The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-08-17
THE ONE DARK SPOT.
A LIFE SKETCH.
By sYLvANUs COBB, JR.

" Neyerj-never !-neverw
-1ss Don't talk so, Aaron"
mean just what say, Nancy. It's
no use for you to talk to me. I'll new
er speak to him-never have more to
do with him, Let him walk his path
an I'll walk mine. He has cut him
self from my friendship most effectu-
ally. Don't say any more, for I don't
want to hear it." Ii
@But, Aaron, / must cay one thing
more. If / may not speak of Gilbert
Harwood, let me speak of yourself. /
can see what you cannot. / can see
that you are cherishing a source of
discomfort. You are nurturing a
growth in your soul that can only
yield to you fruit of pain and anguish.
This has come upon you as one dark
spot in the heaven of your joys. q /
believe that Gilbert would be glad to
take your hand eaisf 7iazs .a5ga
&c Stop, Nancyi You said You would
not speak of him" fts1 s1i5 Il
"Just this once, my husband. Let
me say this one word: l believe Gill
bert would be glad to grasp your hand
once more 1t would make him hap
pier, and it would make you happier"
Make me happierp cried the hus-
band. sss Y ou are foolish. Do you
imagine that allow such;a thing as
that to trouble me. Pshaw 70
&c 1t does trouble you, nevertheless.
All, Aaron, these little pain-spots of
social life are not so easily put away
from the mind. Pain is pain, and it
must remain in the system until the
cause is removed E a's:
"Bah! Don't talk any more. tell
a,,k ,<>fI, 10 4
him. won't have anything more to
do. with him-and that's enough. p
And with this Aaron Gould left the
house. sBs,I -ssa...;L lse5 158
Aaron Gould and Gilbert Harwood
had been, in the years agone, warm
and devoted friends. At school they
had been playmates; in youth they
had been companions /; and in maturer
wears they had been co-laborers in
many good works. Their wives w ere
cousins, and their circles of social life
ran together. They belonged to the
same religious association, and were
members of the same club and lyceum.
And furthermore, they were both in
fiuential men in society and were
looked up to by the masses. Nearly
year previous to the present, the polit-
ical party with which both the friends
acted nominated certain man for of
fee. Aaron Gould was foremosth in
efecting said nomination, while Gil
bert HarWood declared that it was q
nomination not fit to be made, and
also refused to vote for the candidate.
Gould, in the heat of his disappoint-
ment, gave it as his opinion that Har-
wood wanted the Office himself. Har-
wood pronounced it false. Thereupon
Gould considered that his friend had
called him a liar, and proceeded to
express himself accordingly, A few
busy bodies and go-betweens, of
whom there are always plenty on hand
in such cases, carried bits of scandal
from one to the other, until the words
of separation were spoken. The tale
bearer told his story, and carried back
the reply; and in this way Gould was
led to say some very hard things
against Harwood and Harwood said
some very hard things against Gould.
And yet Aaron Gould had done the
first real wrong. Gilbert Harwood,
in opposing the nomination of man
whom he considered unfit for Office, in
political caucus, had done nothing
more than he had a perfect right to do.
| But when Aaron Gould Impeached the
motives which led his friend to this
act, he did wrong. And so as is nat
ura1, Aaron Godld came to cherish the
most bitter enmity; for, in cases of
quarrels between neighbors, he is the
most bitter and unforgiving who has
| done the most wrong. ~.
/ Aaron Gould had prospered i'll bus
iness until he had amassed sufficient
wealth to render him independent,
and he had been blessed in other ways
with all that makes life pleasant and
agreeable Time was when he was
happy and contented. He could re-
turn to his home, after the tolls and
labors of the day, and sit down, in
peace and joy. He could take his
children upon his knees, and bless
them with smiles and cheer. He could
tell to his loved ones all the doings of
the 4Sy-couid reflect upon them all