New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-15
THE TWO SALOMES.
XII.
THE MOTHER.
,.rvy,oht, 1893: Bv tn. Tribune Assoetanon.

mat
o,e. been merely probing and inquisitve she could
have braced herself coldly, and have put on an
.,mor which might have essentially aided her in
chi. interview. But Unexpectedly she encoun-
,.red an expression Of sympathy and gentleness.
md the mothers whole attitude changed from that
~ defence to something quite different. As for
Are Darrah, she could not explain TO herself why
This won,an's strong controlled faco should so
,,odifv what she might have called her professional
.uriosity into something human. something which
lad little TO do with the novel which was forming
,..If in her mind though she still felt indefinitely
that she might probably come upon some rather
rch material
A, the silence continued. Mrs. Darrah said in
81 am always so deeply interested In grand
voce not much above murmur:
nsrents Once in a while person runs upon such
arrange things in grandparents.
Mrs Gerry did not speak That she was think
Ing deeply and painfully was apparent When
.hc had met that look of sympathy from her
hostess the New England woman feltit distinct
relief 10 cease from holding herself In such stif
mental attitude.
II seemed TO her that she was aware OF
action from the alertness and the care that she
had constantly exercised since she had left her
home with her daughter. And. curiously, at the
same time also she conscious that she feared
The approach Of some new and az yet entirely un-
formed care. She was not in the least given TO
vaearies or superstitions, however. She could have
smiled at herself that Mrs Darrah's sympathy
should SO quickly seem to weaken her.
She sat upright in her chair, in strong contrast
to the loungng figure opposite her.
aBeforr reply TO you. Mrs. Darrah." she said.
u want you TO tell me what has suggested such
questions to you
why, your daughter, Of course: who else ?"
was the prompt response. Don't yon know that
che is not usual kind of girl ?'
Mrs Gerry could not help an uneasy movement.
IL see that you don't like that" went on Mrs
Darrah. Like all upright, conventional natures
you disrust the unusual"
"Ycs, do" emphatically.
And vet" retiectively, it is to the being out
Of the ordinary that the world owes its greatest
debts"
M response to this remark. Mrs. Darrah opened
one of her notebooks, saying as she did so
But we are straying from the subject OF grand
parents
They were not all New-England people, said
Mrs Gerry with abrupt precision. There was one
exception That was my grandfather, my mothers
father OF the rest there is absolutely nothing TO
say, for they were the common country folks in
one of our villages UP bone"
Mrs. Gerry pressed her hands together quietly
but closely upon her lap.
Mrs Darrah took position removed from her
cushions Her eyes sparkled with interest But
there was marked expression Of kindness upon
her face
Please don't think me hard and disaGreeablc, >
she said, but you can't imagine how interesting
this is. I quite reckoned upon the unusual one
in your daughters ancestry. Miss Gerry is 50
contradictory"
Mrs. Gerry's hands gripped each other moro
closely than before
Have you notice it. too?" she asked. Then
II certainly must be true l have continually
told myself that it was my fancy. What do you
think it is, Mrs. Darrah? Perhaps it will be a re-
lief TO talk TO you. Has Salo,ne said anything
very strange? Oh. tell me what is in your mind :,
The child has such a-such an expression some
times come to her face. I can't describe it.
Try to describe it, said Mrs. Darrah eagerly.
sombre kind Of smile passed over Mrs Gerry e
lips IA she met her companions glance. But she
felt that it was safe TO 60 on. The genunencss
In the writer's character had decidedly risen the
surface to meet the same quality in this woman.
Besides. IL not until this moment that Mrs
Gerry had what she would have called realizin.
snse' Of the strain and the anxiety in every way
which had been upon her since she had left hei
home Almost the only human beings with whom
che could speak. save Salome. were job Maine ano
his wife. And she did not write of any anxieties
to her husband. She had never put any burdens
on him which she could bear alone. Though she
had not really spoken it in words 10 herself. yet
none the less she had all her married lifo acted
upon the knowledge that she must bear trials by
herself all that she could; that she was better
fitted to bear trials than Lyman was. And now
as she sat in this richly appointed room ard was
dimly conscious Of the approach of a trouble In
Porne strange new euisc. with thrill Of faithful
and protecting love she thought:
:" must keep il from lyman ! must bear il
myself
Tell me about it," repeated Mrs. Darrah. 81
know make novels, and like TO get odd facts
but. Mrs. Gerry. do believe it will do you good
to talk freely with me-"
~ believe it will, said Mrs. Gerry.
She drew a long breath. She thinking
that she had not known she was 50 tired And
then she had vivid sensation of thankfulncs:
that her daughter was better. Whatever happened
Ealomc was better. At this she grew more cheerful
It's all done with long ago." she said. and
it's only because you have been kind that In
willing to tell you. My mothers father was not
an American: he was what we used TO call an
'outlandish man. lie was born in Martinique. bu,
his parents were Spanish. / saw him only a few
times: he died when was child. / remember
we'll hi. large eyes and his curious. dark skin Ms
mother was the only child. and she did not rescm'
bic him in the lcast-evcrybody said so-shc wAs
clear Ware like her mother She was q real Puri-
tan girl. Salome used to look just like her grand
mother, and she had that kind Of conscience
that is always frctting and wondering. and MAX
ing the owner Of it afraid that lie or she docsn,
do just right That was my mother. Salome has
her features now But somehow she Doesn't look
like her any more. l don't quite understand it
But then, perhaps, Mrs Darrah. il Is not neces