National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-07-19
A Mans Temptation.
By LOUISE CHANDLER MoULToN.

W. lIt lIittI oAtlI WIN W IlItI Ilt
had been plowipg all day to 90
through them, and seek on the cool
hlllsides their nights pasturage.
They turned their heads and locked
at linn with their great mournful
eyes, as if expecting a word of
kindness, for they were used to the
sound Of his voice, the slow, pa
tient creatures, and liked it, as such
dumb brutes always do the voice of
kind master. But tonight he had
no word for them. He put up the
bars again when they had gone
through and leaned heavily against
them.s
A May sunset was flushing earth
and sky. The new Springing grass
looked fresh and green. \ light,
feathery LEAKAGE was on all the trees,
and few of them, pear and cher
ry trees, had put ont white bios
SONS. The western sky was piled
high with crimson clouds, with close
to the horizon, bar of fiery gold.
\ reflected brightness flushed the
east with q soft, roseate hue which
spread ND 10 Tie zenith. All was
sin as the new birth OF new
world. 4 sense of wonderful beau
ty and mystery thrilled John Os-
goods meducated perceptions. -"
had no words ion such a scene, Nc
clearly defined thoughts about it,
even but it moistencd his eyes,
land quicIlcncd his pulses, and seem
l,I 10 Hood his life with a rush OF
dreams and longingS.'
How beautiful this world WAS |.
There were some men, he had heard.
vino painted such scenes rs these
others vino wrote poetry about them
others vino set them to music.
like the songs OF birds, or the soft
SWash ot waves. " hat was his
part of all this Flowing to-day.
aud planting tomorrow. Was all
that life held for him . There must
be some other use. some other
meaning, if he could only grasp it.
If he had no part or lot IN all tins
beauty why did it move him so!
T., just then he heard the sound OF
horses iect, and looked in the dl-
rection whence il came. AngelIne
Nllmlrtl was sweeping down the
hill. with a gay gallant beside her.
How like part of the sunset beau.
ty She looked, with its rose upon hel
check. its radiance in her eyes and
hair Her long, blue habit falling
low, and swinging to the motion OF
her cream cOlored horse, her white
feather Strcamir. back on the wind,
her little hands with the dainty
gaWtlrtS )n them--So much youth.
and grace and beauty And the
..city chap" as John Osgood called
him. hN her side, did not mar the
picture. \ handsome. caNallcrlSll
looking man there was no denying
that he showed wcll beside Angie
r but what was he here so much tor
d They swept 10y, Angles low, SllvcrN
lauzh tlngllng a response 10 some
thing her companion WAS saying
and a little cloud Of dust that the
" horses beat up behind them iillco
Johns eyes. and choked his throat
and added bitterness to his mood.
lie glanced down to his hard
horny hands. his coarse, toil.Stalnc'
CLOTHES. How well lie would lool
IT at Auecliuc Nilmduh'N side. An'
Vet he had loved her III a Vagu,
sort of way. whose meaning he hl'
'' inst begun to lind out, ever Siacr lu
could remember. Life would no
NJ have much SAVIOR, he thought, with
out her. And yet she would not b
fit for farmers Ni.J. and that wa
lust what he waS--a farmer. Inc
the question came again which ha'
haunted him hetore-could he b
nothing else ! did fate doom him
did God ask him always to go III an
x out on these old ways--to plow an
Of plant, and make hay, and rca
grain. all summer. and go back an
, forth between the homestead an
mg ng the woodlot all wintcrl If his fat
of or and mother were getting old.
he was all they had-did that Sett
the matter! Some one could |
hired to do as we'll for them, and |
he believed he had enough in hi
,m. to go away and make ~ career viii,
It Angcline Wilmarth would not scol
To share,
The crimson had died out of Il
4. west, the rose hue out of the ca'
A low wind had risen and bic
mournfully and slowly across Z
=, fe,,,S. John Osgood's mood chang
with the face of the night. The
lbs, altation forsook him, and son
thing hard, stern, sullcn, alien
seemed to his generous, hearty !
turc, entered in and took posscssi
" " of him. He went home, slow
and with heavy footsteps.
wv" "Jircd, Johnny?' his mott
said, chccrily. as he come into
lie US kitchen. Somehow, the words v,
os's ed him. She had said them Off
enough before, but they had nc'
nBs struck him Just in this way till ne
uNN Johnny ! if she would only RENE
Jr Der that he was twenty-five ye
m6 old !"
= ayes, Pm tired" he answel
nv doggcdly. ,
ny "Well, draw right mp to the tai
I've got u nice cup o. tea all rci
vs.. tor ye. 1'batll rest ye, aud brig
900 cn yc up little"
900 John Osgood threw down his
900 900 impaticntly. ren What noti
ashcd Of life women had He looked