The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-17

always on the alert against danger TO
the children. So this mother had
slippcd downstairs and had heard
the whole story. For moment she
hated the sordid old man. Then she
let her love for her boy. her only one,
blot out the deteStable character or
her husband. But she determined to
undo the misery he had wrought. She
hastily rehearsed the whole story. She
knew be was unjust and preJudiced
against Laurena, who was a whole
some. healthy. lovely and noble girl.
The two children loved one another.
SHE had known it for years by the
unerrlng instinct of mother. She
had pictured TO herself the happiness
Of the two and of herself. and she
was going to undo the mischief II she
could. SO out into the darkness she
few to Laurena's home.
I.aurena had stumbled to the STEP
ping stone near the gate Of her home
and sunk down on it to sob out her
hearts great grief. The poor child
had played her last poor little trump
card, and it had failed. Now she
would give up and accept Bert, but 1t
must be long engagement. she deter
mined Perhaps she would get over
this In time. But somehow she felt in
ler heart Of hearts that Charlie did
love her. So she sat sobbing in this
lonely place, and here Mrs. Beards!ey
found her.
What words passed between these
two women should be sacred. but after
awhile the tears ceased to flow. The
two embraced with great fervor. and
Mrs. Beerdsley went home prepared
Ia give a battle that should know no
surrender and no quarter. Her boy
should he no longer treated like an ir'
responsible child He should be free
So, with her whole, being aroused In
defense Of her one joy and comfort.
she reached the kitchen door and stop
ned for a few seconds while in her
mind she ran over the whole OF her
life with her avaririous husband. She
now knew that IN the first year OF her
life with him she had been almost
siavish IN her acceptance of his supe-
rior wisdom. Perhaps she had uncon-
sciously given her child the same alb
ject obedience to his fathers orders
From his earliest days Charlie had ap
peared to consider his father the one
being in the world whose wisdom no
one could question. and his misery
now was due to this unquestioning
obedience. But it should last no longer
With firm step and with her lips
drawn in one tense line she opened
the door to the parlor. with her head
high But all her battle with herself
was futile as she saw that her hus
band had fallen over in his chair. help
less. She knew instantly that he had
.shad stroke" as bis own father had.
and that he would never SPEAK again
He would die with the refusal OF his
sons happiness as his last words. She
knew Charlie we'll enough TO know
that be would feel bound to obey that
formal and decisive refusal Of his hap
piuess even If it broke his heart.
AS soon as the old man was laid in
his bed and the doctor called the moth,
er sat down beside him and considered
the case from all sides She took q
heroic resolution She whispered a
few words TO him. asking his consent
to Charles marriage. well knowing
that be could never reply, and then
stood up. looking much rs martyr
might have done wild animal will
fght for it's Young. partridge de,
ceive to save her brood. Should she
be weaker than they? Whether her
lie could ever be justified or not she
could not tell. but she was willing to
leave the issue with the great Judge
who made mothers. So she told her
boy that his father at last had not re-
fused his consent. His last words on
earth had been: bah. You go to bed!'