Ruby's Reward — page 327: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

his income was stopped, aud his name no longer to be mentioned in our house, War ensued, throw- ing the country into a state of turmoil, and IT never heard from my son again, Major Howland put his affairs in order, settled the bulk of hia fortune upon me, and saw me safely and comfortably provided tor, and then gave himsel?, and what he had reaerved of his property, to the cause of the Bouth. I need not jo into details, but he spent himself and his all in the struggle that ensued, and at the end of the war, came home only to die. After that I removed to Philadel- phia, where I resided for several years, and then caine to this suburban city, which has been my home ever since.’ “Ah! said Walter, looking up with a relieved ex- pression, ‘‘that is the reason probably, why you never received the news of my father's death. My mother must have addressed you at Baltimore,” Madam Howland smiled, “Thank you, my boy, for inferring that I did not receive that news, You do not believe me quite ao bad as [have appeared. ButlI never did get the let- ter. If I had could not have ignored it, [must have pore toyou, And once I did goto New York to search formy son, for my heart yearned for him after my husband's death, I began to feel that I had been cold and cruel, and I longed to be reconciled to my only child. I was willing even to receive his bride, in spite of her poverty and toil, for I knew that their presence would be a comtort to mein my old age, I was rich, [could surround them with every luxury, and I resolved that I would atone for my former harshness and pride. But I could obtain no trave of either my son or his wife, and I feared, remembering the views that he had expressed regurding the Union, that he might have joined the Union army and per- ished inthe war. But itseems from your account that he and your mother had died from overwork and exposure, and you had become the care of a stranger. I have led a lonely life since then, though [have tried to do some good with the wealth which J would have so gladly lavished upou Wy children. It has been no atonement, tor there can be none for a mother who coldly discards the offspring that God has given her, though, for my son’s sake, I have done | Ree a could for others. But ee ee you uttered your name in m resence Lk the 1 were Bea 8oD. pee Usitih AL od