The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-15
TROpS MOTHER.
Young Ladies Journal. !


about it from the beginning. Help yourself
to cigar frst and pass the box to me. l
knew you would want to hear the psrticu-
lars, and IL have been trying to put off the
evil moment. PR getting an old man now.
Harry, and all this shook me good deal at
the time.
"Come here, Trot, and cit on my knee
There. that's better. Seems odd, Harry
don't 1t, to see an old bachelor like me nurs-
ing a tiny bit Of girl like Trote Four years
old to-day, aren't you, Trots How the time
hiesl
You see, my dear lad, you ought to have
told her before you went away. She never
guessed that you thought OF her in that way.
1t might have saved her-Tho knows2
"It must be nine years since your Uncle
Will died and left Violet in my care. She
ives only fifteen then. Don't you think
Trot is very like herr The same large brown
eyes and long lsshes. the same loving little
ways.
''She came to me one morning soon after
you started for China, with letter II her
hand.
"'Look here, uncle, che said, kneeling be-
side ne, and holding the note where could
read; IFS from the Colds and they invite
me to 60 and stay with them at Yentnor,
May l acceptP
lido you want to go, Violet? 1 asked.
OF course l co. she answered, laughing.
We are so quiet here at home, and this
would be such delightful change. Please
let me, uncle. I'll write you long letters,
and tell you about everything
81 did not want to part with her even for
q little time, for the three years she lad been
with me then had made my life quite a diff.
ieTent matter; bat il seemed selfish TO keep
the bright, merry girl always shut up with q
crusty old man. 1 gave her leave to go, and
then, when after a fortnight she wrote, beg
cling TO be allowed TO stay longer, as her
friends wished, had not the heart TO re-
fuse. She was there Ave weeks and thea she
1 came home.
"The very day after her return he came
few weeks she bsd learned to regard as a
hero. How he found out at first that she
had little fortune of her own done know.
He asked for me and told me that he wanted
my remission to address my niece.
HE was good-looking young fellow, and
had frsRk, open manner, that was sure TO
win girls favor, bat l thought OF you,
Harry, ard determined to prevent the mat
ter going further If / could, took q strong
and apparently unreasonable dislike to him,
and made many inquiries hoping to End
out something that would Justify me in for
i d.
But studied. observed every little &C! and
word, until at last was convinced that
knew him through, and that he was no fit
husband for my little Violet,
"By this time it had become kind OF
tecit engagement, and know should seem
aim ost brutal for interfering. but 1 couldn't
bear the idea Of giving Violet into his care.
vowed TO myself that nothing on earth
should induce to do so, and told him
10 discontinue his visits.
1.-THE result OF that was that he came to q
definite understanding With Violet, and she
promised to marry him, with or without my
consent.
''Don't look at me so reproachiully, Harry.
| It may be that acted unwisely all through;
but il so have been severely punished for
my folly. You have let your cigar out
Here are the matches.
You want me to tell you all she said aud
1 did-her very words, ss well SIS l can re-.
member. That's a hard matter, for my men,
ory's not so good as it used to be.
IL was sitting here one evening, when
Violet came in slowly, and sitting down
where you are. looked at me very sadly for
some minutes.
Uncle. dear, she said at last, I can not
understand you meyer believed that you
could be so hard and cruel
81 did not speak.
"a 1t Is not like you to be so unjust, so ar
bitrary,' she went on. 1T seems to me, uncle,
That IN the matter oil marriage q woman
should choose for herself and not be inhu.
enced by any one. 1 have made up my
choice and given my word bat oh! should
be so much happier if you were not angry.
Do forgive me and be your own Kind self
again.
Yes, when you yield to my wishes
answered. Coldly. You are mere girl,
II you were ten years older L should leave
you to take the consequences OF your RASH
ness. bat as il is
"'As it is-what them OH uncle, and she
slipped from the chair and kneeled on the
rug at my feet. 'Pray-prsy be your old self
fore, and il seems so strange and unnatural
TO see you turn your head away from me
without smile. Do you love me only il
have no voice, no will of my own
Listen to me, child l said, looking her
In the face. 4 have striven to be father
to you since 1 brought you here; have
loved you, heaven only knows how dearly.
In return / only ask you to let me prevent
| your making q complete wreck of your life.
/ want to save you from q sad fate aud You
think me tyrant.'
''She took my hand in both hers, and
/ pressed her face on it, then looked up with
smile.
~ wish Harry was here, she said. He
would help me to convince you. He always
took nay side
Il ought not 70 nave told you that, my
I dear boy, but il was so fresh in my mind, as
1t struck me forcibly at the time, knowing as
l did your love for her. Forgive me my
want of tact.
she was not given to shedding tears like
some women or rhe would have cried then.
Her cheeks were hot and burning as they
touched my hand, while her eyes were fe-
vershly bright. She used every argument
I che could find to induce me to consent to
her engagement, and as l remained silent
che drew nearer and gazed mp eagerly in my
face.
"'You relent, uncler she whispered in an
agitated way. You will let me be happy
In that way, never 1 told her. sadly
and sterEly, and / tried to draw away my
| fingers, but she chung to them tightly, while
her lips quivered.
Don't say that, unclep she cried hosrss-
I ly. Dear uncle, oh what can / say-whst
can say to move your
You think was very hard, Harry, see;
! but thought It best"
flush. child said Nothing will in
1uence me. / am resolved
And so am /, , she said sorrowfully.
dropping my hand and rising TO her feet. Il
should always have wished to please you;
but now that you are harsh and unjust, and
will not listen to reason, what can do?