Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-02-07

In the least temoted thereby; she pre-
ferred her Dukes and Generals and
even her burly Rsfwdon. So that the
gentle Amelia stood in no danger OF
losing her dear George alrousA Rdoec-
ca even had a cannon ball at the great
battle of Waterloo not taken him from
her forever.-But it was merely mat
ter CT taste-not PRINCIPAL with Rooec
ca, 1t was more for her interest to play
for higher game.
In no way does she show so clearly
her hcsrtlcssress and worldllness as
in her utter lack Of maternal affection.
The little RHwdon irG1erted much of
his mothers ability with his fathers
natural good-heartednes5-h is a man
ly little fellow and even as we read
about him we love him-but to his
mother he was simply a bill of ex-
pense and an inconvenient appendage--
she rugtled once or twice p week in her
fire rev silks into his garret-nursery
and looked at him, or perhaps patted
his head with her kid-gloved hand and
went away again. But the father be-
came a manly man through his adora-
ton for wife and child. To his mind
Becky's only fault was her incompre-
hensible indifference to the boy. and
this lack of mother love he tried to
make good by his own devotion.
Many hours. when Rebecca was away
at her gay dinner parties, did he spend
in the drearv nursery indulging in all
sorts of games. The big, fierce, brag
ging, dueling Colonel has become a
gentle, adoring father and we like nim
the better for it.
But Becky saw that she must push
Rawdon's fortunes in the world
Gambling, dear" she would say, "is
an income itself"--So she had Raw
don sell out of the army and the fam
lily returned to London where she
hoped to manoeuvre him into some
sort of an official or government posi-
tion. And so they continued living in
London, never paying their bills. 81
think l could be a good woman if
had five thousand a year"-says Becky
and Thackeray adds-if you take
temptations into account. who is to
say that he is better than his neigh
bcr? A comfortable career of prosper
ity, if it does not make people honest,
at least keeps them~so."
But our heroine is always scheming
for higher position and at last we
find not less a person than Lord Steyne
himself in her tolls. She begs him so
perslstently to introduce her to titled
society that he tbulldozes his family
into admitting her to his own home.
For while she floats on the high-tide
| of prosperity The titled ladies look
at her somewhat askance to be sure,
| but the Lords and the Dukes flock
about her carriage and court her smiles.
Finally the infatuated Lord Steyne
carries matters too far. He gets rid
of the lady-companion; he sends little
Rawdon to school and at last to get
big Rawdon out of the way has him
imprisoned for debt
Rebecca does not fly to his release
as he expected, but by the aid of his
sister-in-law he returns as she is sit
ting down to private supper in his
own home with Lord Steyne. He be-
haves like a man of spirit-slaDs the
great Lord in the face and turns him
out of doors-bids Becky take off her
| jewels, and then hunts for the money
| which Lord Steyne says he has given
her. Having found it he tells how he
shall dispose of it and leaves her with
out another word. She is dazed and
stunned-she can hardly rise above
this last blow of fate. She really mis-
ses Rawdon's protection and Rawdon'
dog-like devotion; but he never comes
back to her. He sends to Lord Steyne
the last thousand pounds he has given
Rebecca, but accepts the position of
Governor of Coventry Island which
his Lordships influence had previous
| ly procured for him-he arranges for
an annuity for Becky; commends his
boy to his brothers care, and sails
away to perform his duties faithfully
on on unhealthy island and at last to
die there.
1t is after this that Rebecca sinks
lower and lower in the social scale.
For time she tries to keep an out
ward appearance of respectability-
but the tongue of scandal follows her
wherever she goes. At last she de-
scends to the level of gambling, cos
metios and brandy, when accident
brings her in contact with Amelia,
Dobbin and Joseph Sedley.
She winds the poor old Joseph about