Omaha daily bee., 1884-03-01

old hemlocks. The sun was Just gliding
the tops of these trees, the birds among
their boughs were twittering, and far
away in "the purpling distance the wood:
showed dark against the cloudless sky
All that afternoon poor Phyllis had to
suffer and her eyes were red and and
swollen when her father came in to sup.
per. He strokcd her hair with q loving
smile when Mrs. Trevor was out of the
room, saying, with tenderness in his voice
and eyes:
HAS she been tormenting you again,
Phyll But don't cry, dearie, and spoil
your pretty eyes for tomorrow, for you
are going to wear your pink dress, which
matches the faint roses in these cheeks
so well, and go to the picnic as gay
as any of theml" and the kindly man
sat down to his evening meal with a face
as tranquil as though nothing had oc.
Cured during the day to disturb its sere-
nifty.
She went about her task of milking with
q happy heart, and when, her work finish.
cd, she entered the kitchen, breakfast was
in progress. Her mother went about
scowling as usual, but for q wonder she
let Phyllis alone. When she had finished
her breakfast her father babe her go and
get ready, with q reassuring smile, but
silence.
"You had better hurry, mother, and
get dressed, too, you and the boys. I'll
have old Timur hitched to the wagon
and at the door in half an hour" said
her husband, in his usual friendly tone
of voice.
81 amt goin'l' snapped Mrs. Trevor.
Her husband paused and looked back,
with his hand on the latch of the dosr.
Not going2" he echoed. "Why not,
mother2"
Mrs. Trevor looked up with an angry
toss of her head.
"If you are a.goin' to encourage Phyl-
lis to go when l said she shouldn't, then
l WON'T" she said, emphasizing her
words by a decided not.
very well. AS you please Helen. i
presume you will not prevent the boys
from going2"
They can go or not, for all l carel"
she returned, angry that he did not seem
put out at her refusal to go.
Very well. Go and get ready, boys;
| will have the wagon at the door soon.
Pack a pretty big basket for them, moth
er," and he was off. His wife act about
packing lunch for her children, still
grumbling, and glancing spitefully after
her husband through the window.
Directly Phyllis came from her room;
and she did make a lovely picture in her
rose.pink lawn and ribbons ;the color con
trasted well with her brown eyes, yellow
hair and fair white skin. Even the cold
mother felt something like pride in her
daughter when she looked at her, stand.
ing there with the sunshine making an
aureole about her head; but she would
not show it.. She s%motherad down this
transient feeling, this unnatural parent,
and said, in a cold, cutting voice which
froze the happiness in her daughters
heart
Now let me tell you one thing before
you start, Phyl Trevor! Never you speak
to me again, after disobeyin' me; you
heart And l want you to heed, tool"
| do not think the woman knew, or,
rather, thought of what she was saying,
for she spoke in anger. Surely no mother
could have 30 little affection in her heart
for the child she bore! Surely she did
not think of what she said, or mean it!
But the words smote Phyllis like a
knife; she turned a white face, with
great startled eyes, upon her, gasped,
and then, with a shuddering cry, she
ran forward to her mother, who was
leaving the room, crying, with olasped
hands:
'.Oh, surely you don't mean what you
say, mother2 I love you So; and you
wouldn't be ~ cruel to me? l will stay
at home willingly, if only you won't be
SO angryf
Mrs.. Trevor turned a livid face upon
her daughter.
81 do mean it! I almost hate you, you
white-faced, puny nothing! Your father
was led by you to go against what / said,
and if GU had never been born, l would
have been happy! never cared for you;
settin' yourself up to carry favor with
your father, soft he won't hardly notice
any of the rest of his childrenl"
At this j%uncture the gentleman in
question suddenly made his appearance,
and Mrs. Trevor hastily departed. think
ing that perhaps she had gone a little too
far, even for the patience of her easily
led husband.
He had heard her cruel words, and he
came forward, putting his arm tenderly
around the weeping Phyllis, and MUIR
muring endearing words which made her
tears flow on'y the faster.
'Father, / have only you to love me in
the wide world. Mother hates me. She
said 80. Oh, father, please don't ask me
to 20 on that miserable picnic, if it is to
take all the pleasure of my life away, "she
cried, tremblingly, clinging closer to
him.
Darling, it will not do to give way to
such s~,lisbness a, your mother has
shown; she shall not go on treating you
AS she has been doing. Dry you eyes
now, Phyl, and go to please me. ! will
SEQ that yoh are treated in a manner be.
fitting my child when you return" And
no led her out hastily and placed her in
the wagon with tae boys, still soothing
her. She could scarcely restrain he,
sobs, for the words sttered 80 cruelty
sunk deep into her hear.
sob, God, / wish / had never been
bDrn!' she moaned, as, With dry eyes
and whirling brain she draye old Timur
along the road past sweet smelling hedges
and shady hooks; but her, eyes were
| blind to the beauties of natur, now; sh,
heard only that cruel voice saying:
81 never cared for you!' All the
youth and beauty in her life seemed
blotted out. The boys did no, notice
the arrange white look of their sisters
face. They were DANGEROUSLY talking OF
| what fun they were to have.