The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-08-18
I" 4 do not want you to give him

that your affection for each other
Is true and lasting. God forbid
that l shotd1d~put any obstacle in
the way of it. You shall marry
your lover With, my consent and
blessing as SOON as the leaves are
on the trees. You will not grudge
to stay with me through the dark
winter days?'
81 could only kiss her and cry,
and say that would stay with her
always, if only l might see Frank
freely.
"'No, no, Theresa, she said,
you shall not waste your youth
in waiting. Here, my dear, is the
codicil,' handing me a folded aheet
of paper; lock it up in the inntr
drawer of the bureau, and then
write note to Mr.. Lisle, asking
him to come up this evening, and
Marks shall send it down to the
village
II did as she desired, leaving
the tear-blotted scrawl with her to
be forwarded, and vent up to dress
for dinner, feeling as if no one in
the world was SO happy as T.
"Was Frank surprised at getting
the note?" asked Olive.
"Ask himself" said mother
smiling.
"I forgot that Frank was father, "
said Olive. "Was he like what he
is now, mother?'
"He had not that long brown
beard in those days. l think that
was the chief difference"
"No beard at a1l7''
Ono beard-just tiny NOUS
tache, of which he was very proud
Otherwise he was much the same
as he is now.''
"And did he come when Lady
Olivia sent for him?''
"He did, of course; and a very
pleasant evening we spent. Lady
, Olivia was as kind as possible t.
, us both, as if to make up for he
: previous harshness: 1t was tina
evening that father made tn
T sketch you were looking at jus
now-the one of Lady Olivia AM
me-"
II should like to look at tina
9 sketch again Theresa, said father
. SIT is long time since hav
9 seen it. Stephen, my boy, wi
f you bring the book over to me?
. Stephen brought the book owe
: to the sofa, and stood holding
g with his arms held out befo1
a him so as to make a kind of reae
= ing-desk. I bent forward so as
@ see the sketch also. Knowing tt
l. circumstances in which it ha
O. been made seemed to give it ne
|, interest for me. Icould see fathe
a young and boyish-looking, sittir
n in the library which | knew {
20 we'll by description, making tt
le little picture of mother and tt
old lady who had been 80 good
l. her. 1t was a pen-and-ink dra'
D. ing; Lady Olivia in her low chai
le her white hair turned back und
II her lace cap; mother standing
a, little behind, busted in taking
lg a dropped stitch in her cousir
# knitting. The ball of wool lay
+, Lady Olivia's lap, the long thre
I'd appearing to connect her a
1g mother.
h, Father looked at it silently t
ly some time.
ld "That's a clever SKETCH" 81
, I he at length. 81 don't know til
l I could do anything so good no
ID, How happy We were that eveni1
ow to be sure! and what plans
ed made for the future!'
,e- "My DEAR said mother, nc
on of the plans we're as bright as
at reality has been.'
ng "That is true; it was too hril
ais to last. fear we are about to
,le. the dark side of life now
ace "You are seeing the dark E
air because you are i'll, Frank. WI
ely you feel yourself getting we'll
die strong in the Italian sunshine,
ind brightness will come back
cen "But go on, mother" said
'or- i've. "Why did not the pl
ady come to pass? Did Lady OF
be- change her mind again?'
: of "Oh, no; she was good and k
ned to the end-the end that wa:
she near, although none Of us gue
it that evening. She caught
'een a day or two after; it SCENE
he mere trif1e at first and no one
uneasy, but she sank suddenly
died within a week of our ha
her, evening. The rector came NJ
{ the ter the funeral and told her s.
lich itor about the codicil. They a
Mr.. me if l knew where it was tt