The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-11-15


err" he aSEed after having recalled
him mind to things about him.
eyes, my boy she said, 81 did
speak to you. asked you what it
was that occupied your thoughts"
"Oh, nothing, nothing" Ruric an
swered after some moments of hest
tation. 81 was only thinking; that
was all"
81 know you were thinking, and
! know that was all at the time, but
of what, Ruric? Come, hide no Sc
crets from your mother. ! have no
ticed you of late, and | know you
are changed. That old smile is
gone from your face, and sometimes
/ have feared the gladness has
gone from your heart. | have seen
you bent in thought over your work
when | knew that of your work you
were not thinking, and have seen
you buried in deep thought when
you should be reading or convers-
ing with me"
"IIave |, then, offended you,
my mother?"
"'No, no; oh, no, my noble boy.
Never did such a thought enter my
mind. If | have been made uneasy
thereby, it was only in love for thee
and the fear that thou vert not so
happy as IN the past. WIN you not
tell me all? Oh, l hope my boy
fears not to trust his mother with
his thoughts"
AS she spoke thus she moved her
seat close to where Ruric sat and
placed her hand upon his arm.
"Tell me. my boy" she added in
a low, persuasive tone, "what it is
that dwells thus upon your mind"
Ruric reached out and took his
mothers hand, and, having gazed
for some moments into her face, he
said:
"Surely, my mother, I have moth
ing in my soul that | would hide
from thee. If | have kept my
thoughts to myself with unseeming
silence, it has been because | feared
you would laugh at me if | told you
Of them"
"Ah, no, my son." the mother re-
piled almost reprovingly. Nothing
that could claim such deep and alb
sorbing consideration from a mind
like yours would move me to deri-
sion. Speak plainly, and be sure
of my sympathy"
A few moments more the youth
gazed silently upon his mother, and
then he answered:
"All this thought has been, of one
person-of Rosalind Valdai."
Claudia Newell started as she
heard that name, and for the while
the color forsook her cheeks.
"What, my dear boy, what Of hel
have you thought? ?" she asked trem-
ulously.
''What but for one thing could ]
think, my mother? You have seer
her ?"
eyes, Ruric."
"And you have marked the grace
the loneliness, the soul given beauty
of the noble girl?"
81 know that she is beautiful, my
son, and also that she is good; a
least so | think"
'"Then what but love could move
me with deep thought Of her? Oh
my mother, | do love her! | love he
with the whole strength of my hear
and soul"
"Alas, my Ruric, she will reve
dare love theep'
"You know not that" the you'll
quickly replied, his eyes burning
deeply and his open brow flushing
"Did | not know she loved me b
sure ! would never have allowed m
thoughts such range. We were chill
dren together, and even then W
loved. Fate has dealt differently b
us in the years that have passes
since those childhood times, but We
/ am sure that her love for me i
not changed, save as increasing ag
must change all the emotions 0
our nature into deeper, stronge
lights and shades"
"But think, my boy; you a mer
| artisan, she the offspring of nobilit
and the ward of a duke-a sterr
cold, proud aristocrat, who look
! upon our station only as harsh mas
tiers look upon their beasts of bun
den. | fear you will find little els
, but misery in such a course c
thought"
"At least, my mother, l will Sc
Rosalind, and if she loves me as
, love her, and if she would accept m
, hand"-
"Hush, my boy. Do not cheris
| such hopes. Why should she mat
/ with thee when the richest mobiles c
E the land would kneel for her hand
!, 'Hold" cried Ruric, starting t
his feet, his handsome face fushe
5 and his bright eye burning. "Spea