The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-03-03
The Good Bye.
George George

"Well, what's wanting now ~
The young husband ,urned back the door
knob and there was impalence in his tore
and ANNOYANCE on his brow as he answered
his wift's call.
Nothing, papa, only baby and just wan,
to kiss you good bye and she came up tow
ards him, the little graceful, sweet-voiced wo-
man, with her baby in her arms, and held un
the small, soft face to his cheeks, and the lit
tie one croued and thrust up its dimpled
hands, and clu,ched the short, thick locks
,riumphan,ly.
20 baby. YOU rogue, you'd like to pull oul
handful of papa's hair. woudn', you row =
laughed the merchant in tone so unlike his
former one that YOU would no. have recoy-
nized it, and he leaned down ard imprinted
a Hiss Oh the small fragrant lips ayaln and
again.
Now it's NY turn, papa" ard Mrs. Rey-
nolds smooth.d away the rumpled hair and
kissed her husbands forehead. and as he
went out of the house that morning, u new
sotlness and peace had erased the troubled
look from the mans face.
And that day II Was appointed to George
Reynolds TO pass through sharp and fearful
temptation.
He was in the midst of a commercial cri-
sis, and several of his heaviest debtors had
failed that week, and now payment of tel
thousand dollars was due, and there was 10
way to raise this sum unless
He held the pen irresolutclv in his .ha-
king hand, the veins were swollen into great
blue cords Oh his forehead. and his brca,!.
came thick and fast betwixt his hot lips.
few scrawls of that pen, solitary name a;
the bottom and the younS merchant could
secure the ten thousand dollars, and his bus
mess credit would be safe. There was n
sort of doubt, too, but he could raise the mo-
ney within few days, and thus secure him.
self from all discovery, and the pressing cir
cumstances Of the case certainly allowed some
limits in tinanciering.
SO whispered the ,empter as he walked VI,
and down the soul Of George Reynolds. al
ways sotteninS down the word forgery into
some false name, which totally changed 10
his perceptions the complexion Cf the deed
he was about to commit
The young merchants eyes glared all a.
round his office, but there was none TO Sc.
him then, he dipped his pen with kind Of
desperate eagerness into the tall porcelain
and he drew it alorg the paper.
whcr suddenly his hand paused. struck by
thong memory of his wi!e's kiss tha;
morning.
lie Saw her as he saw her last. standing in
the door, the baby in her arms, he- swee,
face full cf Golherly tenderness and wifei,
trust, as she lifted it to him at parting, the
voice of the temp'er passed away before that
rush Of hoher emotions which blurred the
mans eyes, he dashed down the pen. Ma
ry, Mary YOU have saved your husband
Sink or swim. will no, do this deed,
should blush for shame to meet YOUR ewes
and our baby's tonight, if carried The burn
ing consciousness in my own soul, though no
other man ever did or would Mary, m,
little wife, You won't know it, but that good
bye kiss of yours this morning has saved MT
from this sin.
George Reynolds did not sink. 1t was =
hard struggle. but the storm passed by with
out falling on him as it did on many others.
and Mary. his wife, never knew that she has.
saved her husband from sin which in he,
ewes would have been much worse than
death.
The good which we have done, we shall
know, mot here. but hereafter anil the bes,
lives are those which s,rew all the Years Will,
the sweet aromas of loving and svlt-sacri:i-
cling deeds.
y. We who sigh to set your lives with III,
arabesques of great and noble deeds, vho
pant for broader horizons and higher orpor
1unities, God has appointed YOU work where
you are.
Every day lifts up its white chal;ce out Of
the night, and is held down to ycu through
all lis solemn sient-iooted hours, for ,hes,
small labors Of love whose true significance
aud relations We shall only understand lii
eternity.
And in this small daily labor lies much Of
wnmans work. and her sweet home infuen-
ces fall like the sunshine or the evening dew
upon all around her.
She may little comprehend what a silen,
force of healing, restoring, strengthening In
tlaence she is exerting, and periods of unres,
and despondency may fill mary hours with
shadows which would otherwise be iilum:nct
with joy and thanks giving if she could only
know as she is known"
But the pictures of all lives are locked ur
in the eternal galleries and the angels hold
the keys. and when Gods voice speaks the
word, the doors shall be opened and when
In A.