Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-02-05


male cousins; but the fates were too
much for me.
The household of my bride consisted
Of widowed mother, a maiden half sis
ter some years her senior, and a spinster
aunt; with no other kin-folks near. She
had two uucles and three male cousins,
but they were in distant state, not like
| IL ever to cross my way.
had intended, too, that my W ife's
name. if | ever married, should he no
thing less dgnified than Harriet or Cath
crime, and l would have preferred Georg-
lana or Henrietta, or something equally
strong and masculine sounding. Here,
again, the fates were against me.
married girl named Lily May.
| "What sweet, feminine sounding
namc,'' heard Aunt Jane remark.
eyes, very asseuted Aunt Rachel {;
''and so fortunate that she has no great
clan of male-folks relations to come
stalking over the place and turning ev.
ery-,hiDg topsy-turvy. Archibald could
! not have married to please me better II |
had chosen for him myself" aud | knew
that she but echoed the sentiments Of all
my female relatives.
/ groaned in spirit. 1t would have
given me infinite satisfaction to know
that they disapproved of my choice.
They had terrorized my infancy. tor
mented my childhood, commanded my
youth, and now, OF my own will, | had
added, besides a wife, three more to the
number that were to sow discord along
my maturer years, and they rejoiced in
what had done. / said | HAD done it
of my own will, but was it not fate,
stronger than will, shaping the lines of
my destiny? Who can say?
At tweuty-three ] was a father. My
wife presented me with Il little-daugh-
ter. 70 convey in language any concep-
ton of the disappointment that over
whelmed me, is beyond my power of eN
preston. From the moment when first
knew that little stranger was expected
in our household had hoped for u boy,
expected a boy, and thought of nothing
but boy.
| had selected the name that should
be given him, the good old name Benia-
min; fixed, in fancy, the color of his
eyes and hair; calculated how long it
would be before he would take the first
little faltering step, within the reach OF
his fathers protecting arm; computed
the time till he would be old enough to
follow me about at my work and in my
daily walks had anticipated the little
questions of why? and what: and how
with which he would daily come to me
in his perplexity, and had formulated
the answers with which | should enlight-
en- him out OF the depths Of my superior
wisdom. He should not be left as | had
been, to grow up in n mystic realm. peo-
pied with the creations of his oW II child
ish fancy, and forever lacking his brain
with questions beyond his ability Of So
| Let I foil with him
with him, encourage him to be commun-
icative, and. as fast as his mental vision
would bear it, lead him on into the full
glare of intellectual sunshine. Day and
night he was ever with me, in one guise
or another: the helpless infant, the
prattling child, the bright eyed inquisi-
tive lad, the youth, full grown, some
times the bearded man, repaying to my
advancing age full measure for the love
and care bestowed on his infancy and
youth.
So / walked with him, talked with
him. this little son that never was. and
[ my mozart eiJwineti its1i1 &honk him, 5z3st
as in years agone had poured out my
affection on the little brother, born OF my
inauguration and christened Daniel.
| Alas! for the hopes that never know
| fruition. The dream was past and was
the father of girl, for the training OF
which score of female relatives would
set up claims as prior to mine. Hence
forth must resign myself to being 6
man void of authority in my own house
hold. If my daughter grew up without
learning to despise me, it was as much
as could expect. l was not even per
mitted a share in naming her. l wanted
her called Stephanie; but my wife ant
all the relatives objected. Aunt Rache
grew quite eloquent on the subject.
1.-THE name is obsolete said she, alb
solutely obsolete. No civilized Chris
tians think of giving children such out
} landish old names any more. If it was
a boy, now, it would not make SO mucl
difference but a dear, sweet, prett,
little girl must have something NOR
modern and poetic"
"Ah, yes, if it were only boy,
sighed I.
"Yes, but thank goodness it is not
Doy," returned she. " l think it was 81
lovely of dear Lily May to present u
with sweet little girl. You can dres
girls and do something with them, but
boy" and she broke off with an accen
that expressed volumes.
After many long debates, from which
| was precluded as participant, thu
the one pre-eminently fitted to adorn tn,
infant Miss Wilmington.
"Why not Luna Borealis:o | sug
gested.
''Try to be sarcastic, won't you, Archi
bald?' snapped Aunt Rachel.
8 said no more, and Iris Aurora my
daughter became.
My wife never bore me another heir
By some instructive prescience | knew
that such would be the case. and from
the moment of my daughters birth gave
up all hope of ever being the father OF
a son.
My little daughter grew and developed
rare beauty, and in spite of my disap.
pointment l loved her dearly; but | had
to content myself, for the most part
with loving her at distance. If !
fondled her, a warning voice would smite
my ear to beware of missing her curls
her laces or her rulfles. AS for a good
old-fashioned romp, it was not to be
thought of. Being girl, romping was
taboOed as being hoidenish. SO l stood
by and saw my daughter growing ur
| MI,