Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-24
.HER mOTAEA,s SEcREf.
CHAPTER |.
THE MISTRESS OF MONDREER.

UIIUEI lOHC- AALNtff ~ fN4
though hearts be sacrificed
"'Honor,' mother, dearY do not
understand. | do not see what honor
has 70 do with il. riff it has, | should
think that honor would be better
saved by my keeping faith with lie than
by breaking with himl Oh, motherl
motherl 1t will kill mel mOaned
0dalite.
my child, my dear girl, hear mel
listen TO reasonl Leonidas Force has
no claim to beremembered byyou. You
have never been engaged to him. You
were but a little girl Of thirteen when
be went to sea on his first voyage,
three years ago, and you have not seen
him since. What possible claim can
he have upon you. since no betrothal
exists between your" gently questioned
the lady, tenderly running her fair
fingers through the dark tresses of the
young head that leaned upon her
bosom.
"Oh. mother" replied the girl, with
a heavy sigh, Il know that there was
no formal betrothal between LIE and
myself-but-but-we all knew, you
and father aud lie and I-dH knew
and always knew, that We two belonged
to each other and would aliCdyS belong
to each other ell our lives. lie and l
never thought of any other fate"
idle, childish %fancies, my poor lit
tie girl too trivial to cause you these
tears. Wipe them away, and look
clearly at the higher destiny more
worthy of your birth and beauty,
murmured the lady, pressing her
ripe, red lips upon the pale brow Of
her darling.
"0h, mother, | DO not wanta higher
destiny! l do not want any destiny
apart from lie. And these are not
childish fancies, and not trivial to mel
Oh, think, mother, lie and | were
playmates as far back in my life as |
can remember. We loved each other
better than we loved any one else in the
whole world. You and father used to
laugh at us and pretend to be jealous;
but we sac that you we're pleased all
the time; far you both intended US
for each other, and we knew it, too,
for father used to say when he saw
how inseparable we two we're: so
much the better; l hope their hearts
will not be ~estranged when they grow
upl' And our hearts have nerer be-
come estrauged from each other"
"0h, yes, dearest, | know that there
was Aome speculative talk when you
we're children of uniting you and Leon
idas, SO that the name Of Force might
not die out from Mondreer. But |
never really approved of marrying
cousins, 0dalite, merely to keep the
family name on the family estate"
But, mother, darling, LIE aud |
never thought of the family name and
estate; We only thought Of one an
other. And, besides, we are such
very, very distant cousins-only fourth
or fifth, | think-tbat that objection
could never be raised. Oh, mother
dear mother do not compel me to
break with Lei | can mott | can mott
Oh, indeed, | cannot she cried, bury
ing her face in the lady's bosom.
Elfrida Force caressed her daughter
in silence.
Presently 0dalite lifted her head
and pleaded:
He is coming home so soon now,
and so full Of h0pel He expects to be
here by Christmas; and he expects
oh, yes, | know BY his last letter that
be expects tO-tO-tO-" The girls
eyes fell under the compassionate yet
s%crutinizing gaze Of her mother, and
her voice faltcred into silence.
"To marry you early in the new
year, l suppose you mean, dear"
"Yes, mother"
"He did not say 60"
mo, mother, dear, be did not say
so, in 50 many words, but from the
whole tone Of his letter he evidently
DpsqRf 50. Father thought be did.
aud even tried 70 teaze me about the
New Years wedding-asking me how
many hundreds / should Reed to buy
my wedding clothes"
What was il he said in bis lettel
that leads you 70 suppose he has am
such expectations | confess that
saw nothing Of such an intention WheI
| read the letter"
Only this, mother, but it was YER
significant. He wrote that nov b.
had inherited Greenhouses aud all hi
Aunt Laura's money, he was ricl
enough 10 resign from the Navy, and b
need not 60 to sea any more, nor eve
part with me again; but that be eoull
stay home, repair and reiurnish th
house, improve the land, and farm i
on all the new principles, and max
the place a paradise for Us 70 live 10
He wrote, mother, dear, as Of certain
fixed facts"
be vas very presumptuous. 10.
dear little girl, for there is nothin'
certain in this world Of changes.
grayely commented the lady.
But Les heart has not changed
nor has mine"
Ny poor darling" said Elfrid
Force, smoothing her daughters dar.
hair with a gentle hand, my preeiou
child IL grieves me 10 do 20, but
must prepare you for what seems 10
evitable. You must forget all hi
youthful folly. and think Of Leonida
Force Onlya as a cousin. You do 10
really love him as a betrothed Made.
should love her afianced husband
( You only fancy that you do. In r,
ality you know nothing Of such a Low
: as that. lie was brought IN In M
house with you. You have no brothe
Le has no sister. You therefore loy
y each other as brother and sister. h
and BY you both may discover-bu
not tor each other-the higher. deem
stronger love which unites the In,
band and the wife in a true marriaq
e such a love as 1 could wish mipf
t crown my darling's life with lastin
G joy-suoh a love as you might find in
a union with Angus Anglesea, il va
: would but give him the opportu1il
/ of winning your heart"
e Madam exclaimed the Dir
starting to her feet, and gathering he
r black brows over black eyes ths
blazed with indignation, II hate Co
I ouel Angleseal | hate him and | lea
s himl And | would rather die this IA
o and never behold the face of I
e again, than listen to Colonel Anglesea.
n "Od2litel Odalite, my child Yo
$ are talking to your mother. Come
0 my heart again. and calm vnnr ernih