saw herself that he was dead.
Kindly hands tried to take the child
from her; but she laid him down on the
soft, long grass.
"Let no one touch him!" she cried.
Presently she rose and walked acrosa
the green sward to where Ross, still
quite bewildered, stood. She drew
herself up to her full height before
him; she pointed to the body of the
dead child.
"You have killed him!" she cried.
~ accuse you before Heaven, and in
the face of all men, of having MUIR
dered my child; you have slain him
because he supPlanted you! I demand
justice! I charge you with the murder
of my little child"
There was a murmur of horror from
those around her, cry of wonder and
dismay from Ross; and then Sir Austen
made his way hastily through tho
crowd and came to his wife. He cried
aloud when he saw the child.
my dear Hester, what does all this
mean?" he exclaimed. "What has
happened to our little son?" and he
raised little Hugh in his arms.
She turned her white, stricken face to
him, and, pointing to Ross, said:
HE has killed our childv'
Sir Austen moaned and q murmur
came from the guests. Ross recovered
himself.
ut is false!' he cried. II would not
have hurt a hair of the child's head"
1T is true" said Lady Cumnor.
'You shall not escape. I charge you
'Let me hear how It happened" 70.
quested Sir Austen, while tears fell
from his eyes: ''Speak calmly"
The mothers anguish seemed to have
covered her with dignity. There was
neither anger nor malice in her words,
nothing but the calm dignity of despair.
':He has killed our childr' she re-
peated. Il will tell you how and why
he did it. He quarreled with me Just
before he took little Hugh in the boat
Any of those who were present will
bear testimony to the truth of what
say-any of them; you, Lady Brook,
you, Captain Arson, were both present
when my step-son quarreled with me. !"
ut is true," replied those to whom
she appealed; 1--WE heard it,
''You hear, Austen" she said-sswe
quarreled, and 1 told him abruptly what
I had better left unsaid. I told him
thatyou hadmade Hugh heir to Larchton
Mere.''
"You told hita before others-so
cruelty, so publicly?'' said Sir Austen.
eyes; he irritated me, he angered
me, and l cried out TO him that he was
no longer heir of Larchton Mere; and
those who were present heard what he
said. He muttered an imprecation, and
he threatened me. His face was
flushed, and his eyes flashed with anger;
he went away quickly and took our
child bV the hand our lovely little
childv'
The Baronet groaned, and another
murmur came from the crowd. The
feeling was strong against Ross: he
could read it in the darkening faces
round him.
IF he has done it, said a mans
voice, ''he ought to be hanged on the
nearest tree, and / will help to do it,"
81 did not do it!' cried Ross. II am
as innocent as the child himself"
=, 'Youdidit, repeated Lady Cumnor."
There was murder in your face when
you went away. You took my little
child on the water, and you drowned
him. ~
saw you rowing towards the
water-lilies,n said Captain Arson, ..as
was going to the archery ground"
And l saw you coming from the
banks of the mere,' said Mr.. Charters,
You had no child with you Them
HE had left him in the water!'
cried Lady Cumnor. "But he meant
to drown him, or why should he have
taken Hugh in a boat? He never loved
him, never liked him, never cared to
please him.
II always did when you were not
present, said Ross; and he knew the
words were mistake before he had fin
ished them.
"You hear!" she cried, appealing to
the excited crowd around her. 81 say
never was evidence SO strong. told
him news which drove him almost mad
with anger; he threatened to be re
venged on me and my son. Then he
took my child away took him on the
J water. One witness saw him rowing