The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-10-23

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He stretched himself and lay as lifeless
as seaweed; and while his exhausted
body barely breathed, the spirit of music,
freed by Marian's hands, began to talk to
him. First it sobbed and shivered, say.
ing plainly, ''Ah, son of man, both you
and l are tormented and hampered in this
worlds" Then it rose up, with the letters
on its feet, and moved him with heroic
impulses. He felt strong; sat up; was
thrilled to quivcring. 1t led him on to a
tenderness and newness Of life. Marian,
her back to him, her hands and heart
swift and strong upon the keys, was open.
ing Heaven to his imagination. slope
| for meg" he asked himself, aloud.
slope tor me?" caught the young wo
man, whose ear was keen. A piano was
hardly able to give utterance to the tri.
umphant anthem which burst out under
her touch.
Having exercised his tornlentor, she
turned her helpful, beautiful face toward
him.
"Sit there and let me look at you," beg.
gcd Reginald, land let me tell you all
about it."
She was all his in listening.
He laid down the outline of his case.
Much of his confidence cannot be told-it
was in his eyes, in his alternately crimson
and haggard face, in the stOop of his
proud figure. His father had been a
drunkard; and his fathers father. The
curse Of their race would be covered for
years by the hard crust of manhood, but
its lava finally broke through and over.
flowed everything. They all Pose from
untainted boyhood to powerful maturity.
But as their natures grew, SO grew the
worm; and the worm crumbled the ripe
man.
He told her where his mother and sis
tiers lived; of his childhood; his happy
prospects; of the bright career even yet
before him, if he were equal to it.
"7hey don't know how it is with me, 7"
he confessed. II make short visits home.
1t would break mothers heart. She has
last night. dared not go to my rooms.
/ walked the streets all night. That
snake began to follow me about aybreak.
I was at the railroad depot. jumped
aboard an early train to get rid of it, and
jumped off here to leave it on the train.
ran up the streets and down. 1t chased
me through Gods green WOODSTOCK
could such child as you know how to
treat delirium tremens, little angelo
(For this Marion was a chameleon as to
her personal appearance. The face he
saw that moment was the face of babe.
Nature had intended her for beautiful
woman however, Natures plan had been
nipped in the bud by care and SORROW
girlhood passed her by on the other side,
while she stopped over her wounded fam
lily. These women, whose natural devel-
opment is SO checked, are babe, wife,
mother, grandmother, in one conglom-
erate.)
Reginald's question led her to tell him
how her father died in bondage to drink.
She touched lightly on her life; the strug-
gle to put buttered bread in the mouths
Of growing brothers, and support an in
valid mother at the same time. ut was
hard" Now he saw the old, old, care.
Clipped grandmother face. II sewed and
gardened, and copied papers-but fortu-
nately for us, somebody who left the world
was good enough to give his little fortune
to us. And now all is WELL"
ut must always be we'll with you," said
Reginald, cycling the lovely woman who
expanded again before him. His face
flushed darkly. II can never hope to
have any good angel for my friend"
She crossed the room and came near to
him. "Why not for your friends Why,
know you! I shall be true friend. And
then, don't call me good angel I am a
soul like you-you came to me in need,
and felt it."
On this side, the mans face, watching
here instantly, taking impressions from
her he had never taken from woman be-
fore; on that side, the girls face, lit, self
forgctful, answering him.
A pang cut him. Just a suggestion of
what might have been.
you'll despise me finally. I know you
will"
ION the contrary" said Marian, ''Ill
love you with my prayers"
"Good bless you!" He saw her posi-
ton. She had neither coquetry nor pru-
dishness. She stood on the middle ground
of self.respecting, wide-reaching woman
hood. Taking her hand in his, he breath
ed over and over, "God bless you! Now
will CO." said he. Yet he stood and was
10th. "Say Reginald"
MY friend Reginald"
This pleased him. "At home they used
to call me Rex, for short" he smiled, turn
ing his eyes aside to look at the memory.
Rex means king" said Marian.
.'King!" with scornful snort; sheet
lightning hatred of himself all over his
face. "Now will CO." yet never relax
ing from the innocent fingers. MAY l
see you again soon?"
Not unless you can't fight for yourself,
Rex, king; let me tell you something now
to remember"
"Wait a moment" He produced note
book, and gravely copied her address.
"Now."
"Whenever the serpent approaches you,
either in the cup or on the ground, fly to
the ROck-you understandable the One
who saves US all"
"You-believe-in Him." writing her
words; II never thought much about
that sort of thing. But believe in you"
Marian reflected that we all learn Gods
love-what we know of Through hui
man love. She pointed no morals, but let
him be.
He put up his notebook, looked into
her eyes and glowered.
ruggle-struggle That's
what life means to me. Oh Marian, is there
no physical cure Must my body blunt and
ruin me? No wholesomeness, no jollity,
no living like other folks in the world for
me! Oh, little woman, so wise, can't you
keep me from destruction?'
mo, Rex. There is One more your ally
than any earthly being can become. Life
is MANNED to most of US. went to the
hospital yesterday, carrying something to
the patients-and there was q negro boy,
with both arms cut off above the elbows
by car-wheels; man with his eyes
blown out by mine explosion-I shock
you! Oh, there were scores of them
men, women, little children bound down
by all manner of bodily woes. Yet
they are human lives, just like we are,
Rex"
II never thought of them as such be.
FORE"
"And they must suffer all their days.
The perfection of this life, the full devel-
opment from stage to stage of happiness,
which God meant as all to have, many
mnat miss fhrnllrl their hard circnnn