Bad Hugh

"Isn't he a beauty?" she asked, pressing her lips upon the wrinkled

forehead. "A boy, too, and looks so much like Charlie, but--" and her

soft, blue eyes seemed more beautiful than ever with the maternal

love-shining for them, "I shall not call him Charlie, nor yet John,

though mother's heart is set on the latter name. I can't. I loved my

brother dearly, and never so much as now that he is dead, but my baby

boy must not bear his name, and so I have chosen Hugh, Hugh Richards. I

know it will please you both," and she glanced archly at Alice, who

blushingly kissed the little boy who was to bear the name dearest to her

of all others.

Hugh--they talked of him a while, and then Anna spoke of Irving Stanley,

expressing her fears that she could not see him to thank him for his

kindness and forbearance to her erring brother.

"He must be noble and good," she said, then turning to Adah, she

continued: "You were with him a year. You must know him well. Do you

like him?"

"Yes," and Adah's face was all ablaze, as the simple answer dropped from

her lips.

For a moment Anna regarded her intently, then her eyes were withdrawn

and her white hand beat the counterpane softly, but nothing more was

said of Irving Stanley then.

The next day near the sunsetting, they buried the dead soldier, Mrs.

Richards and Adah standing side by side as the body was lowered to its

last resting place, the older leaning upon the younger for support, and

feeling as she went back to her lonely home and heard the merry laugh of

little Willie in the hall that she was glad her son had married the

young girl, who, now that John was gone forever from her sight began to

be very dear to her as his wife, the Lily whom he had loved so much. In

the dusky twilight of that night when alone with Adah she told her as

much, speaking sadly of the past, which she regretted, and wishing she

had never objected to receiving the girl about whom John wrote so

lovingly.

"Had I done differently he might have been living now, and you might

have been spared much pain, but you'll forgive me. I'm an old woman, I

am breaking fast, and soon shall follow my boy, but while I live I wish

for peace, and you must love me, Lily, because I was his mother. Let me

call you Lily, as he did," and the hand of her who had conceded so much

rested entreatingly upon the bowed head of the young girl beside her.

There was no acting there, Adah knew, and clasping the trembling hand

she involuntarily whispered: "I will love you, mother, I will."