Year: 1860

about Molly. You think you sympathize
with her, but you do not as do, for you
cannot realize her true position as one can
who has been placed under similar circum-
stances"


"Similar circumstances Why, Grand
mother Southside, were you ever STEP
mother? Can it be, and you are such q
dear, happy, good woman too? How did it


"It happened easily enough. When I
was little girl, not more than twelve years
of age, Augustine Southside, then young
man of twenty, came to teach our winter
school and, without wishing or knowing
it, taught me one lesson I never could un.
learn. 1t was loves mysterious lesson. That
love was no myth of a childish fancy, no
jack>a.lantern of the brain, but holy, pure
and deathless reality. And the love of my
young heart became hidden idol, worship
ped in secret, alone and unknown by its
author. When, at the close of school, he
gave parting kiss, bade me be good girl
and not forget what he had Taught me, he
little dreamed what he had taught me. I
did not forget and when, many years
later, he came to our village to seek for me,
and, as he said, teach me another lesson
which l was too young to learn then, he
found the task easier than be had anticipa-
ted, for he had unwittingly taught me the
rudiments along with my grammar, geog-
raphy and Adams old : when, he used to
lead me so carefully over the icy places and
lift me across the sloughs when, standing
up in the dignity of bis manhood, in the
full stature of moral integrity, with his
great intellect towering far above his SUR
roundiDgs, he could stoop down gracefully
without appearing to stoop, and so simplify
his greatness that it could be understood,
and appreciated by little child and last,
though not least, when with gentle tender
ness he would smooth out the awkward
blunders l sometimes made in my recita>
tions because of studying him full oft to
the neglect of my book. AS was saying,
it was no hard task for Augustus to teach
me loves lesson, but there was lion in the
way-he was widower and had one child,
a boy. However much l loved Augustine,
could take upon myself the fearful respon-
slbillty OF becoming a stepmother? My
head said, Louisa, you are not equal to the
task but my heart, which I believe was
nearest right, said, For the great love you
bear Augustine, you can do so and dare all
things; do not rob your lives through
weakness or fear of the happiness of a union
you so earnestly covet. So 1 listened to
my heart, left the cradling arms of my pa
rents, and with my hand clasped firmly, yet
tenderly in that of my noble teacher, went
forth with him to learn the realities of life.


$50 you see, girls, how it happened that
became stepmother. 1t was near forty
years ago, and it seems but yesterday when
we set out on lile's uneven journey together,
followed by the pity, blame, and good wishes
of all our friends, far and near, and we lived
through it all.


Augustine Southside was noble type of
true manhood. did not base my hopes of
happiness on sandy foundation, nor trust
a broken reed for support, when l gave him
the wealth of my young hearts first love /;
nor did ever look in vain to him for coun>
sci, sympathy and consolation in all the
years that we walked hand in hand together.
But, dear children, you all remember my
Augustine, how good, how noble he was,
and how much you all loved him. I need
not remind you of his virtues, for his life
path was heightened out until it lay beside
your own many year, and yet never tire
of talking of the good old man, and would
like to tell you of many pleasant passages in
his history, but fear, if begin upon that
theme, l shall wear the evening away with
out saying word about his son, my STEP
son, and he is the one ought to speak of
now, for you are all so worried about Molly,
her husband, and his parent and children.


II married not only into family, but a
whole community. My stepson, little Ed
ward, had one grandpa, two grandmas, and
fifteen uncles and aunts, all living within
two hours ride of US, and all feeling deep
interest in one way or another in the child.
His mother had been dead nearly three
years, and during most of that time he had


lived among bis relatives, a few weeks at a
place, until the little fellow hardly knew
what it was to live at home and as some
of his relatives were servants, some masters,
and Others still were playmates for him, as
a natural consequence of such training he
was at the time of bis recall to the paternal
hearth very unsettled in his habits.


"It was pleasant evening in June when
we met for the first time in the home that
has now been ours for so many years. Wea-
ried with the journey and the tiresome mode
of traveling-there were no railroads then,
and we came by stage long two days ride
how hailed with delight, too great for
words to express, the sight of the comforta.
BILE looking dwelling that Augustine pointed
out to me as our house.


Home at last said my husband, as we
walked up the shady lane that led through
the tgarden of roses in the midst of which
stood with open door and lighted porch the
ark to which my heart few, bearing an
olive branch in all its hopes and aspirations.
Home at last, echoed my heart, as we entered
the portal.


| UITooL Touiaa said AuO1stine 10