Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-06-16

chrcSsed me, touched my feelings decp
~, for had not been used 20 kind
ness, and the tears wcllcd up In IN,
eyes and my heart grew full | coulC
not say another word then, and fol
near minute we were all silent. Mrs
Cornell was the first to speak.
I'm sure" she said, that You are
good and affcctionatc and it's pity
your life has been so dark know how
70 sympathizc with you, dear, for l.,
TOO grew up without mothers love. "
how.
"Did your father love your" asked
Yves but not rs well rs he loved his
younger children. | suppose IL is
natural for man 20 feel a greater
love for the children Of his living
wife"
"Ilcth rnthcal II he doth" observed
Mr., Cornell, half TO himself, land Il fool
bcthidcth."
/ ! felt strongly inclined 20 indorsc his
view OF the matter, but thought IL bet.
ter to retain my opinion, so said moth
ing. Turning ngain TO Mrs. Cornell, I
asked:
WAS your stcpmothcr kind TO you2'
well" sho replied, "shc was no,
real Kind like n mother would hive
been, but she was not cruel like n prcu,
many women are"
"Thc wath ath mean ath the devil
Thuthan, you know the wath. The
didn't roath you alive, but the made
you thlavc for her childrcnth and treat.
ed you like you wath thcrvant. Don't
you tell Inc the walnut mean, 'cauth
know the wath."
well, Aaron" said Mrs. Cornell
with a smile, "it has been long time
since then, and ! have been trying to
forget those days. They are not pleasant
to keep in mind, and If n person can for.
get forgive it's better TO do so When
recall what my stepmothcr suffered
in her old age, and how she died, cant
find II In my heart TO harbor the old
bitter feeling against her that / once
dld Ia rather try TO remember ms |
Kindly MS can, passing over her faults |
ana dwelling on the few good traits she |
possessed"
You're right. Thuthan, you're right" |
exclaimed the old gentleman, tcndcrly.
You're Chrithtian womanth II there
over wath one, thurc; and II YOU ret
forgivcncth according ath you forgive.
there wonth bo anything againth YOU
when the end cometh."
Tho loving, earnest tone In which
these words were uttered made them
extremely touching, and the good old
soul to whose praise they were spoken
was so pleased that her face fairly
shonc with happiness while tears Of
gratitude filed her eyes. / looked on
the two plain old people, so quiet. so
undemonstrativc, and thought had
never known Of such love as they had
FOR each other, and such generous sym
PATTY as they had for mankind the
world over. had known them but a
few hours, yet loved them dearly, and
already gricved at the thought OF part
ng from them.
had no doubt but that | would be
given home there il asked IL, but I
felt that had no right to presume on
Inc goodness Of strangers, and with re-
uctancc announced my intention OF
proceeding on my journey.
"What!' cried Mrs. Cornell. "You /
surely don't think OF going on now?"
81 must" | replied. I
'our cousin expecting you? She surely
ant be, because think you said You 7
rave never seen her or corrcsponded /
With her" /
"Shc is not expecting me, said;
but | must go on. have no right {
O."
mo right to stop here, ch? Now lust +
lcar the child, Aaron. She thinks she /
las no right To stop here. Did you i
yer hear of such an idea as that2" a
well, we never athcd her to |
htay, Thuthau, and | rccSonth the n
Iidnt know we wanted her to- don't @
heo what made nth tho carclcth; thurc n
don't"
"Well, l don't, either" replied Mrs. y
'orncll, "but we ask her now; and she's !
DING to stop here week, at least. II
viii take that long for her to recover n
rom her walk yesterday and the fright n
he had last night" n
"a week, Thuthnn? Thaw! thay q
lonth. Thath more like It," n
well, month, then. A week Ia
nightly little time, sure enough" c,
protested against this generous ar "
lngemcnt, not very heartily, suspect, Il
lr did want to rest in that quiet "a
uvcn of peace, oh, so much. The old n
ouplc refused to hear any objection | e,
Ncrcd, but carried everything their h,
wn way, and in the end | was com al
ellcd TO agree TO remain one week. b,
Reader | cannot tell, neither can CO
ou imagine, what that week was To fC
e, IL is AN impossiblity TO attempt n N
ortrayal of the happiness | expert fr
lced In those seven short days which
ent 10y like tlcetng CLEANS Of dazzling So
Brightness. For the first time in nv ~
lc occupied an atmosphere of love. d,
mr. the first time within my recollection AT
lVcd ana brcnthcd in an atmosphere IT,
kindness. The old life of slavery 81
nd persecution was gone, and not a &C
'stigc OF IL remained to mar the pleas tn
e of my new existence.
The contrast between the old and the at
wv was so great that could hardly it
'lievo | was in the same world. de
here before had been compelled TO an
IL through long days of weary drudp- m,
y, now had uaught TO do but amuse ali
ysclf in idleness Where before Ihad
en- urged to greater exertion nv su
gliding words and cruel blows, was IN
Nv restrained by gentle threats and ] wi
wing kindness, Where before | had bo
Iown nothing but neglect, and NV co
eds received no consideration, | was m,
W an object Of the tcndcrest solicit Ter
nc ana my wishes We're OWNED and Ia
ntiiiod without the asking. Tho
ange was so great, the contrast so orr