Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-13

that either she was very exacting or
he very devoted, since to separate him
from her appeared impossible. Yet
those who observed them together
saw no imperiousness on her part and
no excess of sentin ert on hts; friend
illness. based on thorough sympathy
of mind, was his attitude if his de-
meanor revealed it truly, while Lady
.Tristram "as to her son as she was
to all the world at this tine, crea-
ture of feelings new halt cold and of,
moods that reflected pale!y the in
tense impulses CT her youth. Put a
few years over 40 she grew fade and
faint in mind, it seemed as we'll as in
body, and was no LONGER merry COM
panion to the boy who never left her.
Yet he did not wish to leave her
His childhood. at least. had been
happy; Lady Tristram was then the
still bewilderinglY delightful compan-
ion who had got into so much hot wa
ter and made 50 many people eager to
get in after her. Joy lasted with her
as long as health did and her health
began to fail only when her son was
about 10. Another thing happened
about then, which formed the prelude
to the most vivid scene in the boys
life. Lady Tristram was not habitual.
ly religious woman. but happening
to be in mood that laid her open to
the influence, she heard sermon in
London one day, preached by young
man famous at the time, a great
searcher of fashionable hearts. She
drove straight from the church Ut
was a Friday morning) to Paddington,
and took the first train home. Harry
was there-back from school for his
holiday-and she found him in the
smoking room weighing fish which
he had caught in the pool that the
Blent forms above the weir. Then
and there she fell on her knees OH the
floor and poured forth to him the sto-
ry of that Odyssey of hers which had
shocked London society, and is
touched upon in Mr.. Cholderton's
Journal. He listened, amazed, en-
barrassed, puzzled up to point, a
boys normal awkwardness was raised
to it's highest pitch; he did not want
to hear his mother call herself a
wicked woman; and, anyhow, it was
a long while ago, and he did not I'M
derstand it all very we'll. The wom-
tiil WdS Caught ny #lLe iuhuly VI Sou-
| fession, of humiliation, of Offering her
| back to the whip. She told him that
he was not her heir-that he would
not be Tristram of Blent For nom.
ent she laid her head on the floor at his
| feet. She heard NO sound from him
and presently looked up at him again
His embarrassment was gone; he was
standing rigidly still, his eyes gazing
out toward the river, his forehead
wrinkled in frown. He was think
ing. She went on kneeling there, say
ing no more, staring at her son. 1t
was characteristic of her that she did
not risk diminishing the effectiveness
of the scene, or the tragedy of her
avowal by explaining the preverse
accident owing to which her fault
had entailed such an aggregation Of
evil. Harry learned that later.
Later-and in most different sort
of interview. The discussion was re
sumed week later LADY Tristran
had spent the interval in bed) on {
business footing. She found in hin
the same carelessness of the world
and its obligations that there was il
herself, but found it carried to tn,
Ipoint of scorn and allied to a tenacit,
OF purpose and keenness of vision
which she had never owned. No
a reproach escaped him-less, sh'
thought, from any generosity than be
cause he chose to concentrate hi!
mind on something useful. But HI
told her at once that he. was not goin.
back to Harrow. She understood; sht
agreed to be watched. she abdicatet
her rule, she put everything in hi
hands and obeyed him
Thus at 16, Harry Tristram took III
his burden and seemed to take up hi
manhood, too He never wavered: h
always assumed that right and justic
merely justified in holding his place
but bound in duty to keep it. TIL
confederates set no limit to their pre-
parations against danger and their dc
vices to avoid detection. If lies wer
necessary, they would lie; wher
Justification was wanted. they falls
fed. No security relaxed his Wig
lance, but his vigilance became S
habitual, so entered into him, that hi
mother ceased to notice it. and it be
came a second nature to himself. H
watched all mankind lest some on
among men should be seeking to tax
his treasure from him. Mr.. Choldel
tons Imp had not used her eyes i
vain, but Harry's neighbors, conten
to call him reserved. had no ide
there was anything in particular tina
he had to hide. There was one littl
point which, except for his persua. 10
of his own rectitude, might hav
seemed to indicate an uneasy cor
science. but was in fact, only evidenc
of natural dislike to have an unwe
come subject thrust under his notice
About year after the disclosure
Lady Tristram had a letter from MI
Gainsborough. This gentleman ha
married her cousin, and the cousin,
woman of severe principles, had pu
an end to all acquaintance on accoun
of the Odyssey. She was dead an
her husband proposed to renew friend
ly relations, saying that his daughte
knew nothing of the past difference!
; and was anxious to see her kinsfoll
The letter was almost gushing, an
Lady Tristram, left to herself, woul
|. have answered it in the same kind
for while she had pleased herself sh
bore no resentment against folks VII
had blamed her. Moreover, Gain!
borough was poor and somebody ba