St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-01
CONQUERED.
BY MRS. j. C. wYNOoop,


She had done all she could to gain the af-
fections of her step-child, but she had not
succeeded; perhaps she had tried too osten-
tatiously; perhaps the child felt too much
constraint and was too much caressed. con-
trary to what she had been led to expect
from the remarks Of her little friends at
school, who told her that STEP mothers were
always prejudiced and unknd. Perhaps
her husband had said too many times, in
the tone of voice Pansy had long since
learned to obey: NOW, is not that kind
of your mammal" or had ordered her too
roughly to speak in more respectful way
to her mother. However this may be, it
was sure that Pansy did not love her STEP
mother, and she showed it,
This was a great disappointment to the
young and newly-made wife, who had nur-
tured such lofty ideas about the education
of this reserved, beautiful and talented
child. Her intentions had been so grand
and noble, and in the first months of her
married life she had shed many tears of
bitter disappointment. Afterward her sor-
row for the child that would not belong to
her grew less, for she longed for another
that was to be hers. The Step-mother was
to become mother.
sentiments of little dimpled hands clasped
caressingly around her neck, of soft kisses
on her lips, of love given and unstintedly
| returned. For awhile her heart was divided
between hope and fear, but hope was up
permOSt.
Dear God, make this beautiful dream
come true"
pansy was treated as kindly as when her
father had first brought his bride to her
lonely home, but she was no longer the OBJ
| ject of continual observations, and the child
was accordingly grateful She went her
way quietly, and seemed to enjoy being in
the kitchen with the colored cook.
| She did not seem to be happy when they
told her she was soon to have little brother
or sister. Whether she was glad or sorry
no one knew.
In the first night of the new year little
boy was laid in the pretty cradle so lovingly
prepared for him.
''Pansy. your little brother has comep'
With these words Pansy's father greeted
her at the breakfast table. She sprang up
hastily from her seat.
Papa, may | see it?"
He thought these words were uttered
with joy, but he must have been mistaken,
for she stood dumb and shy before the
cradle, and when her father asked what
she thought of the new baby she said. softly
and inditferently: Mice" turning at the
same time to leave the room.
''Pansy, have you not one kiss for me?"
came weak voice from the bed.
The little girl gave the kiss required, but
coldly, as if she obeyed an order. 1t cut the
young mother through the heart.
1t was very warm in the room. The morn
ing sun peeped through the closed blinds
and the fire gloWed in the open hearth The
baby in the cradle slept The nurse dozed in
her chair. The mother alone kept watch;
her eyes often shut, but she opened them
quickly again, and looked with dreamy ease
at the sun behind the curtains, at the doing
nurse and her sleeping child. 1t seemed as
if she had to keep awake to watch over her
baby; but sleep strove to get the mastery,
and at last she did not know if it was
dream or realty, but she saw the same
scene before her, only some one else was in
the room-sOme one who had not been there
before. ltWaS PanSy; but not the indif-
ferent child who had stood there before
On tiptoe, and looking carefully about her,
as il afraid to wake the slumberers, she ap-
preached the cradle bashfully; she looked
at the big bed. at the doing nurse, and
then she bent gently ovel the sleeping babe
and kissed it again and again, murmuring
soft, low words OF endearment.
The young mother looked up. The
nurse sat with the newly born on her
lap and told her she had slept long time
1t had not been true, then? Alas, only
a dream!
Poor little mother! Her child had not
come to stay. He was weak and sickly
from the beginning, and so it lived ten DAYS.
no I'm fha
eleventh day the mother sat by the little
corpse. Her husband had taken it gently
out of her arms and put it in the cradle,
but when he asked if she would not lie
down and rest awhile she shook her head
with wan smile. Then he kissed and left
her. hoping that she could weep. But she
did not weep. she did not stir; she only
looked at the little face in the cradle
Suddenly the door of her room was
opened
''Oh. mamma, is it true? Is the
baby"
The mother was seated with her back to
the door. She nodded her head slightly,
| and Pansy could see her brother.
There ne was sleeping Oh one side Just as
| quietly as yesterday, but he breathed no
more.
And Pansy? She stood as if thunder
StIuCh, tlltl, Will d low uOdu WruIlS 1rOHl
heart full of sorrow, she threw herself for
the first time around the neck of her step
| mother. Their eyes met, and in the same
moment they were full of tears; they both
wept, they were together.
No. it had not been dream!
Her little darling was gone, but it had
brought her the love of the child she had so
long wished for i'll vain, that love that was
necessary to establish confidence between
her and her step-child in order to guide her
to noble womanhood.
The mother missed her son, the sister her
little brother. and they grieved as mother
and daughter together, and as mother and
child they knew how to console each other.
Through mutual sorrow, joy and peace
had come.
NlcLain Leads: