The mountain Democrat., 1865-12-23

and business talent they want end not
his capital. And his heart tells him
that once in the firm be may win for his
bride the sister Of one OF the partners, 9
gay fashionable woman, not very young,
but still brilliant and creating a sensa.
tion 10 society. What can the disappoin-
ted n5&r!s IS SSi3ty' wish for better than
thatF What wonderful luck for the unfor-
tunate, ,speculatorl There stands in his
way one obstacle, some would call it, q
great one. 1t is this. That firm does
business very differently from the way
in which be has been accustomed TO do
it heretofore not dishonesty exactly. as
the world uses that phrase, but in that
grasping, over. reaching. INSCRIPTIONS
way which his better nature revots nt,
and his conscience condemns. Yes his
conscience demonstrates, so he will pom
der little before he commits himself
And the bride! lie goes to parties, and
meets her there; pays her q thousand
little civilities which are graciously re
ceivcd, and in those lighted, perfumed
rooms he likes her he admires her tact
and talent, her power Of brilliant repartee
and sarcasm, and he feels that it would
be great triumph to bear her away from
the other admirers who gather about her
and watch him, with eagle eyes. Shall
he not declare himself, and if fortune fa-
vors him, gain not only brilliant wife
but handsome fortune, as well as stand
ing iE the social world not to be despised
Yes, he will coll tomorrow morning, ask
for private interview, and have it set
tied. And having thus decided, he gives
her a significant pressure of the hand as
he takes bis leave at late hour, and
gees home to throw himself on his bed.
To sleep? Ah, no! the old man sitting
by the door in the quiet Of his seventy.
fifth birth day looks upon a picture not
of repose but conflict. In that picture
he sees that young man of thirty-two,
Qor young he now seems to be) tossing
onhis bed through the long hours, restless.
" and painfully. lie sees how in the soul
Of that young man voices cry out, as it
were, rending and tearing it; other voices,
too, are speaking to him, voices from the
past. telling Of the purity and sacredness
Of his early hopes and resolution, of the
VOWS he once made to attain wealth and
position only by honorable means; such
means as his mother 10 feaven would
not frown upon with her sanity eyes;
such means as the pure-souled Mary
would not blush to know. Has a viper
stung him, that he writhes in agony at
that name? Has the memory Of that
brown-eyed, tender hearted girl become
. O torment to him! 1t we're bard to tell
Assaied by the demons of pride and
wOrldliness, he listens one moment to the
Kissing snecrs ~hich will greet his fall if
he sinks into poverty and contempt, and
then looks at the brilliant prizes he may
gain if he will yield up, only = only what /?
purity Of conscience, the unstained integ-
rity, the true mGnliness he has hitherto
kept uRsullied. AS he thus meditates he
knows not whether the image of that fair
maiden comes as bright angle through
the gloom, beckoning him to new life
Of goodness, or as mocking fiend to
taunt him with hiSfall. Has he then fal-
len? Conscience answers yes fallen, oh,
how low lie who once boasted that
nothing could make him swerve from the
path of rectitnde, is now about to barter
.axay MI that is best and noblest for mere
worldly gain. How ferccly would the
lad who drove over the drifting hills that
winter night have exclaimed, "Is thy
servant a dog that he should do this
thinsE" And now he is about to do it
deliberately, knowingly!
Thus the battle ragged in the young
mans soul; evil spirits tempted him
good angles also came; or rather the
Holy Spirit of the living God drew nigh
10 succor him. The old man sees the
young man rising from the conflict, pale
and hsggard, but with his brow calm,
and his soul strong in the purpose Of en-
during, with Gods help poverty and ig
nominy rather than to stain itself with
such base sin. And the tears fell fast
down the old mans cheeks to know that
he trium ohed in that hour of deadly per.
il, and was brought out from it unscathed
through Gods grace vouchsafed to him.
Still another picture rises before the
old mans eyes, picture which thrills his
wthered heart with strange emotion.-
lie secs that young man standing at a
marriage altar, and beside him is the
brown eyed maiden in bridal white. with
meek eyes suffused with tears. Thirty
two years old, poor as when he first be-
gan life, with nothing to rely upon but !
his own right arm and courageous heart,
he vet Is rich in the consciousness Of an
honest purpose, rich, too, in the treasures
Of warm, pure heart which is all his
care. And Mary Three years his ju
nior, she had passed the flush of girlish
bloom and stood with a clearer light in
her soft eve, and more thoughtful ex
preston on her fair brow, and with tru
er faith, and richer love in her tried
heart than the young girl Of eighteen
could have known; and as the solemn
vow was spoken both looked upward with
fervent prayers for strength to keep it ho'
" before God and man. And the bless
ing of the Almighty did rest upon them.
Going to another city, and beginning bus
mess anew, he prospered and the married |
couple had soon that honest competence
which makes its possessors rich in con
tentlnent and true pleasure.
Other pictures rise rapidly before the
old mans eye. lie saw the husband grad
ually gaining the confidence of the com.
munity and rising to posts Of trust and
profit; he saw the brown eyed maiden
changed into the graceful mntron, presi'
ding over a well ordered household, bless
ed with children and dispensing With
and kindness the hospitahties Of
q large and handsome mansion. He saw
also opening graves in which were laid to
rest some Of their household band, the
sweetest ard FareSt, the weeping parents
but they Were laid sway in the
sure and certain hope Of their final res
direction to eternal life; so the chastened
parents vent on their way With eyes Oft
ener raised upward, and with a 6rmer