The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-02-13
A FAMILY STORY.
ZOE ANDERSON NORRIS.

The Mills family were at supper. 1t was
warm summer evening, and the smoking
lamp in the center of the table swarmed
with minute insects attracted by its light
and heat. The light, subdued by the
blackened chimney, and the insects fell
upon common red tablecloth, greasy in
spots, not too clean anywhere, upon which
was spread the food commonly consumed
by the family.
1t also fell upon the faces OF the different
members of the Mills family, grouped I'M
systematically about the red tablecloth
upon the heavy face of the father, bending
over his plate sulenly, and on the bland
face of the mother who, hopeless of happi-
ness in her earthly life, had turned to
heavenly things, looking forward to a man
sion in the skies, since her earthly habta-
tion had been the humblest of cottages.
At her right hand sat her favorte son
James. Beside this young man sat his
sister, a girl of about IS, who would have
been pretty but for two slovenly buttons
unfasteneG at the throat of her calico gown.
A younger brother occupied the seat next
to his mother on her right hand, and near
him sat Luella, a baby on either side.
'I'll take some more meat, pa" said
James, passing his plate for the third time.
The father raised his head. "What say
he asked, for he was very deaf unless two
heads nodded together whispering.
''Give me some more meat" repeated
James.
''There amt no more" said the father.
cts all gone"
"rhat comes of havin' two extras in the
family when there amt enough meat to 20
round as tits, growled James.
And they all looked at Luela before
whom the insects about the lamp suddenly
swan in kind of mist. She raised her
drink the muddy coffee. She rose, cough
ing, and left the table; going out through
the kitchen door into the back yard, she sat
down at the foot of little tree, all tremb
ling and crying, her wet face in her apron.
The fit OF crying grew upon her, she shook
with sobs and little gasping means; she
groveled in the wet grass, her face pressing
against its cooling green, her nails sunk in
her palms.
Does our Mother Earth sometimes COM
fort her children in their distress? Some
thing in the smell of the earthly earth, in
the mere contact with the sweet, green,
dewy carpet soothed Luella's heart. Pres
emily she ceased to wIithe and moan; she
only sobbed now and then, like hurt and
tired child upon the bosom of its mother
After awhile she grew entirely quiet, turn
ing her face sidewise and looking out at
the brooding night, at the myraids of
twinklng stars in the purplish dome over
head and at the fireflies dancing here and
there in the long, waving grasses.
AS she lay there something of the nights
quiet stole into her brain, and calmly,
without any of that acute agitation that
had shaken her at first, she began to think
over her past life. She had married early
too early-in order to get away from this
poor home, which was always on the verge
of penury, and always had been as far back
as she could remember; and she had not
been happy. Her married life had been
made up of petty quarrels, which had
finally ended in her return to this meagre
home nest with her children. Her brothers
taunt was common one; but perhaps to-
night the flesh was unusually weak. She
found it impossible to endure the lash in
silence She had felt like turning upon
them and blazing out in one great flash of
indignation, and she had only come out
here in the night t" weep and wiring her
hands alone; she was so poor a worm she
would not dare let them ste she had made
the feebest attempt to turn.
She was an usurper, they had made her
understand that from the first. A bird
once mated has no right to return to the
home nest. She was taking the very bread
out Of their mouths; and yet she had earned
her living since the first day of her arrival;
she had been the household drudge at the
beck and call OF every member of the
family.
She clinched her hands as she thought of
the cruel haunting Of the little sister whom,
as a baby, she had carried about in her
arms.
Her mother did not openly reproach her,
lint ha wnS mt the Ipss crual I and ipu
her life of protection, it was her custom to