Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-03-29
CHAPTER XVI

CHAPTER XVI.
Spring opened very late that year in
Virginia slowly and regretfully, as
though forced into doing the world
favor against its will, and determined
to be as grudging and disagreeable over
it as possible. The weather was cold,
wet and unwholesome -sulking and
storming alternately, and there was
much sickness in the Lanarth and Shir-
ley neighborhood. The Christmas had
been green one-only one small squirt
of snow on Christmas eve, which van
ished with the morning. The negroes
were full of gloomy representations in
consequence, and shook their heads and
cast abroad with JUNCTION all sorts of
grewsome prophecies anent the fatten.
ing of the churchyard.
All through the winter Mrs. Mason
had been ailing, and about the beginning
of March she succumbed to climatic in
huences, backed by hereditary tendency,
and took to her bed with a severe attack
of lnt1ammatory rheumatism. Pocahon-
tas had her hands full with household
care and nursing, and perhaps it was as
well, for it drove self into the back
ground of her mind, for a part of the
time at least, and filed with anxiety the
empty days. Grace, living five miles
away and loaded down with family
cares and duties Of her own, could be Of
little practical assistance.
The winter had been hard one for
Pocahontas; harder, perhaps, for the
gallant nature which forbade her to be-
wall herself. She suffered deeply and
dumbly through all the weary nights
and days. Pride and womanly reserve
precluded all beating of the breast and
forced principle and nature to the cease
less fight. Right CALAMITY she bore her.
self. The modification, the anguish, the
love, must be met, hand to hand, eye to
eye, foot to foot.
She endeavored to keep cheerful-to
take the same interest in life as for
merly, and in the main she succeeded;
but there would come times when the
struggle would seem greater than she
could bear, and being a woman, with a
woman's heart and a woman's nerves,
she would be irritable and difficult. But
these moods were never Of long dura-
ton, any more than the more desperate
ones, when she would lock herself in her
chamber and cast herself on the floor
and lie there prone and quivering-hear
and conscience utterly at variance
heart crying out with mad insistence
that the struggle was in vain, for love
was strengthened by repression, and con-
science sternly replying that it should
not be; the struggle should continue I'M
til the last vestige of love should be ex-
plunged from heart and life. It was ne
wonder, as time went on, that the girls
cheek paled and that dumb pleading
came into the pure gray eyes.
Sometimes the thought of Jim would
come and place itself in contrast to the
thought Of the other man, for, uncon-
sciously to her, her old friend was her
standard IL many things. Her recogni-
ton Of the nobility of Jim's love would
force, in some sort, recognition Of the
selishness of Thorne's love. She put
such thoughts from her fiercely, and
girded at Jim in her aching, unreasona-
BILE heart, because his love was grander
and truer than the love she craved.
Once, when old Sholto-the great red
setter-came and laid his head lovingly
upon her lap, she frowned and pushed
him roughly away, because he looked
up at her with eyes whose honest faith
fitness reminded her Of Jim.
And the mother watched her child ST.
lently; conscious, through the divina-
ton Of unselfish mother love, that her
daughter suffered, yet powerless to help
her, save by increased affection and the
intangible and yet perceptible comfort
Of delicate respect. She could trust
her child and would not force her conf
dence; If spoken sympathy were needed,
Pocahontas knew that her mothers
heart was open to her, and if to her 81
lence should seem best, she should have
her will. From long experience Mrs.
Mason knew that some sorrows must be
left quietly to time.