The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-07

and there were times when she
believed that the devil was max
ing an especial struggle to possess
himself of her. There were moments
In whieh-she almost thought that the
devil would succeed, aud that, per
haps, it was but of little use for her
to carry ON any longer the futile con-
test. Would it not be pleasant to give
up the contest, aud to laugh and talk
and shout and be merry, to dance and
wear bright colors, and be gay in
company with young men, as did the
other girls around her? As for
those other girls, their elder friends
did not seem on their account
to be specially IN dread of Satan.
There was Fanny sHeisse who lived
close to them, who had been Linda's
friend when they went to school to-
lgether. Fanny did just as she pleased,
was always talking with young men,
wore the brightest ribbons that the
shops produced, was always dancing,
seemed to be bound by no strict rules
on life; and yet everybody spoke well
Of Fanny Heisse, AID now Fanny was
to be married to young lawyer from
Augsburg. Could it be the fact that
the devil had made sure of Fanny
Helsse? Linda had been very anxious
to ask her aunt question on that
subject, but had been afraid. When
ever she attempted to discuss any
point of theology with her aunt, such
attempts always ended in renewed as
surances of the devils greediness,
and IN some harder, more crushing
rule by which. the devils greed might
be outWitted. f.a
Then there came a time of terrible
peril, and poor Linda was In greater
doubt than ever. Fanny Heisse, who
was to be married to the Augsburg
lawyer, had long been accustomed to
talk TO young men, to one young man
after another, so that young men had
come to be almost nothing to her
She had selected one as her husband
because It had been suggested to her
that she had better settle herself in
life; and this special one was well-to-
do, and good looking. and pleasant
hammered. and tempered. The
whole thing with Fanny Heisse had
seemed to go as though flirting, love,
and marriage, all came naturally, |
without danger, without care, and /
without disappointment. But young |
man had now spoken to her, to Linda |
had spoken words that she did I
not dare to repeat to any one-had |
spoken to her twice, thrice, and she |
had not rebuked him. She had not,
at least, rebuked him with that with I
ering scorn which the circumstances /
had surely required, (Which would 7
have made him know that she regard /
ed hirn as one sent pHrposely from T
the Evil One to tempt her Now again I
had come upon her some terrible |
half formed idea that it would be I
well to give up the battle aud let the t
Evil One make free with his prey. I
But, in truth, her heart within her
had so palpitated with emotion when
these words had been spoken and
been repeated. that she had lacked I
the strength to carry on the battle
properly. How send daring young
man from you with whitening scorn,
when there lacks power to raise the
eyes, to open or to close the lips, to
think even at the moment. whether
such scorn is deserved, or something
very different from scorn?
The young man had not been seen
by Linda's eyes for nearly a month,
when Peter Steinmarc and Madame
Staubach settled between them that
the ice should be broken. On the
following morning aunt Charlotte
prepared herself for the eommunica-
ton to be made, and, when she came
In from her market purchases, went
at once to her task Linda was found
by her aunt in their dodgers sit
brushes, while Hetchen, on her knees,
was dry-rubbipg the polished board
round the broad margin of the room.
: Linda, said Madame Staubach, Il
have that which wish to say to you; +
would you come with me for d while?" I
Then Linda followed her aunt to f
Madame Staubach's own sham Der,
and as she went, there came over her T
a gaaty fear. Gould it be that her
aunt had heard Of the words which
the young man had spoken to her?
Linda said Madame Staubach,
: sit down-there in my CHAIR
have a proposition to make
to you 9 of much importance,
of very great importance. May the
Lord grant that the thing that l shall
do shall be right in His sight,"
To make to me, aunt?" said Linda,
now quite .astray as to her aunt's in
tention. She was sure, at least, that
there was no danger about the young
man. Had it been her aunt's purpose
to rebQ ke her for aught that She had
done, her aunt's manner, and look
would have been very different
would have been hard, severe, and
full OF denuneiatioD. As it. was,
Madame. Staubach almost hesitated