The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-04-08
,1Yes, and more's the pity"

unlike, that you will n, yer be able to un
derstand me when say. that am bored
to death by the cares Of maternity"
"Charles never thinks baby bore1'
questioned Mrs. Sands, as she pressed q
kiss on the wripkled little forehead of hei
new and deeply loved earth-tic.
"Hei No, indeed. 1 wish be would
leave his business wholly and attend only
to heri"
There, hushi silly girl; you don'i
know what you are talking off,
II do. / wish l had married wealth
enough for that purpose, said Mrs. Low.
ell. shfugging her ivory shoul ers, and
laughing merrily.
"Ohl Martha! Marthar'
Whats the matter, mother"
II grieve that you do not see how pre-.
cious gem your Heavenly Father has
committed to your care"
II don't see how precious it is! (Humph
what am thenp Have no claims to be
considerably Precious2 Iguess l do know
how precious my GEM is. when receive
invitations / cannot accept on account
of 1.-THE little plague"
''But, daughter, you will be held ac-
eountable for the possession of this little
plague; the polishing Alright of so fine a
gem you cannot disregard. Poor little
dependent creature!" and the grandmoth-
er's tears bathed the face of the hapless
infant, wonderment seemed to increase.
"What dear, funny, good-hearted
thing you are. mother! OF cou.se l love
my child. Every mother does that
mean to do flrst-rate by it, educate it to
dance and sing divinely. and all that sort
of thing, you know"
Educate it for heaven, daughter"
Mrs. Lowell yawned again; then. gath
ering up her mothers much derided,
though well-preserved cloak aud bonnet,
she left the room, humming an operate
air.
1t is well for childhood when IL is bless.
ed with grandparental love and interest.
Grandparents! what tender memories and
heaps of bonbons the dear words pre-
sentsl What volumes of pet names. warm
defences against deserved punishment
folios Of, alas! too often, undeserved
praises; and well told stories from books.
scenes, or times, ''aged" years agol What
histories of joys augmented, of griefs SUBJ
dued and vauqnished. through ready, ac-
tive, loving sympathies, that the marrow
home drew from u.s., leaving us filled as
never before with torturipg appreciation
of the dear souls, not lost but gone before.
Some time after, Mrs. Lowell saii, one
day.
"Mother, suppose you and father take
the house opposite. You say you think
of leaving Bellville. 1t would be pleas
ant to have you so near"
''We have lately thought Of leaving
Bellyille. Father and have TALKED it
over. The children are all married"
Here the old lady paused. She did
not utter what her senses too surely re-
allied, that none of her ten children but
Martha needed her constant attention.
Many an hour, in her three months visit,
had been made wretched by this painful
conviction.
"Will you walk over TO the house with
me, Charles, after breakfast"
Eyes, mother"
"Wont Martha go with us, my SOM"
"We had better not disturb her, moth
er. She needs sleep this morning, as she
was out late last night at the ball, poor
thingr'
Charles. too, had heavy heart. He
could not speak of the failings of one so
near and dear to him. But Mrs. Sands
knew how many struggles between love
and duty tormented him.
II thought if you could live opposite
you would look after baby" added
Charles, with painful hesitancy, and flush
ed cheek.
my dear son." sobbed the old lady,
taking his hand in both Of hers, 1--WE must
hope for the best"
81 do; and trust that when my little
wife is older she will take less pleasure
in mere amusements. l think that day
will come"
The house opposite was taken by Mrs.
Sands forthwith.
The little plague" is grown up-has
come out-has admirers by the score.
What mass of founces and furbelows!
What a show of affectation and emptiness!
What display of selfshness and obsti.
macy!
Martha looks with admiration upon
her work, yet secretly eDyies it the youth
and beauty that she has lost. Charles
sees, too, this mockery of true woman
hood, and, with unseen tears, and M
heard prayers, hopes for the best yet to
come out of chaos. But he wishes that
his dear mother-in-law had lived until
his child had grown mp; and wonders il
it was mercy, or kindness, or love, that
took her away when she was SO much
needed. .-
Yet mother and child vote Charles q
''bore," and keep from him many an item
which he ought 10 know.
A runaway match follows fast The
'little plague" dared to mAkeit. This is
the drop too much in the cup Of Charles.
He sinks into his grave bemoaning the
fate that gave his daughter such hus-
baud.
Time passes The ill-matched hate.
where once they loved; and bythis hatred
lose their last chance of happiness and
safety. Misery follows fast; then comes
the last link in such matrimonial chain
unbappiness, poverty, separation.
A dying MagdAlsnl Oil where q sad
der sightS
As the earth fattles upon the coffin Of
her UronOed child Martha feels Wherein