Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-12-05
CHATTER VIII

1
/ Just how one passes through the crisis OF
| life, what one has said or done on such occa-
sions, can not al vs. be accurately record
ed. Call back TO mind III your own mem
DRY the most important and vital interests
in your life and you viii marvel at the few.
ness Of the words said and the common
| placeness of the actions.
just how Jacob and Rose got Uncle Aaron
home-just how Jacob explained the home
coming of the new mistress and long absent
mother TO his household and to Alice, he
| could not have told if lie had been asked a
| month later.
| And as for Rose, for days the only real
thing in the world to her was pictured
memory Of a few strange faces in a beau
tiful room, and q minister in white robes
saying: Il am the resurrection and the
life and lying IN calm aud peaceful grand.
eur the form of Uncle Aaron. Always, al
ways she saw only him, aud on his face that
| glad and triumphant smile of eXultant Lowell
In the confused days that followed she
| spoke and eat and slept, but did so as one
in dream or as one wi vail over the
face shrouded.
There came at last a day when the dream
| was ended, and she awolle, when the vail
was torn aside and her eyes beheld. She
was sitting in the front bed room Of her
| home, around her the many beautiful things
that money and culture brings when sud
denly she saw, as for the first time, her
| daughter Alice. A fair-haired girl, with
her own features, but more lovely because
of a curious likeness to Uncle Aaron in the
pink and white face. She dropped the book
she held in her hands and gazed at her
child. Her child Was this lovely girl
hersl And the years that had passed to
bring her to this state of loyelinessw what
did she know of themi What part had she
in her child's life, in her girlish hopes and
fearsl And now, here she was, sweet and
gentle, just trembling on the edge of
womanhood and what was she likes
What do ! know Of her? Is she my childp'
unused Rose. A strong, jealous feeling Of
true motherhood swept over her. ''She is
mine And who are these people that have
had the care of her till nowf'
She half arose ia her seat, and Alice, turn
ing around, said, gently: "Is-is there any
thing you want, mother!i
How the word thrilled her Going to
Alice, she put her arms about her and said.
quickly: ''Tell me of Yourself dear-tell
me of yourself-al you can rememberW
Surprised and startled TO see the strange
and handsome lady whom she had been told
was her mother, but for whom until now
she had felt only a deep curiosity, Alice
answered abruptly: "Tell you Of myselfi
What q strange thing TO ask, mother"
Yes, yes" answered Rose, with sob,
sit is strangel ! know that Unnatural
and wrong that need to ask at all-that /
do not know all about you from your first
pair of shoes upt now. But / don't; and
oh never, never can know ~ breaking
down and sObbing convulsively-"I never
can knowl on, my baby! Oh, my little
grille Oh, my Alice Mnel minel minem
kissing the startled girl on checks and lips
and hair, hungrily stroking even her dress +,
''you are MINER
There, there, mother" said Alice, trem-
blingly, the tears in her eyes; "do not cry.
l will tell you all | can. l Will, mother
dear"
But alas the best that tender kindness
can do can not bring back the pastl As
Alice went on, gently relating bit by bit
parts Of her innocent life the mother
groaned aloud. She might know the facts,
yes, down to the smallest detail, but that did
not help her hunger, did not relieve the
gnawing remorse that she felt, nor kill the
jealous sense at her heart, that there would
always be part of her child's life in which
she had no share. Stiil, this breaking down
Of the barriers brought them nearer to-
gether. Alice felt warm glow Of feeling
towards her mother that was the first be-
ginning of an earnest love
That night Rose saw her husband Jacob
with new eyes. Strong aud grave and
tender, the man that now she felt she had
trusted in blindly through an her folly and
wickedness, he was there, aunch and true,
her husband still A sense Of awe, Of
reverence came over her, as Of one spared
beyond her deserts. 81 never can atone to