Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-06-26

TOOK BOTH HER HANDS IN MINE.
them. How much more dreadful was
the truth than my widest surmises
had conceived II. How terrible was
the work OF this girl who was now
sheltered beneath the roof she had so
.disgraced! The ruin of six lives
wrought by mere foolish, unchecked
vanity!
Madam" cried involuntarily.
dear Madam, how could you have
her back? 1t is too noble-too forgiy-
ing! Surely she had no claim on your'
NO, no claim, Dorothy; but oh, my
dear, you cannot dream how I yearn
Tor my child! There is no depth into
which L would not sink, no height I
would not scale, to see Gerald once
.again. Yet he was base. Yes. I can
bear to say it, great though nv love
Is. He, who had received nothing but
Kindness and benefits from his brother.
he, whose father had, by Darracott's
generosity, been invested with the dig
nifty and honors OF the first gentleman
OF the county; he, living beneath his
brothers roof and at his expense. had
yet betrayed that brothers trustl
could anything be more vile? And vet
and yet, l, his mother, intense as
is my adherence of his deed. would
not see him punished for 1t. NV love
,selfish and unjust in it's partialityl
would yet spare him retribution. And
$50, as L would not that even the shad-
,ow of my anger should touch him. r
'cannot repulSe the woman whom ne
has loved. ! will not speak to her
she has ruined the lives of both of nv
boys; but yet, in manner, she is
sacred to me-"
She paused. The tears were running
down my cheeks, and though she could
not see them she felt them moistening
the beautiful hands against which il
had tenderly pressed my face.
Dear little girlr' she murmured
one hand and stroking my
hair caressingly. yours is the first
overt manifestation of sympathy n
have ever received, Dorothy, and ii Isl
welcome to me beyond expression. ;"
For n few moments we remained
thus, silent, but linked closely to-
gether through the bond of common
emotion. Presently she started and
drew herself suddenly aloof from me
as If Kidding herself of a temptation.
"Oh, how selfish / amr' she cried.
How wrapped in my own egotism|
still, Notwithstanding the lesson / have
received! 1t is OF myself and my own
sorrows and griefs have been pratine
this half-hour. 1t is for my own miser1
able and justly-inficted sufferings that
have been seeking to arouse your
compassion and pity. 1t is my own
/ have permitted youI
to laud as the means OF bringing back
that wretched girl to the home of
which she was so inconsiderate and|
careless a mistress! And yet-whatl
am L, what are my anguish and woe,
iWhat are my wrongs and wretched-
mess, what my clemency and mercy.
compared with my son Darracott. his
Iheroic endurance and noble forbear-
,ance! oh! little Dorothy, you thought
me fulsome in my praise of him that
DAY when L told you he was modelled
on heroic lines! 1 knew you did, and l.
.also OWNED the disappointment you
experienced upon seeing him for the
lrst time. 1t is true, in appearance
he may fall short OF a girlish ideal; but
1--WE with him, watch his daily life.
penetrate beneath the outer crust of
preserve and apparent indifference un-
ger which extreme sensitiVeness seeks
TO shelter itself, and you will discover
~ character that cannot fail to arouse
the enthusiasm of your earnest nature:
ana, once comprehending the wonder
iul depths, the splendid magnanimity,
the glorious unseIfishness of that
character you'n no longer wonder
THAT, of all the men have ever known.
y hold in highest esteem and Profound
lest generation him whose love | would
sacrifice my own life to gain, now that
TO gain it Is too late-my noble and
son, Darracott."
she was very greatly moved, and II
reared the effect upon her of such ser
ious emotion. Therefore I determined
TO withdraw, and so allow her to re-
cover her self-controL In most earnest|
phrases thanked her for a confidence|
which had cost her 30 much, and raised,
her hand to kiss 1t. but she forestalledI