Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-05-09

presence made me cold and quiet was
too young, too easily affected by others TO
not care whether boy Of fifteen years
approved of me or not. Perhaps il the
boy had not been Laurie, il would have
been different But as IL was, ! was glad
when the meal was at end, and, after
kissing Mamie, and with cool Good
morning" to me, he had left the room.
II was with n still greater sense of relief
that ! saw, a few moments later from
my post at the library window, a warmly
coated and capped young man 60 down
the carriage drive with his school-books
under his arm.
Then Mamie and were left to spend
the long winters day together said it
was with feeling of relief that saw
Laurie leave the house, and yet | missed
him all that day. And when four o'clock
came and with il his quick, boyish step
in the hall, my heart gave a sudden start,
and would gladly have echoed Mamie's
glad cry of, "Laurie's come" But he
only stayed long enough 10 warm and
leave his books. Then taking his sled
he started out to coast till supper time,
leaving us only little breeze of frosty
air and sense of loneliness AS we drew
nearer the glowing fire to wait for the
evening train from the city, bearing its
precious load of human freight, with my
husband and Mamie's papa among the
number.
So the days and weeks went by.
Mamie and | grew to be inseparable.
We were together from morning until
night. | heard her lessons, read to her
and sat with her while she practiced her
music; while she in turn was my con-
slant companion in my every day duties
and pleasures But Laurie, oh, how
many a heartache have ! had over Laurie
Laurie remained the same, gentleman
", polite and espectful-perfectly so.
At times longed, fairly longed, to have
him just the opposite, if with it he would
be less cold and stately. and yet love me
little, and, after some burst of boyish
passion, beg forgiveness in my arms, rs a
little son, and receive full and free par
don, as from an own mother. But as it
was there was nothing to he done; no
way for me TO reach his heart, for he had
placed that broad barrier between us, and
my hands could not tear il down. To
others our department toward each other
may have seemed somewhat cold, but
perfectly just and right. And no one, |
am sure. ever accused me of not being a
true mother to Laurie, as we'll as to
Mamie.
But no one knew how my own heart
ached and grieved over the boy grown;
so dear to me, to whom felt that / was
a mere stranger, and no more.
Sometimes despaired of ever winning
his confidence and love. Sometimes a
little thing would instil hope in my heart,
and the burden would seem lighter for a
day or two, only to grow the heavier
when he again made me realize how far
apart we were by some more than usual
GOODNESS.
Still hoped and prayed. could do
nothing more. There was nothing needed
for his comfort. Mrs Wait, ever jealous
of her boy, watched over him 10 careful
ly that he did not need even my faulty
mother-love and waiting hands to do for
him the many little things which boy
is constantly exacting.
But the time came when even good
Mrs. Wait failed him, and then got my
reward for patient waiting, and hoping
and praying. One day, one cold icy day,
Just ut evening, | sat alone before the
fire, putting few last stitches in
Christmas present for Mamie, which 1
had to make at odd moments while she
was away. Now she was spending the
afternoon with little friend, and would
not be home for some time Mrs. Wait
had gone to the city to do some Christ.
mas shopping, and would not get back
until my husband came, so, except for
the servants, was alone. Laurie ! had
not seen since morning, when he took
his skates, saying he was going to try the
ice on the river before coming home;
The great house was still and lonely,
even the French clock on the mantel had
a more than unusual subdued sound as 1t
tinkled out the hour of five, with its
silvery gong. had Just completed my
work, and was holding il up before me,
a delicate null scarf, which / had EN-
broidered in pale blue forget-me-nots,
admiriug my own handiwork, and think
ing with a little pleased smile of Mamie's
delight when she would find it among
her presents Christmas morning-for
what does a little maiden of to-day adj
mire so much as n dainty embroidered
article of wearing apparel?-when | was
startled by a sudden peal of the door
bell. | hastily put my work aside, and
rose from my chair as the door was thrown
open, and the maid appeared with a
strangely scared look on her face, as she
exclaimed:
ooh, ma'am, Master Laurie is hurt
dreadful, and they've just brought him
home. Whatever shall we do! Mrs.
Wait is gone. Oh dear! Oh dear!" And
she hurried away, wringing her hands in
her distress, while l, quivering from
head to foot, but with great effort to
control myself FASTENED after her. |
met the strange procession in the hall.
Four boys of Laurie's age, carrying life
less figure between them; four grave
young faces, but one still white one,
across which trickled stream of warm,
red blood; four merry voices hushed to
silence in the midst of their boyish glee
by the sudden mysterious shadow of
calamity fallen upon one of their mates.
"What is it?' | asked, in breathless
whisper, as caught one of the cold, life
less hands in my warm ones. "Tell me,
WHdt ndNe yOu uohc w i1auiiNt
And they told me in low frightened
tones, while i pulled out the broad sofa
in the end of the hall for them to lay
their precious burden on, and hurried
one of the distressed servants off for the
doctor, how they had all been skating
on the river and Laurie suddenly fell
backwards and struck his head against
sharp block of ice which had just been
cut and when they picked him up he
was senseless, and the blood was running
down his forehead from great cash near
his temple.
They carried him home as quickly as
possible; the river was only little dis
lance away, and even the cruel skates
were still fastened to the lifeless feet.
One of the boys stopped down and
took than, off as teuderly as n mother