The Dickinson press., 1883-05-12
HOW LAURIE WAS WON.

HVW LAUKlE WAS WON,
The dinin groom door stood open, let
ting a stream of rosy light out on the
s~now-covered carriage-drive, and u faint
fragrance Of delicate coffee and warm
smelling viands on the cold, frosty air,
while a fair, glrlish face peered anxious
ly through the heavily curtained vim
dow, the red draperies held back by a
small, rounded hand, as my husband
lifted me from the carriage, and with a
warm kiss on my cold cheek said:
"Welcome home, dear! Your home
as we'll as mine, now"
A moment more and l was in the
warm, bright room, and, after beng cor-
daily met by the old nurse and house
keeper, Mrs. Wait, who had taken care
Of my husbands house and two children
since the death of his first wife, many
years before. | was introduced to the
little maid whose sweet face ! had no.
ticed ut the window. felt ut once that
I should love the child, with her fair
lovely face and clear blue eyes, so like
her fathers. And the position of step
mother, which l had SO much dreaded,
assumed an altogether different aspect
as drew Mamie close to meand pressed
4 kiss upon her smiling lips, while her
father looked on We'll pleased at the
meeting between his "litlle woman" as
he was wont to call her, and her new
mamma.
Suddenly lie seemed to miss some
thing, AMI turning abruptly to Mrs.
Wait, who stood by waiting to show me
to my room, with a hali-jealols, half
pleased expression on her Kindly face.
said:
"Whereis Laurie? Why isn't he here
to meet his mother" Mamie stole q
troubled look at her nurse, and then
leaving my side put her little SOFT hand
into her fathers gloved palm, and look
ing bescccl,ingly upinto his grave face, as
Mrs. Wait, said, i'm answer to his i'm.
quiry:
"Laurie, sir Why, he had promised
to 20 coasling with some lads this eve
ming, 50 lln took an early supper and left
before time TO, your arrival. lie prom-
Used some time since, see, and didn't
like to %disappoint the lads" she added,
rs my husband irowned Slightly.
every WE'LL" he replied, quietly, after
a moments pause, in which Mamie
pressed his hand tightly with her small
fingers.
felt that all was not right. and q
strange feeling of chilliness crept over
ue as | followed Mrs. Wait to the large,
handsome o which had been pre-
pared for my use-af feeling which even
the sight OF so many of my avorite lux
mies, suggested, as | we'll knew, by my
husbands tIo%ughtfnlness, could not dis
pei.
During the remainder of the
evening, spent partly at the
Laurie's name was not again mentioned;
but Il strange sadness brooded over me.
The old happy freedom of my heart was
gone, and somewhere there lnrked IL
vague apprehension, mingled with fear,
OF what hardly was conscious, and
yet which overwhelmed me to such Il
degree as to make my future, which had
seemed so radiantly bright Il few hours
before, appear unattractive and lacking.
Tired and dislleartened | retired at an
early hour, but not to deep. I lay for
hours wrapped in thought about the
house which ] had entered-a bride of
only a few short days--to fill the place
OF mother to two motiicrlcss children,
Myself a mere child, fresh from my own
mothers arms, and without experience
or understanding, and now, onthe night
of my arrival, my hear! is chilled and
disappointed by the knowledge that TO
at least one of these children nv coming
is unwelcome.: And Laurie, the one i
had hoped to win first; Laurie, the bov
! had learned to love, because they told
me he was like his father, the first one
to make me feel that my presence is an
intrusion.
Weary with thinking, l at last fell
asleep with a prayer on my lips that
might act the part of a true mother to
this boy already so dear to me, though |
had never seen him, save the likeness of
his handsome boyish fuoe which his ia
ttler gave me, when he said: 81 know
you'll care for him, Alice, and I'm sure
hell love you. He needs a mothers
love sadly, poor boy"
The next morning as | passed down
the long hall to the ~stairway-my hus-
band had gone down to give some Or
ders preparatory to his departure to the
city heard a merry whistle in the
! A'WSi man: oiiN 40 4 IaII oWlitIJ tIlC
broad stairs | encountered Laurie com
ing up two steps at Il bound. | stopped
on the first landing and held out my
hand, while | smiled at sight of the
fresh, happy face and handsome face as
said: "tiOod morning this is Laurie, [
S" Wpy a,,"rea hand w,. ,co.,tu, m;,no
gravity and stateliness becoming an old.
time knight, as the boy said coldly:
"Good-mc;nin9. Yes, i am Laurie"
Then with Il stiff little bow went on M
the stairs, leaHln. me with the feeling
that | WIS suddenly concealed into ice.
That sensation was somewhat dispell-
ed ny the warm greeting which Mamie
gave me as | entered the breakfast room
a moment later, but it returned again
when the door opened to admit Laurie
with the same boyisil statelincss i'm his
manner, and tire same little stiff bow
whenever addressed lim.
In vain | endeavornd Ia draw him in.
to conversation by introducing a boys
faVorite topics, such as coasting, skating
and other exciting paStimcs. Mamie
chartered like II little magpic, and
beamed upon me from her seat by her
fathers empty place, while her brother,
sitting next To me, ate his break fast in
almost utter silence. | tried my best to
appear natural and at my ease, bnt that
chill presence made inc cold and quiet.
was too young, too easily affected by
Others to hot care whether Il boy of if
teen years approved of me or not. Per-
haps If the boy had not been Laurie, it
would have been different. Bnt as il
was, ] was glad when the meal was atan
end, and, after kiSsin. Mamie, and with
a cool "Gpot-nlolning' to me, Inc had
left the room. 1t WAS with astiil greater