Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-13

caress in the voice as well as in the hands
that stroked the hair.
80, no; only didn't know you without
seeing" in gentle but careless tone. "Do
you like this daub?"
SIT shall be treasure TO me"
at is sad libel on the original here, but
if you will accept it as poor expression of
my gratitude"
fonly gratitude?" Sheebs thought as
she sighed and withdrew her hands.
"What have / said to hurt you?"
Nothing, my child. am ridiculously
nervous to-day. To tell the truth, Colonel
Dallas return has brought something to
sadden me-"
"Can Isympathize with you?" and May
stood up, with an honest look of her eyes
into those that were instinctively averted.
Sheeba moved away, as though to save her
daughter from contamination; but when the
girl followed her across the room, took a
seat by her, and comfortingly stroked her
hands, she accepted the demonstration of re-
gard, slight and inconsiderate as it was, with
manifest joy.
Talk to me about YOURSELF" she said;
'of your life at school"
"There is hardly ANYTHING that I navenot
already told you" May quietly replied.
'Then of what you recollect earlier"
THAT is little indeed. 1 was only 10
when my father died; and for as long as I
can remember before that 1 had been in
charge OF a governess, seeing him occasion
ally. The governess told me that he had
brought me from England, and that she
knew nothing of our history. Once asked
father-it was his last visit before the news
came that he was dead-about my mother.
He made a reply that 1 did not compre-
hend, further than that something painful
was associated with the subject"
"Has recollection of that suggested to
you possibility that your mother was not
dead?'
80, how could that have been? If
mother were alive could anything keep her
from her dsughter?"
"An estrangement between your parents
might have separated her from you. Have
you no memory of her at all?"
''No; and yet in fancy 1 have created a
mother who, in dreams and reveries, seems
almost real"
what is this imaginary mother like?"
20, the gentlest, purest, loveliest of
beings. This is an ideal mother, You
know"
If May had then looked up into the face
that was bent over her she would have seen
the agitation of the woman who drew her
fondly into an embrace; but the voice was
calm and steady. "Suppose-imagine if
you can-that your real mother-some day
came alive to you. and, in all save her
maternal love, proved as wicked as your
ideal is good"
what makes you indulge in such a
horrible freak of fancy?" And was it her
shudder of abhorrence, or Sheebas tremulous
alarm, that shook them both, and made them
release each other. "If knew my mother
was wicked woman I should never be-
lieve that myself could be good
Gould you not love her because she was
your mother, and because she loved you?"
"You are not right to suggest such a
dreadful possibility"
Forgive me. 1t was whim of my low
spirits. The only mother for you is the
good woman of your fancy-the mother who
died when you were little child.''
Sheeba kissed May on the forehead, and |
it had the manner of a farewell, although |
the girl did not perceive it; and as May
crossed the room to resume the painting, the |
mothers eyes were sadly wistful, as though |
watching the departure OF daughter into
hopeless separation.