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THE GRANDFATHER, - 87
“Yes, woman!” said the husband, almost fiercely; “* there is a
thing worse than death — disgrace ! 7?
** Disgrace coupled.with my son? You are hisfather, John. Do
not slander him now that he is dead — before his mother, too.??
There was'a faint, red spot then upon that mild woman’s face, and
her mouth curved proudly as she spoke. All that was stern in her
navture had been aroused by the implied charge against. the depart-
ed... a
. * Read, woman, read! Look on that accursed wretch and her
child! They have enticed him into their savage haunts, and mur-
dered him. “Now they come to claim protection and reward for the
‘foul deed?
Malaeska drew her child closer to her as she listened to this ve-
hement language, and shrank slowly back to a corner of the room,
Where she crouched, like a frightened hare, looking wildly about, as
“af Peking some means to evade the vengeance which seemed to threat-
en her. 2
After the first storm of fecling, the old man buried his face in his
-hands and remained motionless, while the sobs of his wife, as she
read her son’g letter, alone broke the stillness of the room.
Malaeska ‘felt those tears as an encouragement, and her own deep
feclings taught her how to reach those of another. She drew timid-
ly to the mourner and sank at her feet.
** Will the white woman look upon Malaeska? ’? she said, in a voice
full of humility and touching earnestness. ‘*She loved the young
white chief, and when the shadows fell upon his soul, he said that his
mother’s heart would grow soft to the poor Indian woman who had
slept in his bosom while she was very young. He said that her love
would open to his boy like a flower to the sunshine. Will the white
woman look upon the boy? He is like his father.”?
** He is, poor child, he is !? murmured the bereaved mother, look-
ing on the boy through her tears — ‘like him, as-he was when we
“were both young, and he the blessing of our hearts. Oh, John, do
you remember his smile? —how his cheek would dimple when we
~ Kissed it! -Look upon this poor, fatherless creature; they are all
here again; the sunny eye and the broad forehead. Look upon him,
John, for my sake— for the sake of our dead son, who prayed us
with his last breath to love his son. . Look upon him ! ”?
The kind woman led the child ‘to her husband as she spoke, and
resting her arm on his shoulder, pressed her lips upon_his swollen
temples. The pride of his nature was touched. His bosom heaved,
and tears gushed through his rigid fingers. He felt a little form
draw close to his knee, and a'tiny, soft hand strive with its feeble
‘ Iight to uncover his face. The voice of nature was strong within
him. His hands dropped, and he pored with a throubled face over
the uplifted features of the child. :
Tears were in those young, bright eyes as they returned his ©
Srandfather’s gaze, but when a softer expression came into the old
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