News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-11-03

man, but she Is my mother. Nothing
could change that. The other girls
, were too small to care much. But
, care"
"There, Melinda, 1 will try to ar
range it," said Davidson. Your
father is not so bad. l will tackle
him in a day or two"
Old man Loomis generally knew
exactly what he wanted, and heruled
supreme on his ranch. After much
thought spent over the problem,
Davidson came to the conclusion that
a bold assault, would best suit the
emergency. He laid his plans, and
issued orders like a general. Two
days before the celebration, Joe
Sprenger, whom every one recognized
as Melinda's best young man, took
his orders from Davidson, and rode
off into the foothills. The next day,
while nearly every one on the old
Loomis ranch was busted with prep
arations for such a celebration as
had never been heard of in the region
since it's first settlement, Davidson
rode up beside the old man when he
started for the lower pasture at sun
set They went side by side for half
q mile without a word. the two colts
they rode finging their heads and
crashing wildly through the man
zanita. They reached a wide, open
space on the top of the hill and drew
rein under a great white oak. They
looked forth on Lassen's twin peaks
of snow, and on the purple barriers
of Trinity and Siskiyou. The Sacra-
mento' silver band shone at their
feet. The sunset darkened into dusk
and the full moon rose over the pines.
Loomis and Davidson, each in his
own way felt the influence of the
place and hour. and the latter recog-
nized his opportunity for an assault.
"Loomis," he said, "you did not
tell me that your wife was alive"
The old man threw his head up and
faced the speaker like a lion in a
desert. Davidson went on in the
same tone of solemn reproach.
"You did not tell me that your
eldest daughter was grieving for a
sight of her mother. You did not
tell me that you had allowed the
other children to almost forget their
mother. You have told me many
chapters of your life, some good and
some evil, but you have kept these
things hidden. Tomorrow the boys
and the girls, the men and the wom-
en- of the StillW ater region are COM
ing together at the Bend to strength
en- old friendships and to make new
ones at our celebration. Tomorrow
your wife is to be my guest at the en-.
tertainment and the feast.
"You remember that you told me
once that | had never asked any
favor of you, and that you were com
pletely at my service. You remember
that this summer | saved one of your
girls from running off with a worth
less tramp and that | have been of
your household these many months.
[ have sent my promise to your wife.
If you will not uphold it | shall leave
your cabin tonight"
"What do you want me to do? y
said Loomis in u sudden outburst o.
passion.
81 ask you to welcome the woman
who was and is your wife and to
make her feel that you recognize the
claims of motherhood. She must
have the love and help of her children.
No matter how far she has gone
astray, their affection belongs to her
to the end. Her insanity or her deg
radiation would only be an added
reason for giving her as much of her
children's presence as was safe for
them, and | hardly dare to makeev
that limitation Men for hundreds oI
wears have made laws that trample
on the rights of mothers.
eff she wronged me, can | not
| drive her out and never see heI
again?
''If there is sufficient reason you
can put her away from you. L will
? argue for or against divorce. 1t has
it's place among the imperfect laws
3 that an undeveloped civilization de
mands. Put her from you if you
! have cause But nothing annuls th'
| rights of motherhood. In every tibr'
V and in every bodily, mental, or spirit
. ual characteristic, they are her chill
Y dren as much as they are yours. b
: man enough to deal with the question
: on the basis of her rights"
e II swore that L would never see he
|, again, or bring her to this house
y And yet she is not a bad woman.
o doubt not that she has been sorr.
e many times.
:. "You swore in too great haste
IL and am sure you have not felt righ
L over it. Now give your daughter
day of happiness. No man ever ha
It q better daughter than your Melinda
5. Let your wife be the guest OF tn
is house. and let your children see tha
= YOU recognize her as their mother
l. EVERYTHING beyond this lies betwee
YOU two, and L shall not try to decid
L for you. My plea is only for the il
re finite and immortal claim of mothe1
Is hood. Ifyour wife were a social ou
cast in the streets of San FranclsC
of your daughters duty to devote he
ID life. if need be, to her mothers rescJ
se would be the one paramount fac
n You dare not deny it. Loomis. 70
m saw YOUR wife nurse her tirst-bOrl
h. and your heart acknowledges tt
nS claim"
h The two horses that the men rod
m growing uneasy, struck the hlllslC
tn with their hoofs and flung masses
er gravel down the hill-slOpe into Il
ne dusty canon. Davidson waited Il
an answer from the old man. /
d. waited long on the pine-covered heigl
of the ridge west of Saltwater ForC
,ir so long that the moon was high
Sc the heavens as they turned again
| the bottoms along the river. st
ou Loomis made no reply until the IL
no cabin was in sight. Then he lean
an toward the schoolmaster and put /
head on the saddle-bow.
"Mebbe you are right"
to The next morning Mrs. Loon
nd came-a tall, pale woman, very rel
all less and anxious, but immediate
bv taken possession of by Melinda a
tV. her sisters. Loomis overwhelmed /
r with attentions, and it became t
no general opinion in the neighborhO
oc- that the couple had made up. L
.av next morning after the entertaining
we this notion was dispelled. Loon
the himself harnessed up his wife's tea
mt loaded the wagon with apples a
lin game, a quarter of mutton and
barrel oc flour, and said to his SC
,dv George, drive around to the dc
and get your mother" Then hey
into the sitting-room, where Melin
and her mother were clasped in ei
others arms. Davidson stood
her the door and looked at the girls, q
I n rrln that