Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-10-10
A MANS TEMPTATION.

A MANS TEMPTATION.
John Osgood left down the bars for tbs
tired oxen, which he had been blowing all
day, to go through them and seek on the
cool hillsides their nights pasturage. They
turned their heads and looked at him. with
their mournful eyes, as If expecting a word,
for they were used to his voice, the slow.
patient crea ures, and liked it, as such dumb
brutes always do the voice ola kind master.
But tonight be had no voice for them. He
put up the bars again when they had come
through, and leaned heavily against them.
A May sunset was flushing earth and sky
The new springing grass looked fresh and
green. A light, teathery LEAKAGE was on
all the trees, and few OF the pear and cher
~ trees had put out white blossoms The
western sky was piled high with crimson
clouds, with, close to the horizon, bar o!
gold A reflected brightness flushed the
earth with a soft, roseate hue which spread
Up to the zenith. All Was still as the birth
OF new world. A sense OF wonderful beau
tg thrilled through John Osgood's uneduca
ted perceptions. He had no words for such
q scene, no clearly defined thoughts about
it even, but it moistened his eyes and quick
ened his pulses, and seemad to flood his life
with a rush of dreams and longings.
How beautiful the world was There
were SOME men. he had beard, who painted
such scenes as thls-others who wrote poet
ry ABOUT them-others who 81 them to mu
sic, like the songs OF birds OF the wash of
waves What was his part Of all this ?
Flowing to-day planting to morrow Was
that all life held for him There must be
some other uss some ether meaning, if he
could only grasp it. Il he had no part or
part or lot in all this beauty why did ii move
him 20 ?
Just then he heard the sound Of horses
feet, and looked in the direction irotn whence
it came.
Augeline Wilmar'h was sweeping down
the hill with a gay gallant beside her. How
like par. OF the sunset beauty she looked,
with its rose upon her check, lis radience
in her eyes and hair, her long blue habit
falling Low and swinging TO the motion of
her cream colored horse, her White feather
streaming back on the wind, her little hand
with the dainty gaunSlets on them-so much
youth, and grace and beauty. And the city
chap" as John Osgood called him, did lot
mar the picture A handsome, eavalierlsh-
looking man, there was no denying thas he
showed well beside Angie but what was
he here so much for? They swept by, An
gie's low, silvery laugh tinkliog a response
to something her companion Was saying
and little cloud of dust which the horses
boots beat up behind them filed Johns eyes
and choked his throat, and added bitterness
to his mood.
He glanced down at his hard, horny
hands, his coarse, soiled clothes. How well
be would look at Angeline Wilmarth's side
And yet he had loved her in 3 vague sort
of way, whose meaning he had just bsgun
to find cut, ever since he could remember.
Life weuld not have much savor, he though
without her. An(s yet, she would be no fiji
farmers wife, and that WAS just what he
was-a farmer. Then the question came
again which had haunted him before could
be be nothing else DID He doom him ?
Did God ask him always to 60 iu and out
Of these old ways--plow and plant, and make
hay and reap grain all the summer, sud go
back and forth between the Old homestead
and tae wood lot, all the winter ? Some one
could be found to DO as well for them. and
he, he believed, had enough in him to go
away and make career which Angelina
weuld not scorD to share
The crimson had died out Of the west, the
rose hue out OF the east A low wind had
arisen, and blew moufnfuly and slowly
across the fields John Osgood's mood
changed with the face of the night The
exultation forsook him, and something hard
stern, sullen, and alien, it seemed to bis &C.
nerous hesrty patuge, entered in and took
possession OF him He went home with
heavy footsteps
Tired, Johnny p his mother said cheer
fully. as he came into the kitchen.
Somehow the words vexed him. She
had said that often enough before, but they
had never struck him just in this way till
now johnny Ifsbe would oaly remem
Der that he twenty-five years old.
Eyes, I'm tired,' be answered dogedly
well, draw right up to the table. I've
got nice cup Of astea all ready. for ye.--
"That'll rest ye, aud brighten ye up lit
tie
Mother" said he, with bitterness fol
which be hated hinsclf for years afterward
II wonder if you ever had a trouble that {
good cup Of tea would not cure Thing
don't 60 deeper than that with some folks
His mothers eyes clouded, but she al
swered him very gently. She felt that to
night, for some reason, he was not respon
sible for himself
II have had trouble that weqt dee
enough, John. Five children that hav
= played around my knees, sleep yonder, be
hind the old meeting house and to bea
and nurse, and then lose there's non
knows what it is but just them that hav
borne it, and God that made mothers heart