The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-03-09


US" Within the memory of the old man.
never could such speech have been
made TO his vile without drawing ont "a
sharp as an answer. But now she said
nothing Memory was busy with the old
.ady; memories OF the the time when
she and her husband, would ride out
with q bright little face between them
and small hands would proudly hold the
end Of the lines, thinking they were driy-
ing Then afterward, when they wero
older, she and father sitting on the bacl,
seat while the handsome boy, whom
they both worshiped, sat before them,
guiding the spirited horses to their grea.
admiration Eut Walter their own bow,
Shelr idol, was Separated from them now
snd the Old times could never come back
aCaln- Her boy, her Walter! Somehow
81 late the old lady's heart had ached for
asr boy moro than over. Sne nungercI
for thA sight OF his handsome, manly
lace; his loving voice, and ringing laugh.
And low bright and cheerful he had
made the oil homestead, which was dis
nal enough now. And what child h,
mad been 10 them till this one fault-and
was it fault7 OF late Mrs. Williams
often found herself asking this question
to her own soul. Everywhere she heard
only good OF her sons wife; an aunt. one
OF the maiden angels who tread fearless
by amidst the fire OF domestic disSen-
SION with no smell of FIRE On their gar-
ments, visited both sister Susan and
nephew Walter; and the keeneSt cross
questioning OF sister Susan could extract
nothing but good accounts of Walters
wife. Aunt Ray would descant upon the
oerfections of baby Sus'n till its grand
mother iclt rs if she must needs set ont
Chat very minute anu take the bahv,
Walters baby, TO her heart il il were
not for her pride. But her pride made a
gulf between them that she could never
cross; that was all that Parted them.
-he had had Telcntings of heart before
Cousin Jemlma had come TO make her
home with them. But now she had been
there six months, and every dav she
would say to herself, with groaning OF
spirit over her past blindness. What If
| had my way, and had mado Walter
marry her, what 6 life would he have
had ~ She felt that no amount Of wealth
could compensate for the sharp thorns
of her daily presence. COus n Jamima
was very dlsagrceable person and age
which mellOws noble natures, also has
power TO sharpen vinegar. Cousin Ja-
NINA WAS not a pleasant presence III any
man ) or wOman's 5 home. And - tho davs
rolled by, more and more did Mrs. Vii
Jams long for her boy, long to be recon-
cIled with HIM. She ielt thai size could
,ove his wife now for his sake, and Tor
her own Eut the old lady's pride stood
N the way How could she bend her
pride sufficiently 10 own she had been in
the UrOng2 And snc had said that she
would never call her son : wife her
laughter. And Walter had said she
should never come TO them TIL She did.
No, II must 90 on always aS IL WIS now
Tor wider than sea or Ian the old lady's
pride separated them. And the old days
could never come back again.
The old lady was 50 wrapt IN her mrs-
incS, that she forgot, Tor moment, the
pvrIls OF the journey, the lmrariicl car
rIage and harness. and Jim heels. But
= tremendous bound of the bu-gv arous-
ed her, and she exclaimed, somewhat
sarcss;lcaliv, There, you couldn't mis-.
gcttin' on top OF that stun, could YOU? ?
i know | heard somethin' crack then.
Father, DO get out and see"
Il won't get out" Mistaken old man,
he did get out The old lady was right
this time. The whiifietrees did break.
and Jim, incensed by having some
strange object touch his heels, wheeled
round, ran the buggy into ditch, and
the old lady on the roadside but the Old
gentleman less fortunate, found himself
On a stOne-heap, with the carriage e-wheel
partly across his arm.
1t was near pretty white cottage tho
accident occurred, and pretty lady, with
baby IN her arms, was looking out of n
window, and saw II all She dispatched
her servant quickly TO the spot, and i
man IL work IN c shed ran after her. 80
The old gentleman was scnscl S., and
looked like dead man; and lac was
taken up and carried into the cottage,
while the Gr-e:-stricken old Lady Iollow-
Ing him, shedding silent tears through
the lace veil
Hattie, tender hearted Hattie. did MOI,
YOU may b. sure, see a white haired old
gentl Ia. n brought into her hoJls, unCo.r-
sslous, an 2ray-headed Oil Ia " fol-
.oTlng hln', weeping. withoCt tears in
n"r own eyes She ComiOrtcd her, and
petted her - II she had been her own
mother; she opened her best room for
the unronc.ous oil gentleman, AMI then,
when the Go,lor came, she stood by him,
TIL he set the ErOken arm. The old gen
I"nan soon recovered his senses. He
was stunned by the fall, or, as he always
told II ate!ward, in relating the adven-
tEre 10 his friends he would never IA
To s@y, Il was stuuted by the fall They
All thought was dead but l was only
stuntcd."
When the o'd lady, relieved OF her frss
terrible dread, bean to look about her,
admlring the bright, coy home, and the
sweet little mistress, she caught sight OF
photograph hanging upon the wall,
and she exclaimed, with eyes iull OF Won
der:
How came my son Walters picture
hcTe ,"
'Iour son :" then it was that Hattie,
Worn out with her unusual toll, and tho
sudden shock, fell down in a mt, at the
feet OF her astonished mo.her-in-law.
When she recovered, she found her head
on the old laIys bosom, and Walters
mother bent down and kissed her, and
said, My daughter q"
And so the long silence, and the long
cstrangement WAS bridged over, and
mzte IS II 1t had never been, by that
mOtherly kiss; and Hattie's warm erms
about her now fond mothers neck.
Hattie was sick all that night. Th,
said she WAS only weak; she should be
better IN the morning. And so she was,
out not able 10 rise from the sofa much
so fearful that Walters mother would
tire out But the old lady scorned the
idea OF weariness, and refused all rest
She stood over Hattie all night, and tend
cd her with gentle care. And baby Su-
sic, IN all her short petted life, surely shc
had never known such watchful atten-
tIon as she received during that night.
And the next day after the accident,
about night-fall as grandpa lay comfort
ably in his bedroom, and Hattie lay on
the sofa, smiling IN her content at the
picture before her, OF grandma holding
baby susie IN her arms, when the door
opened and Walter, coming in quickly
10 surprise Hattie, saw a picture that
almost turned his brown locks hoary
gray. Mother You here ?''
Yes said the old lady, as calm as If
At were an everyday occurrence Your
father broke the whiffietrees, and almost
broke h!s neck, and your wife here has
almost killed herself taking care OF him.
Walter, happy Walter, what a happy
New \ ears night was that for him. And
from that New Years Day the old la ly
never once referred to the estrangement
But, as she was energetic in her dislikes,
so she was in her friendships. Her
daughter-in law, and especially the won
derUl baby. .Iemima left soon after to