"LITTLE MOTHIKINS."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4570, 15 February 1893, Page 1

"LITTLE MOTHIKINS."

{Woman.) Bhe was a sweet little woman ! " Little Mothikina" her boya called her, and at first you were inclined to laugh at the idea of these great strong young fellowa of twenty and twenty-two calling her their mother, bat when you learat that Bhe had married at seventeen, and looked ten yeats younger than ehe really was/ you- no. longer laughed j you only wondered how the grey eye had kept bo bright, and the broad brow ao smooth and placid, but had you asked her she would have told you the reason was "her Wedded bo young, ahe hardly understood what'love was, her marriage with the laird of' Olenasky being more of a family arrangement than anything else, and when her lord and master died—before Enrol was born—ahe did not sorrow more than jutjt to miss, as she. might have missed the presence ofa friend, the man -who, with all his native uncouthtteßß and clumsy ways, had always - been kind and • gentle to ier. But she loved "her boys " with a devotion only equalled by that ' which they bestowed upon her, and for twenty years they had lived ,in Glenasky, as happy a trio as ever dwelt on God's green earth. " Her boys " were not like her in appearance j they were tall broad-shouldered Btnrdy ■ yonngfellowß, lithe of limb and strong of arm, corn and bred among Scottish hills, and true BOna of the heather. " And, oh! how they uaed to laugh at the tiny woman whom'they balled Little Mothikins when ahe would let slip, now and again, some Irish phrase, with just a touch of the brogue in it. Though' she. did' not say anything, they knew that if Little Mofchikina pleased herself she would let Glenasky pack up her traps, and be off to the home of her ohildttood to-morrow; never to ccc ooldj bleak Scotland again. 'They knew that: she'only remained there because they liked it—because they -were Scottish to the baokbone i they knew all this, and in return Little Motbikina was taken every second year to Ireland, to spend the beßb of three months among her dear paddies, with their - kindly, courteous manners, and their eager welcome to the best of what they had; :> - ; ' Then ia the evening Little Mothikins might ems, or Donald might read out aa - much of hu drama as lie had written the night before, but ofteneat of all; Errbl would play to them, making the "Brinam6ad''«eem almost to speak, and Donald would get freshly inspired for his next act by the sweet tones* and Little Mothikina would lean back on the sofa with her. eyes fixed on the musician, and wonder in her heart if ever woman was «o blessed and happy before.\ „ It was in these moments, when nhe was thinking of nothinginpartioulaTjthatypu ■ jnight Jiave guesßed whioh of tha two was ■ her favourite, though, «be would not have admitted, perhaps sot even to herself, that she loved one better than the other;' but Enrol was. the younger, and was her Benjamin. ... •;.:'. Oh 1 they were happy,.these three, happy as the day w&8-long—until "the trouble grew andstirred." < ; "Who is that over thereV* asked "Captain Yandeleur of his host, who answered promptly, "By the window ? Mrs Maoleod." "What, the rich widow? Pretty woman!" "Pretty? Why, she's lovely! perfectly lovely! Better than that, ehe'a good, too, ;good as'an angel!" returned Maodnff of Duff enthusiastically, his honest face' flushing for it was an. open secret, in the county that Macduff of Duff waß as willing now to lay his heart and fortune at her feet aa he had been twenty years ago, when Alexander Macleod had died, and he was only a lad just out of his teens. The tone and flush both told their secret to William Vandeleur. "Ah, ah, Dugald;- bo that i_ the reason of your remaining single all theae years, and 'driven the maton-makine mammas, newly mad. Hard hit, eh ? When's the marriage coming off ?" Macduff drew himself up to his full height; there was something in' his friend's tone that jarred upon him-when connected with the lady of his love, and he answered a trifle more stiffly than ÜBual, " Ton are quite mistbken;Vandeleur. Mrs Macleod and myself are simply friends, nothing more. She will never marry; Tier whole heart is bound up in her isons." ' " Oh, no offence meant, old man. Sorry I Bpoke. Are her eons here this afternoon?" "Yes; those are they standing beside her," answered Macduff, in his usual -friendly' tone. His was a temper easily lost, but aa quickly found again. " What! those big chaps ? Nonsense! J_6ally ? By Jove! what splendid fellows! But they look twenty-five at least." "Twenty and twenty-two," answered Macduff, quietly. "Not as good-looking aa their mother, however. I say, you might introduce me, Dugald." So they made their way through the -crowd of guests acrosß the room to the window, and there was just time for this thought to run through -Captain "Vandeleur's mind: " Widow pretty, good position, with plenty of money; big estate settled on her for her lifetime, to do what she will with. Good spec for a man with no money to pay his own bills, or help him out of difficulties/ " May I get you a cup of tea or anything ?" he asked, in that curiously low And winning tone, which had broken many a woman's heart before now. " Thank you, but my sons have already gone to get me some. Ah! here they •come;" and she smiled a bright welcome ab Bhe took the oup from Donald's hand, and helped herself to cake from the plate which Errol had brought. "You have no cream; pray allow me to get Borne for you ?" said Vandeleur, rising tastily, but Enrol stopped him with the blackest look Little Motiukins had ever seen on his face. " Mrs Maoleod does hot take cream," he jaaid, sharply. "Ah! I did not know. Will you not -introduce me to your Bonß, Mra Macleod P" "Oh, I beg your pardon; I quite forgot jyou did not know each other," and Bhe laughed pleasantly, and the little cloud seemed to pass away—to pasa away to all outward appearance that is to 6&j, but there rankled a strange dislike in the hearts of both the yonnger men, and, as Erxol's grey eyes flashed for one second into his, William "Vandelear thought, "I'd like to have the breaking in of you, you young cub!" But «loud he onlysaid, "I am very pleased to mate your acquaintance." "Horrid man thai Vandeleur sdems," remarked Errol, as they were driving home -that night, having Bpent the -evening at the hospitable Macdufl'a, and Donald agreed with him. But the Little Mothikins _aid nothing, an omission which did not Pews unnoticed by _er boys. After that they BS-w Captain V&ffideleUK frequently, and it; soon became au acknowledged thing that at some hoar or otfaer of the day they were to meet him. After the first few times her boys «aid nothing; they saw Little M.ot_ikina lifeed tbia new friend, and were too loyal to say ftnything that might hnrfc her, bat they talked jt over m private, &nd souJd William Vandeleur have heard, Jte.arawld

have felt anything but flattered. How they hated the Bight of him ! Little Mothikins would go out for a day's fishing with them as before, but ere they had been half an hour by the stream, they -would hear that yellow dogoart of If acdajS's bowling along the road, and presently Wandeleur would be beside them, wit_a his aoft, drawling voice, and his languid blue eyes. And then by degrees he and Little Mothikins would saunter «ff by themselves and not return, until it wa-jjuat time to go home. Ob, it was bitter, 'bitter, bitter to her boys, and yet sheoould not help it,and was quits unconscious of the pain she was causing those who had never given a scrap of their hearts to anyone but herself during their life. For she, who had never tasted of this kind of love before,ifound it very sweet, all the more so, perchance, because it had been so tardy tin ooming. So the long summer days drifted heedlessly by, Vandeleur still stayed on at Doff, knowing he waa welcome, and Little Mothikins made no mention of the 'biennial visit to Ireland. Donald proposed it as a matter of course, and when she 'blushed as they had never seen her do before, and falteied that Glenasky was looking much prettier than usual that year,: that perhaps they might Bpend. their summer where they were, the fact suddenly dawned upon her boys that she was in love with the man they so disliked. They were angry, yes, terribly angry, but Little Mothikins never knew it. Vandeleur had promised that he should never want. the boys to live anywhere but where he and his wife did, which would mean that they would all Btay in Glenasky, for, as Captain Vandeleur told her, he was a very poor man, having lost all Mb money in a bank failure. But what did that matter? said Little Mothikins, when she had euough and to spare for both, and the estate into the bargain ; and when William Vandeleur graciously agreed, to accept her fortune and home Bhe thought her cup of happiness must> overflow. Before Vandeleur and his wife had returned a week from their honeymoon her boys noticed a great change in Little Mothdkios ; a change which almost brought tears to their -eyes, and caused their young hot blood to surge wildly in their veins. It was now that Vandeleur showed himself 'in his true colours, and though her boys tried hard to treat him atieast politely for their mother's sake, they found it no easy matter, especially as they knew that Vandelaur was completely | in their power if they dared take advan- ! tage of it, for he would have been as help*, less as a cat in the grasp of one of these young Highlanders. But at last matters reached a orisis. One -evening Errol was going down the passage leading to his room to dress for ainrier*rthen he heard angry tones proceeding from his another's bedroom, and, as he involuntarily paused, the words were too plainly distinct to be mistaken. Like a wave over his face came a dark flush, and ! his eyes shone with t^rath. Th^t' this Vandeleur should dare to stoeoy'at'h'iß mother!— at Little Mothikins^ wh6 ( had neyer heard an oath since she came to •Glenasky twehty-three years ago,- fori as her boys had loved to quote. Like a little wax Madonna she waa holy in the place, and now that this—this— he could find no name hard enough for him— should dare to use ; those words to her:! Errol bit his lip until the blood came,, and, "doubling np his. hand, ran hie nails into the palm. Just then Vandeleur came out of the room, banging the door to with aourse. "Young puppy:! "he muttered, as he < passed his son-in-law, and Errol made a step ! forward, as if t to fell him to the ground. , | Then he drew slowly back. He would not touch him just outdde Little Mothikin'a door, but he watched him go down the passage with a dark terrible gleam in his grey eyes, and when 'he had seen him turn the corner he went on his way, and entered his bedroom with a white hard face whereon was a look of firm set purpose. That evening Vandeleur did not come in, and they had one of the old cosy dinners again, just the three of them ; only now there was a barrier raised, for they could not speak of the subject nearest to all their hearts. Desaert over, Errol, making a quick sign to his brother to remain where he was, opened the dining-room door. " You go up, Mothikins," he said, " and we won't be two seconds." Then, as he closed the door after her, he turned to his bi other; " Donald, we must do something; this is killing her." Donald looked moodily at his sherry glass. "What caa we do, Errol? Nothing.' We can't interfere between husband and wife, worse luck!" — at least, he didn't use Buch a mild expression, but that will pass for the present. "The law could, however," said Enrol. " I'm sure there's enough proof of cruelty for a separation. Didn't you see those marks on her wrist? That wa9 why Bhe had to wear a long - Bleeved dress tonight. Curse him ! " The last two words came out hoarsely, but with such haired that even Donald was startled. He shook his head. " No, Errol, the law can't interfere. It would break her heart if a breath of scandal or word of unkindness about him were to reach the public. That's always the way with a woman. She'll Btick to a man she loves even till he kills her I" " I wish to goodness my mother wasn't a woman, then," said Errol; and there was such a ring of pathos in his voice that neither smiled at the remark. There was eilenca for a moment or so, and then Errol said, hesitatingly :— "Look here, Donald ; of course I know it would be all right, but still, if anything happened to me, you'd always look after the Mothikins, wouldn't you ? " The other looked back at him with a shade of reproach in. his eyes, and Errol hastened to add :— "Yes, I know you would, only I wanted to hear you say it. If I were to die, now, and you were to marry, or anything, you'd never leave her alone, would you P You'd always live here, you and your wife, wouldn't you ? " v "My dear chap, of course ; but," with. a laugh, "there's no thought of my taking unto myself a wife as yet that I know of. > And as for you, why, what's g^iug to happen to you ?" Errol joined in the laugh. "Oh, there's no saying what mightn't happen. I might get thrown by Ginger, or [ anything else, and then you'd be the only one to look after the Mothikins. By-the-bye, hadn't we better go up now ? It isn't Often w-e get her to ourselves without that brute, and he may be in soon." So they went upstairs, and Errol, asking at once for the piano, struck up his latest comic song, a thing of little merit as regardu the composition, and no value in the words ; a silly stupid Bong, not even amusing, the chorus of which went something like this :— Ohio, Ohio, Ohio, Now don't you anigger at the poor old nigger, Ohio, Ohio ! But senseless though it was it sank in the hearts of hiß two listeners and (rang Ahero for many and many a day. Then he went over all his mother's f&Krourites one after the other without being asked, giving them " Eileen Alannah," the one one loved best, twice over, though. : they well knew that he himself had no \ fancy for the Irish song. He was jnst I playing the finishing chord of the beautiful melody * hen the dog-carb came quickly np | the aventie, and through the open window I came the «<pnnd of the Captain's voice swearing romadly at the groom and everyi^ing in general. fowl 3sung tound on.tbff BJn?joßtooJ-

iust in time to catch the look of abject fear upon his mother's face, and he saw again that timid shrinking movement which had so angered him the first evening of her return from the honeymoon. , He sprang from his seat and throwing his arm round her neck be said gently: — • • It's all right, Little Motbikins, you cut upstairs to your room, and I'll undertake he doesn't follow to bother you to-night. There, run quick, before he comes in ; he's as drunk as can be, I know by his voice." That she knew, too, was only too evident, ; and Bhe rose, trembling in every limb, not •even oaring to contradict him. ' Donald hurriedly opened the side door for her, so that she might escape meeting her husband in the hall ; but after She had : bidden them both good-night, Errol strode -swiftly after her. " Kiss me again, Little Mothikins," he said, drawing her sweet face down to his, and looking into her'eyep, with an infinite love and tenderness in bis own, "and don't fret— he shan't bother you again." She did as lie asked, passing her hand caressingly over the fair, curly head, never heeding, or if heeding never taking in the, full purport of his words, or noticing the great tenderness, even greater than usual, in hiß manner. But it all came back to: her the next morning, when her younger son was arreßted for the murder of his father-in-law. The Court was hushed? and silent; 'the ■Jury had retired to consider their verdict. The prisoner stood upright and steady, taller by a good head than any man in the place. Every face was grave, but none so utterly hopeless as that of the counsel for the defendant. There was not the ghost of a chance! or his client, well as he had worked to make a good case for him. He was guilty, that was the first thing; but there were not even extenuating circumstances. Guilty ? In Errol'a eara rang his brother's words of only a few: days before. "It would break her heart if a breath of scandal or word of unkindness about him were to reaoh the public " " Bnt, goodness me, were you drunk ?" persisted the bewildered barrister, and Errol had answered quietly thai he was perfectly sober. Presently the Jury began to file in again .and for the first time the prisoner withdrew his eyes from the one white face in the crowd, turning them upon those who held Mb life in their hands. There he read the ! worst. . ..'... Ho paled slightly and whispered to the warder nearest him— " For heaven's sake can't they get my mother away before he speaks ?" A verdict of wilful murder without recommendation to mercy was returned against Errol SJtuatt , Macleod; When asked by the Judge if there was anything he wished to say, the prißoner replied, " Nothing, my lord." Jn truth the cure was worse than the disease. Little Mothikins found it so; .