Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-04-27
NO.I7

planned the occurrence to me. one day,
Whsn / was small lad making moan
10 her concerning the irreparable loss
Of my mothers love. She did il. doubt-
less. WIKI a view Of reconciling me TO
an eviiahle fact. but her explanation
and intention fell short Of their mark.
! ! decided then. and | have never alter
] ed my conclusion. that my mothers
| attitude towards me was wholly with
| out justification. She has herself adj
! mltted, and she will doubtless so iu-
| iorm yQ5l. with boundless self-reproacli
| uor sht> has noble disposition to
| freely acknowledge the few faults
that mar a well-nigh perfect charge
| teri, that accident was the thief that
robbed me of my natural heritage.
but cannot feel that the reason con
dones the theft. She has visited m
on me the effects of her own bercave-
ment. Before | was born. even. she
turned from me because | was the
innocent reminder of GRIEF to which
she could never become reconciled.
| cannot forgive the injustice. Miss
LOthrop. 1t has cankered my whole
life. Never. since that day when
sought sympathy from my grand
mother. have | mentioned the subject
10 living soul, but | knew that YOU
had been judging me, and with no
leniency. | prize your regard, and /
desired TO somewhat extenuate my
conduct in your sight. In your future
judgement of me in relation to nv
mother. | trust you will bear In mind
the fact that she has plainly demon
strated to me from my earliest child
hood that she had no affection to
bestow upon me, and that my society
was uncongenial TO her Now that she
has become bereft of more welcome
scources U love, she would perhaps
turn to me as n makeshift, but | do
not stand ready TO make of my affec-
ton mere stop-gap."
He paused, frowning heavily. Then,
In lighter tone. he said:
What an insufferably egotistical
bore you must think mel / have done
now, however. Thank you for your
attention. How is the hand to-day?"
Although his speech had been de-
livered In cold. matter-of-fact voice.
obviously free from any purpose of
arousing my sympathy through rhet-
orical effect and with a manner as un-
emotional and impersonal ms II he had
been stating the case of wholly indif-
ferept person, yet his recitalh had stirred
me profoundly. Nothing in life seems
to me SO cruel or inexcusable as the
Withholding or withdrawing of moth
er's love from her child. And to think
that my dear lady, she who had SEEM
ed to me a well-spring of all virtue
and goodness, should have been guilty
OF this grave and heinous offence l
was shocked and panied beyond meas
ure.
The strange and hitherto inexplicable
quality of her regard for her son
became now clearly defined That
constraint, that timidity, that depre-
eating tentativeness, which resembled
nothing so much as the first bashful
advances of timorous lover, now bore
plain significance to me. o unhappy
mother, TO have so causelessly alienat-
ed the love of the only being of natural
affection that Destiny had left to your
old age! O sadly-cntreated sor, with
all that wealth of native tenderness
which even now, after long years of
cold disregard, shows its vein of rich
ore through the enforced evenness of
your speech, thrown back, like worth
less dross. upon your outraged heart!
| tried TO make some suitable re-
ply, but found 1t difficult to command
my voice. A pathetic vision OF that
lonely boyhood and loveless youth rose
painfully before me- My heart ached
for the child who had become the
man that stood before me. and all |
could say, as ! roOe and held out my
hand to him. were simple words with
which l might have comforted the
child.
II am SO sorry for you" I said
stupidity. But fancy my words con-
veyed more than ! imagined. for his
fingers closed quite gracefully over
mine, while his face flushed and his
eyes frightened.
"Oh, didn't mean to cry-baby," he
said lightly. 81 only wanted you to
appreciate the situation-that is all.
Now my mother Ii waiting for yo1.
BY the way, you will find Spencer with
her" There was n sort Of questioning
penetration I'm the look that accom-
panied his last remark
Yes" / replied; II saw him come"
"I1is presence here IL welcome TO
your There has been reconciliation,
you know. You are glad of itT"
Very glad" ! returned emphatic
ally.
His look grew more questioning.
well he is good fellow, David
Spencer l also am glad to have him
about the house again. Send him
down TO me when you go up. will
your
L assented and left the room. felt
that II was just ms well TO leave that
yelled inference, which both his look
and manner had implied, uncontra-
dictcd. Darracott Chester was n mar
ri "A .,sif.. la hnItGa
but IA few rooms distant from us;
what necessity was there for another
womaR to set him right conccrning
her loye affalrsf
II was very great pleasure to see
the entente cordlale which had been
established between my dear lady and
the good friend to whom, though ]
could npi marry him. | was yet strong
ly attached. As | entered the room
they were sitting on either side Of the
fire, and Madam's face, though IL bore
traces of recent storm and stress. Ind
yet Il glad, joyful look upon II. DIR.
Spencer rose, and she stretched out her
hand TO me.
'Tt is you. Dorothy" she said. 'One
OF my boys has come back 10 me"
There was y pathetic break In her
voice but sIfe Immediately conquered
II. "It is happiness I had scarcely
dared hope for. Come and welcome
his return, my dear"
A little later. after we had had our
ten and David Spencer had left us,
Madam badc mo draw a chair quite
close TO her. and then. with what was
very obviously strong effort TO over
come n powerful reluctance. she be-
gan TO .relntc to me the sad tragedy
OF The Ivics. | give II In her own
words.
IcoNTINUED IN OUR NExT.l
His Back TO tho Foo.
An nrmY olllccr tella TINT In one