The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-04-08
Couldn't have It, mamma? Oh,

Couldn't / have 1t, mamma? oh.
darling mamma, couldn't ~"
Il will do up your old muslin, dear"
sobbed the mother "And l think we
can afford some fresh blonde and the
new ribbon sash and"
''Oh, mamma" interrupted poor
Sara, must wear that old, tattered,
shrunken thing, when all the other
girls are in merino and white shirred
silk?"
Dearest what else can we do?"
Mrs. Aubrey could almost have cried
with Sara had she dared to give way to
her feelings
"How wretched it is to be poorr'
soobed Sara, sitting down on the
hearth rug, with her face in her moth
er's lap. Mamma, what have we
done that we should be so cramped and
ground down, so fettered with pow
erty?"
1T will not be so always, DEAR" en-
couraged her mother.
NO" said Sara, sadly; 81 shall be a
teacher soon. And then, mamma, you
shall have a wine-colored cashmere
dress and set of furs, and Twill wear
what please. But mamma, if could
only have the white merino dress this
oucep'
my daughter! my daughter
Sara could feel the warm drops
from her mothers eyes upon her cheek.
Mamma she cried out, caressing-
ly, don't cry, that's darling; IN
wear the old white muslin! I'll wear
| dRythingi You have been a heroine,
quietly ard patiently, all these years,
and here am that can't endure a sim
gle privation! Mamma, III be a her
oine, too"
And the pale mother and blooming
daughter clasped each other tenderly
in long, silent embrace.
"But it's shame, isn't it." resumed
Sara, after brief silence, that
wealth should be so unevenly divided
in this world? Look at Helen Hazel
ton, at the court with her green
houses full of flowers, and her pony
phaeton, and the diamonds she is to
have when she leaves school. It's a
surprise for her, mamma, quite sur
prise. Col Hazelton himself showed
them to me-a cross and pair of soli-
taire eardrops like sparkles of white
fire."
Showed them to you, dear?"
Eyes, mammal" answered the girl.
but how came he to do that?'
''Oh, he often talks to me when 1 am
at the court" said unconscious Sara.
About what, Sara"
''Oh, about Helen, and about the
ferns and orchids in the Conservatives
and the new birds in the aviary-and
about the foreign countries he has
travelled in. Oh, wish you could hear
him, mamma" cried the girl, enthu-
siastically.
asked the mother, becoming vaguely
conscious, at this late day, that her
pretty treasure was no longer a child
but budding maiden, with all q
maiden's sweet possibilities before her.
''He's very handsome, mamma Dark
and tall, with straight, military way
of carrying himself, and the pleasantest
voice you ever heard"
docs he talk to you much?"
ooh, often, mamma" declared Sara
Mrs. Aubrey was silent for few
minutes. A vague fear was entering
into her heart
Sara" said she, at last, Il do not
think that it is best for YOU to be too
much at Hazelton court"
"Why not, mamma?" Sara opened
her big blue eyes in innocent surprise.
Its so pleasant there, and like them
all so much"
Mrs. Aubrey hesitated. She could not
answer: Because Col. Hazelton is
widower, and people will talk and
gossip" So she equivocated little,
and made reply:
They live so differently from what
we do, darling. 1t is scarcely good
or wise preparation for your new life"
Sara pondered the matter over.
81 don't see Indifference it makes,
mamma" said she; "but, of course,
when get situation l shall have no
time for visiting; and Helen is going to
Paris with her father in the spring, so
there will be an end of all my intimacy
there"
Dia iitliC sara! DuC fCuS d HcTO-
inc, for she wore the old washed-over
muslin dress, standing among the fair
young girls in soft merino and lustrous
dead-white silk.
Mamma can't afford it." she an
swered, quietly, to all the criticism
that was uttered.
Helen Hazelton brought her home
that evening in the sleigh, with box
of cut rosebuds and East India ferns,
and left her with her mother
Mrs Aubrey looked up from her sew
ing
MY darling" said she, your cheeks
are like carnationsr'
Its the winter air, l suppose" said
Sara, flinging down her bonnet Mann
ma, put aside that hateful needle! You
are never to sew any more! I've made
up my mind not to teach in the New
York public schools!"
Sara
Il am going to Hazelton court"
Mrs. Aubrey's faded eyes sparkled
ITO be Helen's governess?" cried