The morning call., 1890-06-05
TROT'S MOTHER.

-. = :. .
"A EgA about 1t from tile beginning. HeIp
SEsEESS yourself TO cigar flrSt. ana pass lne
IA E:S brX 10 me. knew you would want 10 10
hear particulars, and IL have been trying To put
of the evl moment Pm getting an ola man now,
Harry, and all this shook me a good deal al The
lime. ,-,.
"Come here, Trot, and sit on my knee. There,
that's better. Seems odd, Harry, don't II, to see
an old bachelor like me nursing llny bit ol
girl like Trot? -Four years old to-day, aren't
you, Trot? How the time flies
You see, my dear lad, you ought TO nave tol9
ber before you went away. She never Euesseu
that you thought OF her IN that way IL might
have saved her-who knows? ,,-,,,
It must be nine years since your uncle WIN
died and left Violet IN my care. She was was @ only
Is then. Don't you think TrOI is very ike herr
The same large brown eyes and long lashes' the
same loving little ways. - ,,
"She came to me one morning some months
after you started for China, with letter In her
a. Look here. uncle she said. kneeling beside
me, and holding the note where l c0uld feau;
'ips from the Colds, and they invite me to go and
stay with them at Ventnor. May accept"
80 DO you want to 60 Violet" l asked
'Of course | do she answered lauehmgly.
I'VE are so quiet here al hon and tns would be
such delightful change. Please let me. uncle.
II write you long letters ana Tell you All aOout
ii did not want TO part with her even for
little time, for The three years she had been with
ME then had made my lie quite a dllferent
matter; but 1t seemed selfish 10 keep the bright,
merry girl always shut up with cTusty old man.
l gave her leave TO SO, and then, when after
stay longer. as her friends wished. had not the
heart 10 refuse. She was there hye weeks and
then she came home.
con tempiibe scouudGe who in those fewweeks
she had learned TO regard as hero HOW ne
found out al first that she had little fortune OF
her own don't know. lie asked for me and told
me that lie wanted my permission TO address my
niece. "
He was good-lookiug young fellow and had
frank, open manner that was sure TO WIN glrFs
favor but / thought of you, Harry. and deter
mined to prevent tile matter gong lait ither II
could. l took a strong and apparently unreason-
able dislike to him and made many Inquiries
hoping 10 find out something that would justify
me IN folbddng him the house, but entirely III
vain. But l studied hm; observed every little
acI and woId until at last was convinced that
l knew him through and through and that he
was 10 fiji husband Tor my little Violet
=" BY this time t had become a kind of taeit
engaGenient, and / knew / should seem almost
brutal for Interfering, but l couldn't bear the
idea Of giving lolet into his care, l vowed 10
myself that nothing on earth should induce me
TO GO so, and told him TO discontinue his visits.
=" The result of that was that lie came 10
definite understanding with Violet, and she
promised 10 marry him, with or Without my con
sent.
+ Don't look at ME so reproachfully, Harry. 1t
may be that l acted unNisey a Il through; but II
50 have been severely punished for my folly.
You have let your cigar out Here are Inc
matches.
lyon want me to tell you all she said and did
her very words, as well as | can remember.
That's hard matter, for my memory's not so
good as IL used TO be.
II was sitting here one evening, when Violet
came IN slowly. and sitting down where you are,
locked at me very saGy lof Or some m nnugs cannot
understand you. never believed that you could
be SO hard aud cruel.'
" did not sIeak
1T is not ike you 10 be so unjust, so arbi-
rrary,' size went on. 1t seems 10 me, uncle
that in the matter OF marriage woman should
choose for herself and not be influenced by any
one. ! have made my choice and given my
word; but oil! l should be 30 much happier II
you were not angry. Do forgive NE auQ be your
own kind self again.
"'Yes, when you yield to my wishes an
swered, coldly. You are mere girl, Violet, and
have had no experience Of men. II yuu were ten
years older should leave you 10 take the eonSe-
quenCes OF your IashneSs, but il is
LAS it ls-what then? ont uncle and she
slipped from her chair and kneeled here on the
rug al my feet, 'ITay-pray be your old sell
again. You were never angry with me before,
and il seems strange and unnatural 10 see you
turn your head away from me without smile:
Do you love Inc Only II l have no voice, no VIII OF
my own| ,-,-.,.
face, Il have strven TO be father TO you since l
brought you here; have loved you, Heaven only
knows how dearly! lu return only ask you to
let me prevent your making complete wreck OF
your life, want TO save you from sad late,
and you think ne tyrant.
She took my haDd in both hers, and pressed
her face it, then looked w with smile.
IL wish Harry were hele,' she said. He
would help me 10 convince you. He always took
:; ought not to have told you that. my poor
boy, but it was so fresh in my mind, as II strnck
me foreby at the lime, knowing as ! did that
you loved iieT. Forgive me my want Of tact
''She not given 10 shedding tears ike some
wemen or she would have cried then. Her
cheeks were hot and burning as they touched
my hand, while her eyes were feyerlshiy bright.
She used every argument she could ind 10 i'll
duce me 10 consent 10 her engagement and az
remained silent she QreW nearer aud gaZed up
eagerly IN my face.
You Telent, uncle2" she whispered In an ag-
tated way. You will let NE be happy?
"'In that way, never | told her, sadly and
steruly, and tried 10 draw away my fingers, but
she chung 10 them tightly, while her lips quyered.
Don't say that, uncle = she cried, hoarsely.
Dear uncle, oh, what can l say-what eau L say
to move you
You think was very hard, Harry, I see; but
i thought it best
&" Hush, chlld,' | said. Nothing will Influence
me. i am resolved.
"'And so am l., she said sorrowfully, dropping
my hand and rising 10 her feet. Il should always
have wished TO please you; but now that You are
harsh and unjust, and Will not listen TO reason,
what can do?'
"She waited for me to speak; but l had no
words at hand. was too hurt and angry. She
went toward the door, then came back aud stood
behind me- resting her hands lightly on my shoul
ders.
TRY and forgive me, uncle. / love him SOL
| love his faults that make you despse him, and
| his virtues that you do not know. Won't you
| kiss me- uncle?"
Il was half inclined TO take her in my arms
and tell her she should do what she would; but
| did not Alter Il few minutes Of a dead silence
! heard her catch her breath in half sob, and
| then the door closed upon her, and | alone.
The next day she did not come down before
| went 10 the city and when came home she was
| gone. | have forgiven her now, Harry; but 1t
| was a cruel blow. After all my love and care l
| did not think she could have left me like that!
why, Troi, you look quite frightened! Pm
| not cross, my pet
'Yes, yes, nay boy. Pm going on; but you are
| so impatient Well some time afier-a YEAR or
| two years, peIhaDs, i can't remember exacty-I
| was coming home at dusk-in the Strand | think
| 1t was, met woman In a shabby black dress,
| Ituitk nhf nj har m NJ pNn nnG fhan
| somehow OF other We were the center Of crowd,
| and was raising VlOlers head from the hard
pavement. She had tainted Oh seeing me- and l
had just contrived to save her and Ihe little one
| from a severe fdIl.
al brought her home In cab, and my house
| keeper helped her into bed. Harry, she was next
door TO starvation, when that accidental meeting
| gave her back 10 ne-lor only three days. was
| TOO late TO save her.
| "'You have forgiven me" she asked that even
| ing, as 1 sat by her bed.
- forgave you my child, long since; but not
him who las brought you TO this. Wbee is hep"
"'Dead,' said The poor girl, In faint whisper.
Don't speak Ill Of him. i can't bear it,
| II asked her why she had not let me know she
| was in dstTess-why she had not come home
al was afraid TO come said she. Il knew
you would not turn from me; but was too much
ashamed
what 10 expect. promised the poor child that
| 1rot should take her place with me- l held the
little one for her 10 kiss, and had 1t taken away
and then
"Troi, my darling, run upstairs to nurse for
awhile; Ill call you down again by-and.by.
"And then, as | said, Violet bade me good by.
Her last words? They were, Give my love 10
Harry
|
"These iueessant fogs have very bad effect
| on my throat. can't talk for a length OF time
| without getting like did just now, SO that j
| can't croak out a word.
There isn't much more TO tell, fortunately, for
4 I'm getting as hOarse as a raven.
Il was out, with Irot by my side, one day last
| autumn, when l came upon someone | had
thought gone to iointhe majority. He was walk.
| ing with pretty, stylish-ioOking girl, chatting
and laughing, but when he me his smile died
Oh his lips, aud the blood flew TO his face.
"fiis gaze dwelt for an instant on the child
whose hand held. He knew those brown eyes
and long Iashes, and he the black frock.
"There, that Is all. Harry, / read your
thoughts. You must not /! Leave him 10 Heaven.
Promise me, boy-f0r her sake-for the child's
| sake. You promise? Your hand on that.
Heaven help you. my poor lad ~ j. G.
CALLED TO ACCOUNT.