Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-10-31
CHAPTER III.
HHe Was Very Cruel to Me, His
Mother"

Then, on the third evening after
the date of her coming, Alicia Penritn
found herself once more in the pres
ence of her grandmother in the tower
room at OldfriarS, but talking now
of many things that were not Of their
present life. Lady Penrith was bet
ter. but still looked worn and i'll. No
one would have recognized in this
haggard, gray-featured, gray-headed
woman, the regal Lady Penrith of
twenty years before. There was no
dignity, no grandeur in her bearing
noW-nOthing left to admire in the
once proud. beautiful face. Old age
and remOrse together had wrought a
CHASTITY change in her. Grim death
stood in waiting at her elbow, as it
Were. impatient to claim his due.
On this night she sat by the yawn-
ing fireplace, wrapped in a heavy
shawl, while Alicia, with misty,
mournful eyes and hands clasped
about her knees, was sitting lOwly
ait the lonely woman's feet Lady
Penrith. when the girl first entered.
had Wept very heart-brokenly over her
sons child, had kissed her with a
passionate kiss
|. ''If l startled you the otbar night,
my darling" she said, evasively. you
must forgive me. IT was in this room
that l saw your father for the last
time. Seeing you here recalled that
evening long ago. IT,
: Am l so like my father, then?"
put in Alicia, gently. Il am dark; he
was very fair
Nevertheless" answered Lady Pen
rith. hurriedly, ''there is something
in you, l know not what, which seems
to bring back to me my lost darling
my lad whom | loved so we'll. Oh,
Heaven she cried, in despairing &C
cents, The was very hard on me. l
never thought he could be so cruel
so cruel to me, his mother, who
would gladly have died for him.
An expression of infinite pain stole
over Alicia's face. Yes, the dead son
had been very cruel in his dealings
toward his mother, was the unSpoken
thought in her heart, but how cruel
and unforgiving, indeed that mother
had Yet to learn.
And Lady Penrith watching in
tently the girls beautiful face, the
lovely, sorrowful eyes, the sweet pen
sive mouth, in profile, that brought
back 50 wildly to her memory the
image Of that other Alicia, said
family within herself:
Surely she is in ignorance of the
history Of the past: she does not
know. she cannot know everything?
Surely he Gid not send her to Old
friars in order that she might hate me
III my deSolate old aye!"
DO you hate me- Alicia?" said Lady
Penrith, suddenly, her gray head bent
as she stood before the girl
For reply Alicia had fallen sobbing
. on her grandmOther'S neck
NO. no" she whispered. incoher-
emily. II do not hate you'll pity you.
II mean to try to he an affectionate
grandchild to you, Lady Penrith."
Heaven bless you for it, my dar-
; ling. was the broken response.
But tney were cdiner now, and
t Alicias tears were dried They had
much to talk about, much to sigh
= over, as they sat here in the tower
: room, strangers no longer, the black
oak-foor rejecting the ruddy fire
5 light the tapestry hiding the window
Alicia told her grandmother then all
' that she could recollect Of her some
I what singular childhood, of theil
: homo in London. which had been
j. bright and beautiful enough, of hei
$ fathers desultory artistic life. and
D the few chosen artist friends whom
!. he had loved to gather about him-ot