Year: 1868

bauSAbCA W obOpp W 81 tOuAhAOh-
place as Irritation, nor had Carries truly
warm heart any liking for it, so that cour-
tesy and candor was her character, and
scarcely discarded lover withdrew his
respect and admiration. This was as Mrs.
Britton desired, and she had come to trust
Carrie almost entirely in such matters, only
reserving to herself the right to say when
the proper person presented himself. Thus
matters stood when foreign nobleman
presented himself in their;circle and became
frequent guest at the Britton mansion.
For the first time Lady Britton was seen to
smile upon the attentions of another, and
Carrie was informed that the Baron Wander
holt was the man to be allied to the Britton
house.


at seemed that in this case, at least, all
things were to glide on smoothly, for Car.
rie's heart responded fully to the wooing of
love-responded with the depth of her i'm
passioned soul. Yet months glided by, and
Mrs. Brtton heard only through Carrie of
the proposed marriage; her daughters hand
had never been asked of her; yet the baron
lingered-nay, had actually taken up
bachelor quarters in New Orleans, and lived
in superb style. Half the female heads in his
circle were completely baron-crazed, al
though it was generally understood that he
was the mortgaged property of Carrie Brit
ton. An entire year had flown by when
Mrs. Britton determined to bring about
decision at once. She was urged to this by
a change which had come over Carrie for
several months back-a change she deemed
not in the least honoring to the Britton
family, for Carrie had drooped, and grown
sad and detected, and it must be stopped ere
the entire circle were commenting upon the
weakness of a child of Lucy Britton.


"'Carrie, | do not understand this contin.
ued delay as to your marriage and unless
you can bring Baron Vanderbilt to a decis-
ion as to time it becomes my duty to do so,
and if am forced to speak there will be
no delaying after it, can assure you.


Carrie turned deadly white, dark purple
rings settled about the mouth, and under
the eyes, drop of blood slowly trickled
from the white palm where the nails were
unconsciously forced into the delicate flesh,
as she arose, moved forward and dropped
upon her knees before the woman she called
mother, but who had never once addressed
her with an endearing word.


" Mother, by the memory Of your own
girll.ood, by that of your dead mother, By
your young love for my father, or if these
fail, by your hope of mercy from God, scorn
me not. Oh mother shield and protect
your poor fallen, ruined child. Your wealth
can DO it, mother hide me, oh! hide me
from the scorn of my fellow-creatures, in
some remote corner of the world


4" No muscle had moved, no nerve had
lwitchcd; the proud face dark and fixed in
its lowering wrath seemed cut from granite
as she bent forward, clenched her hands
into the delicate shoulders and with a
freezing hiss rung into her ears the one
word, begone.' She loosened not her
grasp, but frightened it until the blood
oozcd from beneath every nail, and at
tempted to raise the PROSTATE girl to cast
her from her door. Carrie arose to her
feet, sprang from her grasp with her deli
cate flesh quivering from the piercing
wrench of her mothers hands, and stood
erect before her; erect and defiant she stood
as a spirit lost from heaven.


Woman, you gave me being, but you
have never been a mother to me; not one
tender word have | ever heard from
your lips although my heart in silence
longed for love, aye, for one word Of
a mothers love as a famished traveller
on the burning sand longs for one
cooling drop of water, and you gave
it not to me. This night your heartless
scorn has frozen up in my heart every lin
gering wish to be good. go; but if there is
God of justice, your heart and life will dry
up within you by slow agony until its own
wretchedness brings pity for me-.


"The ruined girl turned and fed from the
home of her youth-hed out into the dark
night and cold rain, out into the darker
colder world of sin and shame.


Eight years after that night dissipated
reckless woman was found dead in hel
bed and an orphan boy was brought
to one of our asylums. About his neck
was costly chain holding the likeness o
Philip Britton. 1t had been placed thert
by that dead woman but a moment befor,
she threw herself upon the bed which sh,
knew was to be her death-couch.


"The matron of the asylum was goo,
woman, and had known Philip Britton, hi
proud wife, and lovely daughter years ago
so she went at once to yon cold, granite
looking house, where she feared to find


far less penetrable heart. But through al
those years the last words of her child MAJ
been at work in the cold, selfish heart, an
though she could never have been brough
to receive the woman Of shame, nor sine
that fatal night had heard her name, sh
felt relief in finding the child to max
amends to, and thus appease her Coz
science; and since that child was bo
might she not hope to see him rise abov
the shame of the mother, and reinstate tn


Britton house ere she died. The boy is no,


twenty, and is Just returned from colleg
with first honors. He seems to be


fine fellow, and has most cordial


invited me to renew my acquaintance wit
the old Britton home; so il You would lik'


ii can introduce you to its interisr. hea
the whole place is to be remodeled, itte
out with servants, and opened once more
throng of life and gaiety."


accepted the invitation for some futur
time, and turned my steps homeward, wit


many queries in my mind as to the powe


of a mothers love, and the vast responsible


ity Of parents


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