The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-07-12
MORNING, JULY II, 1867.


In single word"
A fash Of interest went over tho face Of
Mrs. Lincoln. ..
ayes, remember Il well"
sand what you said to her1" ."''
III do; and as ono Of the regretted things
of my life. She was q dear little girl
sweet tempered and intelligent-but tribe
forward, and apt to put In word now and
then, in 20 mature q way, that innocence
on her part sometimes seemed like forward.
ness. Yes; l REMAINDER her correction,
and that lost temper, and called her Miss
Pert, and don't know what else. j was
sorry: and ashamed the next moment.
That sho felt It keenly know, for always
after that, she was so cold and distant, that
could hardly get word with her. but
that was twenty years ngo. Her mother
died when she was still young, and she
then passed from my observation. How
came you to know this 7" ..
II had the story from her own lips"
"When 7" a'' "
"Only few days since" -
"And she carried the memory OF that
hnsty rebukG ranking in her heart ever
since p
There was a tone Of sadness 10 the voice
Of Mrs. Lincoln.
"Ever SINCE" said tho lady. "It hurt
her sensitive pride TO degree that made
forgetfhlncss impossible; and hurts her
still. +" '''+ b.
aAh II we could recall our hasty words
30 as to take away their power TO do harm,
wha, blessed thing II would be But an
impulse once given, cannot die. lift moves
TO do good, happy are those who set In mo:
tion-if to evil, alas alas ] set an evil
impulse in motion, and It is hurting still.
But where is she? must bring her, II
possiblc, into better state Of mind"
"You have met Mrs. Arnold!"
"Mrs. Arnold! Can it be possible !
Surely she is not the daughter Of my old
friend Mrs. Willis. She is not the little
Emily have thought Of so many times,
and always with troubled memory OF
heart"
"Thc samc," was answered. -.-
"And in all these years she has not for.
gotten nor forgiven my fault. ! must have
wounded her sorely?" ...
"You did. Hers seems 10 he one 0i
those proudly sensitive natures into which
all impressions 20 deeply. ] asked her
why she kept herself ut such a distance
from you. But she avoided direct an.
swcr, at tho same time intima,ing state OF
rep,ision. pressed her for the reason,
and she gave Il reluctantly, ayerring Mt the
same time, that she had never opened her
Iips on the subject in all her life before
not even to her mother"
"Extranriinaryl could not have be-
lievch tlnt the impression made upon
chld's mind, would remain in such dis
tinc,iyeness and force through SO many
yenrs. What lesson II Is "
al wish il were possible for you to get
near her, Mrs. Lincoln, aud let her feel how
kind n heart you have. She has admirable
qualities. And am sure that if this bar
rier were removed, you would DO fast
friends" y.us. g. 60
"Oh, it must be removed" said Mrs.
Lincoln. "Now that know OF It's exist:
ence. I will have no pence until II Is level
with tho earth. Il was my hands that
buildcd il aud my hands shall take down
every stone Of separations" g..
sThere's a lady in the parlor," said tho
servant, coming to the door Of Mrs: Ar.
nold's room. "And here is card, tna'am."
Mrs. Arnold took the card, aud read the
name of Mrs. Lincoln. Sho stood for
some tiino irrcsolute. 1t was on her lips
to say: ..r... .....
"Ask her to excuse mo. 4 am engaged.
And moreover, since her communlcn-
ton to friend who had spoken so favor
ably Of Mrs. Lincoln, she had felt less rat'
isficd with herself Il did seem like vim
dictive spirit 10 cherish i'll will through 50
many ycnrs
"say that I will bo down in q few min
utcs."
Il cost her an effort to utter this; but II
was said, the meeting must take place. She
sat In quite disturbed state for some time,
beforo vcnturing TO 60 down stairs. Then,
with what self possession she could as
sumo. she went to meet the woman. who
twenty years ago, wounded her so deeply,
that the pain had not died out Of her con.
scio,Isness. The two ladies' stood face 10
facc, and hand in hand. The nnrnc. Of
Mrs. Arnold had been uttered warmly ;that
Of Mrs. Lincoln with an almost rcpellant
coldness. There were few moments Of
silence. Mrs Lincoln said:
sYour mother was my best friend, loved
her rs my sister. Will you Tor her sake
forgive the cruel words that hurt pride
sent thoughtlessly from my lips-words re.
pented Of almost as soon as spoken, and 70.
gretted many, many times 7" 80.
Tho voice of Mrs. Lincoln tremblcd
with the deep feeling that wus in her heart.
"NO, if had dreamed OF their power to
hurt so deeply. I would have sought years
ngo to repair the wrong"
This was unexpected. There was no
time to reconstruct the barrier which Mrs.
Lincoln had so suddenly thrown down
no time to gntlicr mp the broken Chain Of
ill.will and unite tho links. The tender
and true in Mrs. Arnold's heart responded.
She was sOftened To tears. Her mothers
name had touched her like taIsniun.
"sly best friend Il loved her as sister,"
These words disarncd her.
"Lct the past be forgotten!' she nm.
swercd rcsolutely, as she closed her hand
tightly on the hand that wus claspiug hens.
"Forgot,en and forgiven both, my dear
Mrs. Arnold, SO that we may bc friends in
the true acccptaiion Of the word. My
heart, even without recognizing you, has
been drawing towards you steadily. ltp"r.
cciyed in you something congeninl. And
now, may not receive from your lips a
kiss Of forgiveness? ?"
Mrs. Arnold bent towards her. .,.
"Let it be gcnnine," said Mn. Lincoln.
And il was. In thar kiss the pain Of old
wounded pride was sxtingnished. How
long il ranked there
A single has,y, ill.spoken word, what
years Of bitterness may Il not give to some
woak heart We may fling out hanl sc''-
ienccs. in, the heat of sudden anger, that
may hurt like hammer strokes and 10 most
cases forget that such blows were given.
But they have memory against Us, reten
i've by pain.
aIIs Who vosld thrive nust rise as hvs."
- slc.,,l, fhaRa IL su0rp