St. Mary's gazette., 1865-01-05

80 - sst5oY.sf sss II 8 "a !s1s Ii q
Powss Of aelf.saersee there are in my
nature." ,,-E. ss...szs u.
'SThe noble words had . 6tting lmphasis,
in the s~est s'nile.t 10 the steadfsst. daant-.
less tones. esg sfSs ,6r- ;.sf.sS =. la
''Bnt We shall have 70 give up the
house. sIary.""aJ ca Js,5a,sa.e, gs.s.d
bi well. we can bejuat a. happy 10, ..
smaller one. Oar love has broader
foundations than stately rooms and, costly
farsitaras Wen take . cosy Ettie cottage
somewhere In the country. and instead of
three servants get along with none."
Hearing these words. John Malcolm
looked at bis wife, but be did not then say
what Was in his heart thanksgiving to
God for the angel He had sent to walk with
him. He took her hand and held it close
in his, while he told her Of the tempta-
ton which had beset him before the fail
IRE OF his house become certaiu-a temp
tation BY yielding to y hich he could have
saved himself from failure.
But is must have beeI BY dishonest
means; BY taking advantage of others in
power-in short, by fraud. which though
mans laws never could reach, Gods did.
with that eternal. Do unto otbegs ~ you
would they should do unto yor." +
20. thank God thank God you were
delivered from this evil" said Mary NAL
colin. ! had rather you should 60 down
to your grave without dollar than have
committed this sin" and the tears filled
her blue eyes as she spoke.
And afterwards there fell little silence
between the two. husband and wife. Il
was broken BY the latter. She looked in
to the mans face. and Der fingers sifted
themselves through the dark hair that had
no specks of gray, and her look. bright.
grateful. loving and touching. conveyed
u great deal! ... ...t....,
"What is it, Mary?"
II was thinking, John, how much bet
ter of I am to-day than thousands Of wives
throughout the land. How many. there
ars,she sit iusthsir lonely henies. wearing
the slow hours away. with hopes and fears
for husbands that are gone to the war. and
whose dreams at night are filled with Vi
sions Of battle-6elds. where the one be-
loved face lies white and ghas,ly on the
sedden grass, with no hand to offer. the
last cup of water. NO ear to catch the last
low word. Alb. John. my eyes have new
er searched. as SO many eyes do, for your
name among the list Of killed and wound
ed; and failed seems word to thank God
for, when think Of that :"
She was crying now-the broken n:er-
chants wife--crying for joy. -.
MARY" said John, I never thought of
all this, never once; thank God for it,
through this day. that has been the dark
est and brightest day of my life; for out of
the thick cloud has its blessed light shin
ed" ~ a.. ~. ....gg e.
And after while their talk went on the
practical matters aud uses which 80 nearly
concerned them-she retrencbing their ex.
penses. aud selling off the furniture a. once,
and settling themselves in the cottage as
Mary called it, always giving it the sweet
favor of home. ..- I'll
IL can get clerkship. and we can con-
trive to live on small salary. till the war
is over. which God grant may Iot be long,
and afterwards doubtless. shall see nv
way clear into business again. Bat Mary
don't you know how folks will pity YOU
behind your back. and say you've come
down dreadfully ir thc world, and say that
it's shame you ever threw yourself away
on such poor dog As I am" r at =
''They don't know what they are say
ing. then. and I certainly shsn't care for
it" .t e. .ai ... -. y.
b Her smiles were clear and brigh: now,
as sunshine that has struggled with, the
cloud. and come out Of it triuupaaus.
"Well, Mary, strong heart makes =
stout arm, and [ shall toll with both for
Jour and the children, a . man does for
those who are dearer than life to him."
Dear John ~ her hand Suffered down
on his shoulder in pretty caressing way,
though the tones needed nothing more.
II came home, Mary. q miserable,
discouraged, brok,n-spirited man; and now
/ feel as brave. as cheerful. too. as ever
cid IN hfe--aye. richer, for it needed this
day and this trial TO show me what the
woman have married was worth, ana all
she could be to me, Oh. Mary. If there
go