Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-23
THE EVENING STAR,
DOW AND CHARITY MOSS
Their EnEaGemenss
cHArrRR VI.

Kind Of haz,, Of moonlight. while through the
spsn windows came bursts Of sweet. IN s.ls ira
lee ss they whisTsred to the night winds.
Thur.ton Dow eat there about five mlnitnes:
plunpd in dreams, when his n0scess emery ere.
The Room. with her light TRIP and ner lace WIN
It's sweet smile, which toucncd on srasHy,
shining betwixt its folds OF nair-snaoows Oh
htoyn w ittf lighter gold.
..Eseuss ,ns for OBTAINING you, Mr.. Dow
satd the voice, that was like = tune that was
set 70 the fsce, sbut Dorothy is not quite well
this evening, and have been helping her
lyon are one of the Fledas and Fats said
he Young man. locking curiously and fondly
on The girl, as she set down in her muslin drss,
hS.jde him, a real littl', household divinity,
Wuh a natural love and skill for house-work.
..Scarcely," with her eyes on the carpet, and
EVIDENT answering TIE question more 70 her
e~lf than to him. I" When mamma LETT Us, l
had scarcely lifted my finger to do a thing. and
hated work as profoundly as the finest lady
that ever dawdled over a bit OF cambria en-
.But tboush was only sixteen then, was
old enough to see the sudien responsibility
enough not 10 shirs il. 40 went At my work,
and poNw have grown TO love 1t, and think
that any woman who does not do this, has lost
enc OF the great privileges and enjoyments OF
" ornaphood. baking, sweeping, dusiin;,, /
think thy idealize life. We enjoy its poetry
better Tor this back ground Of practicality. IL
Is the OILY way save woman from that
great range Of nervous diseases to which SO
many fall victims. 1t is Gods ordination.and
i do not believe that any woman can live her
complete life brayely, symma;r a lly, ouiC;ng-
ly, " no Gt.es not work with her nand= and
nnn,clts.r
"W hat an eloquent treatise you could write
on the subject, for the benefit of your SEX
Her Quicks exultant, amused laugh. which
always lifted the enwrapped countPnaDCc into
sudden hight, answered him, lyon are making
fun of me, i see. Mr.. Dow"
mot hit IT. You have converted me 20
your theory. Is am sure any man would he.
am guing 10 give you, now, the strongest pos
sible proof of it, L came here to- night with that
settled purpose, and if L perform il abruptly,
IL is because honor you too much to bciiev, that
lovers batteries would weigh any thing
with you, aud that W hen say 10 You, love
you, mean all those words embodied in their
best and deepest sense. Charity Moss, will
YOU be my wife r.
say that so much OF real feeling was enlisted
in this question, that his voice shook alo.g the
words, and there was sudden pallor about
his month.
Charity Moss turned up her face 10 his, and
the small carnations which sat in her cheeks
broadsns and bloeSomed into vivid crimson.
and her eyes shifted to and fro, into light and
shadow. For moment she was silert. When
breath.
"Wil you say those words again, Mr.. Dow,
40 that may be certailrI understood you, be-
fore answsrr'
aCharity Moss, will you be my wifel"
She rose MP and walked twice rapidly
across the room, and then she came and stood
still before her guest; and now there were no
roses-not even carnations In her check and
there was lethiDg IpOurnful in the steady
eyes which looked on hinl-something mourn
ful, which her calm, slow voice confirmed. ~
cannot be what you hare as ed m", Mr.. Dow.
because it would ruin me-"
"Ruin you'll don't understand
"No; am going to explain. II would ruin
me, because our views and aims in life
wide apart, and because with my aen-itiye,
susceptible nature, there would be great dan
ger of your bringing me down TO yours.
81 have braced myself against yoHr iniiu-
ence from the first hour that 1 met You, Mr..
Dow, because that felt il must be evil over me
for saw that the great aim of your life was
esthetic enjoyment: and this, adorn II with what
really-selfishnsss failure.
avon have no high redeeI ing purpose I'm
life. With all your cultivation, with all your
generous instincts, with all have seen i'll you
70 admire. know that this rugged real world,
10 not better because you are in IT,"
."Ths religion that believ in, is a name,
grace worship-not 4 living reality to you.
joys and its sacrifices are TO yon words void
and unsuggestiye and because there is a part
OF my nature that answe TO the Luxurious, es-
tneuc part OF yours, L dare not trust myself TO
your keeping.
"1f ever marry any man, it must be = liy-
ing, practical Christian one, because tina: he.
lieye that all life and love without religion is
in the end. failure.
81 am grateful for the honor Your choice
does me; and know how immeasn raIly far /
ansyour inferior in social and intellectual emil
dvation, 10 say nothing of those things W ich
the world values: therefore, am filed with
wonder and humility at an offer which any
woman might be proud of.
I" DO not think me insansible TO these things
because i make the others of choicest value.
You see i cannot do otherwise; and if I have
rpoken plainly, because simply, truthfnlly,for
She paused al last, and stood quiet before
hIn-her face in II kind OF white ra,fiance-
her STILL. large, luminous eyes searching into
hie.
Thurston Dow did not sneak for the space OF
half minute-Ee was touched. convicted
angered-and Vel, be loved Charity Moss ten
lines better than he ever had done hnfor,: and
said: " %
$50 / am ~ understand that YOU mean am
not q good eVOugh man 10 he yonr husband ,,
This would be "a equally true prouositiop
- am not good enough woman 10 be YOUR
WIFE, because l couAa not resist Your influence
over NE. where 10 would do me hs,rrn,,
Then, ThurstOn, Dow rose up, and said:
nnent, Charity 7"
She placed her two small fut,ering hands in
his.
81 thank you for what you have said TO me
TINS night-ter every word OF il, Charity
MOSS, his better nature triUmphng over an
ger and wounded vanity: 81 Shall not love
that y oman the less, who has had the Courage
20 10 speak TO me; aud it may be that some day
shall be more worthy 10 ask YOU thu question
which have to- might"
Something like a shadow came over the shin.
ing face; II bent on him long. wistful, yearn-
INK kSSr' DO" knew What IL said
him-what her lips wou!d not-a half urntabt
have been, conserving with half "might be :"
as the shining face leaned ont of its shadewy
hair, like some marble head out OF a brown
cloud
So Thurston Dow looked on II a moment,
and was gone.
That night he walked up and down his libra.
~ until after midnight with those rapid ner
vous strides which usually accompany a stir
red, agItaJed mood. What went On i'm tho
young mans SOUL what new aims and purpo.
Res Were reused and developed in hi. heart
was known only To Him who readeth the hart
OF Min, and UNDERSTANDABLE our thoughts lfar
OF. ~
Long after midnight. Thursion Do,r seized a
lamp, and started for his rsoIn. In n small
dark passage, back of the library, " hich was
little nsed, dranght of air caught the light
and extnguisned IT, He fumblcd around i'm
me darkness for some matches, remeTa ering
having hastily placed some several weeks be.
fore IN one OF the compartments Of IN old fash
Toned mahogany secre.aire, which had stood IN
the passage f0r year, and which was one OK