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Show RICIIAflD JIUBDIS. nnd minor tno\·emenls; so he sa id nothing to me on my return. Not so my mother. "The Inst night, Richard, and to sleep from l10me! Ah, my sou, you do not think but it nw.y be indeed the very last night! You know not what may happen while you v.re absent. I mny be in my grave before you return." I was affected; her tenrs always nffected me; :mel h('r reproaches were alwnys softened by her tears. l!,rom childhoofl she lwd given me to sec tlwt site sonowed m·cn when she punished me; that sl1c shared in tl10 pain she felt it Iter duty to inflict. llow many thousand better sons would tlterc be in tl1e world, if their parents punished and rewarded from princirlle, nnd never from passion or cnprice ! I am sure, with a temperament reckless and impatient like mine, I should have grown up to be a demon, had not my mother been to me a saint. I sought to mollify her. "I did wish to come, mother-! feel th6l truth of all you say - but there was a circumstance - ! had a reason for slaying away last night." "Ay, to be smc," said my father sullenly; u it would not be Richard llurclis if Ito had not a reason for doing wiw.t he pleased. And pray what was this good and sufl-icicnt reason, Richard 1'' "Excuse me, sir, I would rather not mention it." "Indeed!" was iLe response; "you are too modest by lwlf, Richard. It is someth ing strange that you should at any time distrust ti1e force of your own arguments." I replied to the sarcasm calmly - " I do not now, sir-! only do not care to give unnecess:try particulars; and I'm sure that my mother will excuse them. I trust that she will believe wl1at I ha,·e already snid, :t.nd not require me to declare what I would be glad to witldwlcl." u Surely, my son," said the old la.dy, and my father remained si lent. A painful interval ensued, in which no one spoke, though all were busily engaged in thought. 1\fy father broke the silence by askiug a question which my mother had not dared to ask. "And at what hour do you go, R ic1mrd 1" "By twelve, sir. My lwrse is at feed now, and I havo 53 notlting but my saddlc-L:.tgs to sec to. You hnvc the biscuit ready, motlter, and the ven ison?" ."Y('s, ~1y s?u; I l1ave }Hit up some cheese also, wl1ici1 you wdl not fllld 111 the wtty. Your shirts arc all clone up, and ou tile Led." ft required some cO"ort on my motl1er's part to tell me tit is. I thanked ltc,·, aud my fatlter p roceeded:- "You will want your money, Richard, and I will get it for you nt once. If you desire more tlum I owe you, say so; I can Jet you have it." "T thank you, sir, but I sllall not ·need it: my own money will Le quite enougk" He lwtl nwd~ the pro~er coldly-! replied proudly; and lte m?ved away w1th a clue Increase of sullenness. The quick instmct of my mother, when my fatl1cr had gone, informed her of tl1c matter which I had Lcen desirous to withhold. "You lt:tve seen your brother, Richard?" 11 How know you 1" u Ask not a motl1er how she knows the secret of a son's nature, and l10w she can read those passions wllich sl1e has been unable to control. You l1ave seen your brother, Richard-you have quanelled with him." I looked down, and my checks burned as with fire. She came nigh to me and took my hand . . "lti~l~:~rd, ~ou arc about to iea,·e us: why can you not forg• vc_ Jnm 1 } orget your wrongs, if indeed you have had m1y at Ills h:ua1s, and let me no longer have the sorrow of knowin...,. tLat the children, who have been suckled at the same breast~ part, and perhaps fo1· ever, as enemies." ~<]Jetter, mother, that they should part as enemies, than Jive to~ether ns such. Your maternal inst inct divines not all, motl1er -lt falls short of the truth. Hear me speak, and have your nuswcr .. 1 .not only fjuarrclled with John llurdis yesterday, Lut I l;ud VIOlent hands upon him." "You did not-you could not !" "I must speak the trutiJ, mother-I did." "And struck him?" 11 No, but would have done so, had we not been interrupted." "rr hank God for tlwt! It is well for you, Richard. I should |
