Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-12-30
Maria's Portrait.

| 0OD Hat are you going to do with
| VNV that, pa? Why do you take
it DOWN."
Mr. Bretman did not answer For
the first time in his life he pushed his
child from him and called harshly for
the nurse to take him away. Little
Fred made no resistance, but his
grieved lip and quivering chin told
that he felt hurt and injured. And,
up in the nursery, he appealed to Mag
gle, the maid.
Maggie, why did papa look SO
cross? Why didn't he tell me what he
was doing with mammals picture?
Twasn't any harm to ask"
! "Och, l doubt he was ashamed. dar-
hn'," said Maggie. BE aisy; you are
not to blame"
And she took the widower's little
boy upon her knee and patted his
round head.
why ought he be ashamed?" asked
Fred.
You mustn't say l said So" cried
the woman. "Masther has the right
to do his own will. It's none O. my
business"
but why did he take the picture
down" asked FREQ. again.
There's somebody coming that
wouldn't like to see the face of the
lady that was MISTRESS here but a
year ago." said Maggie Your pa is
after givin' ye a step-mother, Fred
die"
whats that?" asked Fred.
"a new MOTHER" said Maggie. "Ah,
don't be spakin' of what I've said, OF
she'll send me away, and there'n be
none to love We. She'll turn your pa's
heart, and have it all her own. It's
always 50, poor bairniew
And the old nurse wept over the
child and with him.
! Mr.. Bretman carried his first wife's
picture up to the great garnet, where,
truth to tell, he shed a few tears over
1t before he deposited it In its cor
ner. 1t was impossible for him to
have those sweet eyes looking down
upon him while living ones shone from
her chair and her place at the table
He loved the dead woman still, though
be also loved a living one.
Maggie did not know this. She
thought as she said, that "the missus
was forgotten quite" What she
thought she taught the child; and the
young lady who came smiling into the
parlor one bright morning and knelt
down when her husband said, Come,
kiss your new mamma, Freddie" look
Ing so sweet and gentle and pretty
that, left to himself, the boy would
have liked her, was surprised by an
earnest slap on the face and the angry
words. go away. You made papa
put dead mammals picture up garrett
/ don't want you for a new mamma;
l won't have you. Go away"
And at that the bride, almost a child
herself, started up, flushed and angry,
and returned to her husbands pro-
tecting arms, quite overcome by this
t greeting, and the face of the old nurse,
In which she saw no pleasant greeting,
: but defiance and anger instead.
The father, stung by the chlld's
words, seized him, for the first time in
his life, roughly by the shoulder and
turned him from the room.
1 "Go, SIR" he said, land do NOT come
back until you can behave decently
I 1t is that ignorant woman's fault" he
said to his young wife, and led the
way to the dining room.
But the shock Of the brides recep
ton had robbed both of any appetite
and Helen even wondered whether she
> had been wise to break her resolution
and marry a widower who had chill
dren."
''No one ever has any comfort with
step-children," she thought.
And who can say what was In the
mans mindi They were silent, bott
of them. And, after lunch was over