The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-12-24

So that Christmas evening Mother and /
were alone. There had been something in
mothers manner all day which could not
not understand. She seemed to have some
thing. on her mind. She was loving and ten
der to mo. SO tender that thought that no
one had ever had mother like mine, and yet
sometimes when spoke to her she scarcely
heard me- But we had quiet, happy day
VIC always were happy together-and late in
the evening mother sat dowa in her chair by
the fire and said;
sCome and sit here, Janet, on your little
stool, and put your head on my knee. have
story to tell you tonight"
"A story, mother deara Oh, that is lovely,
like being child agains"
at is true story, Janet, of your life and
mine. | have never cared to tell it to you be-
fore, but am not afraid now-my child and
/ have loved each other all these years-no,
am not afraid"
"What could you be afraid of, dear
mothera'
"You shall hear and judge" she said, put
ting her hands on my head. and then she be-
gan: "When / was young, younger than You
are, was engaged to DO married. My home
was very unhappy, and when Andrew West
ern came and asked mo to marry him was
read. to revere tho ground he trod upon. He
hal been coming backward and forward to
our house for some time on business with my
father, and believe that from the very first
day he saw my misery. We were-and to
my remembrance always had been-poor but
If had been q boy my father would have
possessed thousands year. never wondered
that he hated me, that my mother mourned
and fretted from morning till night; they had
brought me up to feel guilty Of a crime, and
| did feel it in my inrnost heart. It was no
marvel that, when Andrew asked me to marry
him, looked upon him as an angel OF deliv-
erailce. loved him with an intensity which
amazed and frightened him. 1t was in vain
he tr.ad to make me. sober and reasonable. 1t
was il: vain he told me that such worship was
wrong aud foolish that il gave him no happi--
ness, while to mo it must bring disappoint-
ment. could not listen, and at last wear
ied him. lie said little about it after awhile,
but lie went away, and once more my life was
desolate. TIe said he would como back. but
he never did. He wrote to mo often, kind,
tender letters, but they chilled my heart; and
then day ho wrote to tell me that it must
! be ell over between us. He told me how liz
had strisen to hold fast by his old lovc for mo,
but he could rot; LII, mere effort painc.l him..
him with dread. He could never return such
love, he could never ci!Jure to have it law
ishcd upon him; once for all he would give it
death l,.ow;; when his letter reached mo ho
should bc married.
II had another lover then, Janet, and al
most hated him, but before many weeks were
over became his wife. He loved me always,
but We quarrcled. l could not pretend to
love him, and he grew reckless; our home
was miserable, and within year be died. /
was too i'll to know what happened for long
time after that Strange faces passed before
me, strange voices spoke kindly words of
pity, and once every day it seemed to me that
Andrew came and stood by my bed. When
at last I woke to reason again, you were be-
side me. Oh, how loved you! How pas
sionately I loved you! You seemed to me to
be all the world, and you saved my life!
my husband had not left me in poverty,
had no need to work, and spent my whole
life i'll watching over you. made no friends,
for cared for mono. forgot tho miseries of
my fathers house; / forgot my quarrels with
my husband; I forgot oven my love for An
drew, and was scarcely moved when heard
that death had visited his home as well ss
mine, and that be was indeed desolate, for his
wife had died and left him childless. Thres
happy years passed away almost without o
cloud. You grew and throve. Every day
seemed to my delighted eyes TO give a new
charm, new beauty to my treasure; and
then in tho midst of my joy you fell i'll. Day
and night, night and day, ! watched by your
bed-nay, Janet, give me no thanks; it was
selfish love! 1t was all In vain that doctor
and nurse argued with me- would not
leave you. It was fever and must run its
course, they said. If you should recover, my
strength would be needed when you could
know and call for me; but would not listen,
and one night as sat beside you all tho room
grew dark, and knew no more. When re-
covered could not rise from my bed, but
implored with passionate tears to be taken to
you. Then some one came forward and sat
down beside me and took my hand, and Isaw
that Ii was Andrew 1t gave mo 70 surprise
to see him there Idimly remembered thatI
had seemed to see him before when T was lii, |
and for tha moment his presence calmed
me. - |
Mary, he said, in his old, quiet tone, If
you do not do as tell You you win die; and, |
what is moro, tho child will die too
T spraug up with scream and struggled |
togo to JON. My child, my childi' cried,
She is not your chiidl-she is mine,' he |
said, In that calm tone Of truth which had |
never failed to convince mo, and which now /
pierced like d sword of leo into my heart.
Yes, she is Iailiei Listen His quiet eyes |
controlled me, Lis quiet words subdued me.
sWhen you were very i'll, dying, they
thought my name was often on your lips,
and they discovered and sent for me. Dn tho
sanne day child was born to cae.. Of Us, and
my wife and your child died. We might
s