The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-10-31
CHATTER xviii.

CHAPTER XXVlII.
VN few days Louis was able to be
removed 20 the valley, but his re-
ccyery was slow. and DR.. Braide
L strongly advised against his return
to the east As proprietor in the mine,
Louis was BOW doubly anxious to be
on the ground, but beins; prevented
from that be called on Rob for fire.
queiat I>ersoz:ai reports, which the sen
ior partner WIS very glad to make.
AT last the day came when Ann de-
clded to leave Louis in his care and
return &c be- mother, desperately de-
termined to test her new found happi-
ness and her lows. though she did not
put it thus.
Raymond receiyed the announcement
Of her plan with outward composure.
though he said sadly: Now that
know more about your life IN the cast
1 am NO. 80 sure can maize yon hap
DIV. even with million Pve loss ~
! ambition 70 be rich. for what couio
give you, who have he'd everything:
II am going to Zee 70 my mountain
cant bear TO see you take tie train.
and I Will not say good5y. ! viii watt
as patiently as I can till you send for,
me, and if you feel that you-that l
am not fitted to make you happy l
will not complain And they parted
with only clasp Of hands.
On the journey eastward Ann had
great deal Of time to think, and the
farther she descended upon the plain
the more certain it seemed that she
was leaving it all behind--Raymond.
the good Barnetts and all-and sad
ness which lay beyond tears seized up
on her. She felt, too, that Louis was
growing out of her life. He would
soon be man in the world of men.
However, she approached New York
on glorious morning In May, and the
North river was a glittering spread Of
leaping wavelets tossed into the sun
light by a brisk southwesterly wind,
and her spirits rose with bound.
The morning was deliciously cool and
very brilliant with sunlight, and as she
rolled through Madison square and en-
tered upon the lower avenue the girls
throat filed with sob Of JOY. The
generous, good mountains had not
merely lured her to themselves, teach
ing her to love them, they had restored
her sanity and the power to enjoy the
CLINT Of sunbeams anywhere in the
world. She was elate, throbbing with
recovered love Of life, with the regain
ed joy Of being young, and, best Of all.
she found herself looking lack each
moment with undiminished affection
to the high peaks. Into this moment Of
elation the thought Of her mother In
truded with chilling effect.
The complete lack Of sympathy be-
tween mother and daughter dated from
the day Of her birth, for she had never
known maternal care. From the time
she could speak paid servants and
teachers guided her in feminine ways.
The cold and SmileleSS woman who
gave her birth was being Of another
world. No caresses were ever invited
by the mother, and none was ever Of
fered by the child. Even the compan-
;onship Of the gentle, impulsive father
was cut short OF interdicted altogether
during melancholy periods by mis- wife's
eXacting demands.
When Louis came the father revolt
ed, refusing to be forever at the whlm
Of his wife He gave up attendance
upon her and devoted himself to the
children. This, Ann afterward recall
ed. was the beginning Of her mothers
morbid seclusion. Then came board
ing school, from which she was called
to receive her fathers last words, ana
these admonitions. gently spoken. with
a sad sweetness of tone, like the dying
hum Of bell, she had never forgot
ten. She had been q mother 10 Louis,
and she was coming back now with
the consciousness Of duty well per
formed, but as she approached the
towering wall of the great apartment
hotel in which her mother made her
home she lost courage. and the resolu-
ton she had made to forget their dir-
ferences and to conhde her oerplex1-
ties died away.
Mrs. Allard received her in bed read
ing.-she was forever reading useless
books-and iElpassiveiy said, What an
unearthly hour to arrive"
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