Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-03-17


gather the cups and saucers into the
waiter In readiness for Aunt Rachel and
Pocahontas collect scraps for the dogs,
two Of which were already poldng inn
patient, wistful noses into the room.
Beyond the threshold they were not al
lowed to intrude, but they stood in the
passage outside the open door and whined
and INDUCED in sharp ''yaps" Of protest
against hope deferred. When they saw
their mistress advancing with heaped
up plate Of food both gave reins to their
joy and jumped and barzed around her
with delight. Pocahontas loved ami
mails, the nobleness and fidelity of their
instincts harmonized with the large faith
fulness of her own nature.
When his sister was out of hearing
Berkeley reopened the topic Of Jim.
Byrd. He was standing at the mantel
filing his pipe, which he balanced dex-
terously against one Of the ornaments,
and his back was toward his mother as
he spoke.
"Mother," he questioned, Ibid it ever
occur to you that Jim might grow fond
of Pocahontas-might want her for a
wife, in fact? fancy something of the
sort has happened, and that he came to
grief. He has been depressed and IN
happy for monthsj and neither business
nor trouble about the old place can &C.
count for his stunning US in the way he
has been doing lately. I don't believe
he's been inside this house twice in the
last three months"
eyes, my dear, used often to think
of it-long before Jim thought Of it him.
self, 1 believe, Berkeley. He spoke to
Princess this summer and she refused
him. She did not tell me about it, but
from little things could guess pretty
accurately. It's a great disappointment
to me, for scarcely remember when the
hope that they might love each other
first dawued on my mind. Mary Mason
and l were warm friends, as well as
cousins, and it seemed natural that our
children should marry"
Berkeley knew that his mother had
wished him to marry Belle or Susie, and
that this was not the first time that she
had been disappointed in her desire for
another Byrd-Mason match. Had Tenn
pie lived, Nina Byrd would have been
his wife; the two had been sweethearts
from babyhood.
Mrs. Mason sighed regretfully. ~
wish it could have been," she said; "Jim
is such good fellow, and was always
gentle and careful with the little girls,
even when he grew a great rough lad;
such a little chevalier in his feelings too.
I remember one Christmas, just after the
war, when he was about fourteen, the
children wanted some Christmas green
to decorate the parlor. It was the fall you
were In the south, and they wanted to
make the room pretty to welcome you
home again. Susie, Nina and my two
| girls went over into the Shirley woods to
get it, and Jim went with them. They
found plenty of lovely holly, but no
mistletoe for q long time; you know
how scarce it is around here. At last
Pocahoutas spied splendid bunch, full
of pure, waxen berries, way up in the
top of a tall oak tree, and set her heart
at once on having it.
"There had been heavy sleet the night
before, and every limb was caked with
ice-slippery as glass. Climbing was
doubly dangerous, and Grace begged
him not to try, but that foolish Poca-
hontas looked disappointed and Jim
dashed right at the tree. 1t was ter
ribly foolhardy thing to do, and Grace
said it made her sick to watch him
every minute she expected to see him
slip and come crashing to the ground,
Tho little girls all cried, and Grace
boxed Jim's ears the instant he was safe
on the ground again with the mistletoe
The children came home in great ex
element, Pocahontas with the mistle
toe Rugged tight in her arms and tear
pouring down her cheeks. When
scolded Jim for his recklessness hC
opened those honest hazel eyes Of his a.
me in surprise and said, But Princes
wanted it, as If that were quite sufh
cient reason for risking his life. Poo
little Princess"
After moment she resumed: 81 wisl
she could have loved him in the way W,
wish. Marriage is q terrible risk for q
girl like her. She is too straightforward
too uncompromisingl intolerant of every
day littleuvss, to have very peaceful
life. She has grown up so different from
other girls; so full of ideals and 70
nance; she belongs, in thoughts and mo
tives, to the last century rather than tx
this, If what 1 hear be true. She il
: large hearted and has a great capacit!
for affection, but she is self willed, ant
she could be hard upon occasion. If sh
| buOuAu IAN AiCO "ooh Va NACASo heaheA
: she would both endure and inhict untolC
o suffering. And there is within her, too
endless power of generosity and self sac
rifce. Poor childl with Jim 1 coul,
, have trusted her; but she couldn't low
him, 80 there's nothing to be DONE"
"Why couldn't sheS' demanded Berke
ley argumentatively. ''SheTl never d
any better; Jim's handsome fellow, a
y men go, brave, honorable and swee
tempered. What more does she wan
It looks to me like sheer perversity."
Mrs. Mason smiled indulgently at he
sons masculine obtuseness. The subtle
ties of women were so far beyond his con
prehension that ii was hardly wort
while to endeavor to make him undel
stand. She made the effort, howevel
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