Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-04-14
HOW LAURIE WAS WON.

The dining-room door stood open,
letting a stream of rosy light out on
the snow-covered carriage drive, and a
FAINT fragrance of delicate coffee and
warm-smcll ng viands on the cold,
frosty air, while a fair girlish face
peered anx.ou'ly through the heavily
curtained window, the red draperies
h Id back by small, rounded hand, as
my husband lifted me from the car
'riage, and with a warm kiss on my
cold cheek, said:
Welcome home. dear Your home
5aS We II as mine, n)w."
A moment more and l was in the
warm, bright room, and, after being
cordially met by the old nurse and
housekeeper, Mrs. Wat, who had taken
care of my husbands house and two
children since the death of his first
wife, many years before, was intro
diced to the little maid whose sweet
face had noticed at the window. |
felt at once that l should love the child,
with her fair lovely face and clear blue
eres, so like her fathers. And the po-
siti' n of stepmother, which | had so
much drea lea, assumed an altOge her
different aspect as drew Mamie close
to me and pressed a kiss upon her
smiling LIP, while her father looked
OH well pleased at the meeting betw cen
his little woman" as lie was wont to
call er. and her new mamma.
Suddenly he seemed to miss some
thing, and turning abruptly to Mrs.
Wat, who stood by waiting to show
me to my room, with a half jealous.
half-plea led expression on her kindly
face, said:
Where is Laurie? Why isn't he
here to meet his mother?" Mamie
stole troubled look at her nurse, and
then leaving my side put her little soft
hand into her fathers gloved palm,
and looking beseechingly up into his
grave face, as Mrs. Wait said, in
answer to his inquiry:
"Laurie, sir? Why, he had promised
TO go coastirg with some lals this
evening. so he took an early supper
and it before time for your arrival
He promised some time since, see, and
didn't like to disappoint the Lads she
added, as my husband frowned slightly.
Every well,'' he replied, quietly,
after moments pause, in which
Mamie pressed his hand tightly with
her small fingers.
l felt that all was not right, and a
strange fe. ling of chilliness crept over
: over me as l followed Mrs. Wait to
the large. handsome room which had
been prepared for my use-a feeling
which even the sight of 50 many Of
my favorite luxuries, suggested, us
wtll knew, by my husbands thought
fulness, could not dispel
during the remainder Of the even
ing, spent partly at the supper table
and partly in IT, e coy library. with my
husba d and Mamie, Laurie's name
was not again mentioned; But strange
sadness brooded over lie. The Old
happy freedom of my helrt was gone,
and somewhere there lurSed a vague
apprehension. mingled with ar, of
what hardly was conscious, and yet
which Overwhelmed me to such de-
gree as to make my future, which
had seem, d so radiantly bright few
hours before, appear unattractiye and
lacking.
Tired and disheartened / retired at an
early hour, but not to sleep. lay for
hours wrapped in thought about the
house which ha entered--a bride of
only Anew short days--to ill the place
of u mother to two motherless children
Myself mere clhd, fresh from my
own mothers arms, without experience
or understanding, and now, on the
night OF my arrival, my heart is chilled
and disappointed by the knowledge
That TO at least one of these children
my coming is unwelcome. And Laurie,
the one | hal hoped to win first;
Laurie, tn boy 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, / at last fell
asleep with a prayer on my lbs that
might act re pa Of true mother to
this boy already so Gear to me, though
i hal never seen him. save the likeness
of his handsome boyish face which his
father gave me, when he said: 81 know
you'll care for him, Alice, and I'm sure
he'll love you. He needs a mothers
owe sa lily, poor boy I"