THE STEPMOTHER.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 45, 21 September 1870, Page 7

THE STEPMOTHER.

BY AMY. CHAPTER FIRST. ' Poor dear child !' ' She don't know what's in store for her !' ' It's well she can sing !' Clara Melton checked her song abruptly, and looked from one to the other of her assembled relatives with questioning eyes of wonder. She was a tall, pretty girl of fifteen, and giving promise, in her regular features, deep violet-grey «yes, and exquisitely-tinted complexion, of rare beauty, when she should be a little older. The scene was the wide vine-festooned verandah of a handsome country house, from which extended a velvet-smooth lawn, dotted with oddly-shaped flower-beds and groups of shrubbery—Clara's home. ' Aunt Patience, what do you mean ?' asked the girl, abruptly. ' What is in store for me?' ' Has not her father told her, poor thing ?' said ■one of the old maids, in a stage whisper, ' Told me what, Miss Solomon V ' Hush, Clara, my love; don't get excited,' said old Mrs Parker, soothingly. 'lt's your stepmother—she's expected home to-night, you know.' 'ls that all! Why, papa wrote me that a week ago,' exclaimed the girl, drawing a long breath of relief. ' Of course, my dear, you will keep your own keys,' said Mrs Parker. ' These stepmothers are the most prying creatures in existence !' Clara coloured indignantly. ' I don't think she will ask me for my keys, ma'am.' ' Be sure, my dear,' croaked Aunt Patience, 'to call her nothing but Mrs Melton. She will expect you to say " mamma," but that •' ' Is of course out of the question,' said Clara, haughtily. ' 1 should not wonder one grain if she forbid you having any beaux,' murmured Miss Solomon, in a thoughtful little 'aside.' 'These pretty young stepmothers can't bear seein' other girls get attention when they arepast it themselves.' ' Indeed, Cousin Solomon, you are entirely mistaken there,' said Clara, biting her lips, and drawing herself up. ' 1 shall have what company 1 please.' The three old ladies shook their heads simultaneously. 4 You don't know what it is to have a stepmother, Ulara. I should think Henry Melton would have his daughter's interests more at heart!' Up to this time Clara had looked forward to the coming of her fair young stepmother with happy anticipation. But somehow Aunt Patience, Cousin Solomon, and Mrs Parker, had changed the whole current of her nature. Was it really true that this stepmother would be a spy, a marplot, a rival in her father's affections ? And when the three old ladies rolled up their knitting, and muffled their heads, and went home, warning Clara ' to behave with a proper spirit,' the girl stood looking after them, until the purple sunset made a dazzling mist before her eyes, and she felt, oh, so unutterably lonely. CHAPTER SECOND. ' And this is my new daughter—sister, I should rather say.' The face into which Clara looked was very beautiful and very winning, but her heart was effectually steeled against its pleading glance. ' I believe your rooms are quite ready, Mrs Melton.' Mrs Melton followed the maid up-stairs, feeling as if her husband's daughter were a statue of ice ! ' You receive your stepmother very coldly, Clara,' said Mr Melton, pausing at the foot of the stairs. 'lt would have gratified me very much if you yourself would have conducted her to her rooms, as she is a stranger here, and ' ' I am not a servant,' said Clara, frigidly, and her father said no more. When Mrs Melton came down, a few minutes later, Clara was almost tempted to love her in spite of everything, so pretty and winning was she—a bright little brunette, with melting, hazel-brown eyes, peach-like complexion, and lips that seemed made only to smile. ' She is my stepmother,' said Clara to herself, and she grew colder every moment. The days, and weeks, and months passed away. Aunt Patience and Mrs Parker wagged their capped heads ominously. She was a great deal too young and too pretty. They couldn't imagine what Henry Melton was thinking about when he brought home such a child as that for a wife ! Clrra would find trouble with her yet—see if she didn't. ' Clara, dearest,' said Mrs Melton, one morning as Clara sauntered down to the breakfast ~ table rather late and sleepy, ' your papa and I ' were Speaking about tbat young Matthew who was here last night: we do not exactly liko his manners and appearance. Are you very anxious that he should continue his visits here ?' ' I like Mr Matthew,' said Clara, indifferently, ' and 1 shall continue to receive his visits.' ' But, Clara, I think ' ' The fact that you are my stepmother gives yon no authority over ma and my visitors,' said Clara, insolently. ' Mrs Parker thinks lam quite old enough to select ray own society.' Mrs Melton made no reply ; but- Clara kuew that she was bitterly wounded, and sha rejoiced in her vain, wilful little heart.

' You were quite right, my dear,' said Aunt Patience, when she heard the story. 'Once give that woman an inch, and Bhe'll take an ell. The idea of shutting you out from all society—a young girl like you—because ' ' But she didu't want to shut me out from all society,' said Clara, honestly ; ' it was only John Matthew.' ' No matter: it would amount to the same thing in the long run if you commenced by indulging her.' ' The idea of her being a housekeeper,' chimed in Miss Solomon. ' Why, the cook told me yesterday that she never had an idea how many potatoes were boiled for dinner, and that the pickles were fermenting shockingly.' ' Well, well,' said Aunt Patience, ' I don't know, for my part, what the world is coming to!' Meanwhile, poor little Mrs Melton wa3 sitting in the twilight at her husband's side, talking about Clara. ' I don't know what to do, Henry,' she said, ingenuously, ' She is the most affectionate little creature in the world, yet her heart is entirely barred against me, as if 1 were her bitterest enemy. She rejects alike my love, my sympathy, and my companionship, and seeks for these in the society of the old ladies at Mrs Parker's, her own mother's relations. It is very, very hard, Henry.' ' Shall I speak to her, Nina ?' ' Not for worlds ! That would only rouse her resentment and jealousy.' ' But it is unjust towards you, my love, to permit this insolent manner of hers. I have frequently seen the guests at our table surprised and shocked at it.' ' Nevertheless, dearest, we must wait. Perhaps, in time, I may be able to win her affection. In the meantime, any attempt at coercion or reproach would entirely estrange her.' ' Well, have things your own way, my little Nina.' The discussion was abruptly brought to a close by Clara's own footstep on the porch-floor. Mr Matthew had escorted her home from Mrs Parker's cottage ; but neither Mr nor Mrs Melton made any comment upon her cavalier. Two or three days afterwards Mr Melton, glancing over the morning newspaper at the breakfast table, uttered a brief exclamation. ' What is it, papa?' asked Clara. ' Rather a disagreeable piece of news for you, my daughter : your gallant friend, Mr John Matthew, has been arrested for embezzling h'g employer's funds, and has been lodged in the Tombs.' ' Impossible, Papa!' ' Read it for yourself,' . ,•■'•• He handed the newspaper over to Clara. She perused the paper with burning cheeks, fully expecting an outburst of triumph from her stepmother —the bitterest draught that could at that moment have been held to her lips ; but Mrs •Melton only said, quietly : ' I am exceedingly sorry. Mr Matthew was too young and handsome to have his career thus suddenly cut short. Let us hope there is some mistake about it.' Clara's heart softened strangely towards her stepmother as she heard the mildly -spoken words. CHAPTER THIRD. ' I wish you would not go, Clara. It is a long, late ride, and I do not fancy those Hamilton girls,' said Mr Melton. ' And you have not been at all well for the last few weeks, Clara,' entreated Mrs Melton. The last plea of her stepmother was quite sufficient to arouse every antagonistic impulse in Clara's nature. ' Aunt Patience says it is all nonsense to closet up a great girl like me for every cough or sore throat!' she ejaculated impatiently. ' I want to go, and [ shall go !' Nina's gentle hand upon her husband's arm repressed the angry words that were rising to to his lips, and Clara ran over to Mrs Parker's, to tell her that she had triumphed over her step-. mother. CHAPTER FOUKTH. 'You don't tell me so," cried Miss Solomon, uplifting both her hands,—" 'our Clara with the typhoid fever ?" 'So the doctor says,' said Mr Melton, 'and ' / couldn't be of any use, nussin' her,' said Miss Solomon, ' and I'm weakly myself. I)r Green says I never'd ought to take care of sick folks.' Mrs Parker had flown to the cupboard for her camphor bottle, and was liberally sprinkling her skirts and capstrings therewith. ' Please don't come a step nearer, Henry. I always was afraid of contagious fever.' ' Then we are to look for no assistance from you,' said Mr Melton, curling his lip. ' Certainly not,' said the old lady, emphatically. ' Of course, I'm very sorry for poor Clara ; but she ought to.have known letter than to go over to the Hamiltons, when they are just recovering from it, and a long night ride after, wards.' ' I think so too,' said Aunt Patience, nodding her head. ' Typhoid fever's a dreadful disease, and it's our bounden duty to look after ourselves first. Just give me a sniff o' that camphor, will you, Sister Parker ? Of course, Henry Melton, I you and your wife 'll go off somewhere, and hire J a nurse from the hospital to wait upon Clara.' | Mr Melton bowed an exceedingly brief adieu to the three alarmed old ladies, and walked

away, pondering within himself on the intense selfishness of the world. Clara i\as quite delirious when her father returned, and Mrs Melton was watching by her bedside. ' Nina,' he said, ' I do not know but that we had better follow Miss Patienee's advice, in one instance, at least. You must go away from her, and I'll engage a nurse.' 'Never,' said Nina; 'do you think I could leave her, your daughter, to the care of a hireling?* And she triumphed. CHAPTER FIFIH. It was a gloomy evening late in October, when Clara Melton came back from the land of dreams and phantasy to her own identity and self-con-sciousness. Pale, weak, skeleton-like, she scarcely knew herself ; but close at her bed-side was sitting—her stepmother ! And, a little farther off, she could trace the outlines of her father's tall figure leaning against the window. ' Papa,' she murmured faintly, ' where have 1 been ?' His heart leaped within Lim, as he recognised the accents of reason in the voice that had so long babbled delirious monotonies. 'My daughter,'he said solemnly, 'you have been very near to the Valley of the Shadow of Death.' ' Where are Aunt Patience, and Mrs Parker, and——?' ' They shrank away from you, Clara, when they learned the fearful nature of your disease ; they left you to struggle with death as best you might. It is only owing to your mother's tireless watching and constant care that you are with us now. Clara looked up into Nina's face ; it was pale but tender. Instinctively she stretched out her arms. * Mamma !' And in that one loving, pleading word, Nina had her exceedingly great reward. She had conquered at last. From that moment, henceforward, Clara clung to her with an affection that was almost a marvel to herself. It seemed as if Nina's presence was an absolute necessity to her—as if she could only be happy while she held her stepmother's hand and rested her head against her shoulder. ' Oh, mamma, why did I not know you sooner?' she would say, with the fondest caresses. Aunt Patience, Mrs Parker, and Miss Solomon called, when all danger of infection was over, to express their condolence. * Poor thing, howpale she is !' said Mrs Parker, ' I dare say her stepmother didn't half take eare of her.' But Clara rose indignantly. '-'• ' Don't dare to speak a word against my darling mother,' she said, with flashing eyes. 'lf it had not been for her, I would have been dead and buried now. I love her better than all the world beside, and if I hear another word in her disparagement, 1 will turn you all out of doors.' The three oil ladies stared at each other. The stepmother had used some potent spell which had out-generalled them all. In a recent excavation of cellars, a Bostonian has dug up quite a number of tombstones bearing record of the early settlers. Among the most interesting is one of " John Alden, senior, aged 75 ; deceased Uth March, 1701." It is believed that this was the son ot the John Alden and Priscilla immortalised in the " Courtship of Miles Standish." These tombstones will be carefully preserved undefaced, and placed amongst the other stones of the building that is to be erected. A sad spectacle was witnessed at the Melbourne Police Court the other day, when Elizabeth Willis, a young woman who was both deaf and dumb, charged with being drunk and disorderly, was sent to gaol for three months. The '• unfortunate" expressed her astonishment by signs at the severity of the punishment meted out to her, which, however, was fully deserved, she having been four times convicted for drunkenness within the previous five months. James Cusack, the criminal condemned to death for the murder of his wife at Gooley's Creek, in the Wood's Point District, on the 28th June, was executed on the 30th ult. He was said to be in a very desponding statu of mind. His fear of death was excessive, but he said he could resign himself to the idea of imprisonment for life. Quite different is the conduct of Sup. pie, convicted of the wilful murder of J. S. Walshe, and whose case will be considered by the Full Court when it nueta next month. He continues in a state of utter indifference, aid says he cares nought for death. Spread of Education.—A correspondent sends the following, which he saw in a shop window : "A baku-s Palient Mvngol for Sail, and 2 D Sold. Enquvre at number—, Street, Sumers Towue. A Desided Bargen."' HtiUnu-iufs Ointment and Pills are a certain cure for scurvy. Edward Hope, of Ladismith, Port Natal, suffered more than most people from scurvy, the whole of his body being covered with this unsightly eruption. He tried a great number of reputed remedies, bnt was not benefitted by them ; indeed, it became doubtful to his friends whether he would ever overcome this disfigurement. At length he tried Holioway's Ointment and Pills. These medicines quickly produced a beneficial change, aud by continuing to n»e them for eight weeks, he was radically cured.