Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-10-23
A MANS TEMPTATION.


for the tired oxen, which be bad beef
plowiug all day, to 20 through then
and seek on the cool hillside tbeil
nights pssturage. They turned theil
heads and looked at him, with thell
mournful eyes, as ifexpecting a word
for thew were used to his voice, th,
slow, patient creatures, and liked it
as such dumb brutes always do the
voice of kind master. But tO-nigh
he had no voice for them. He pu
up the bars again when they haC
come through, and leaned heavily
against them.
= May supsc; was flushing earth
and sky. The new springiug grass
looked fresh aud green. \ light
feathery Leakage was on all the trees
an d few of the pear and cherry trees
had put out white blossoms. The
western sky was piled high with Grim
son clouds, with, close to the horizon
a bar of gold. a reflected brightnes;
flushed the earth with soft, roseate
hue which spread up TO the zenith
An was still as the birth of a new
world. A sspse Of wonderful beau
ty thrilled through John Osgood'
uueducated perceptions. He had n(
words for such a scene, no clearly
defined thoughts about it even, bu
It mois.ened his eyes and quickenec
his pulses, aud seemed to food bis
life with 4 rush of dreams and long
iugs.
How beautiful the world was Ther'
were some meu, he bad heard, whC
psiuted such scenes as this, other
who wrote poetry about them, other
Who set them to music, like the song
Of birds or the wash of waves. Wha
was his psrt Of all This? Flowing to
day-plsutiug 70 morrow Was tina
ali life held for him? There mus
be some other use, some other mean
Iire, il he could only grasp 1t. If b.
I had 20 part or lot in oil TIN
beauty why did it move him so?
just then he heard the sound Q
I horses feet. and looked in the direc
I tion from whence it came.
Angeliue Wilmarth was sweeping
down the hill with a gay gallant be
side her. How like part of th
sunset beauty she looked, with IT
r Sc upon her cheek. its radiance II
her eyes sud hair, her long blue hab
III fllliog loW and swinging to th
motion of her cream colored horse
her white feather streaming back o.
the wind. her little hand with tn
dainty gsuntlets on them, SO muc
youth. and grace and beauty. An
the city chap as John Osgoo
called him, did not mar the picture
. A handsome. cavalierish looking mar
there was no denying that be shove
we'll beside Angie; but what vas h
here 20 much for? They swept b!
Angles low, silvery laugh tinkliu
a response to something her compar
ion was saying; and little cloud q
dust which the horses hOofs beat u
behind then filed Johns eyes sn
choked his throst, aud added bitter
ness to his mood.
He glanced bosn at his hard, ho'
4 ny hands, bis course, soiled clothe
Hov we'll he would look at Angelir
Wnmarth's side. And yet he ha
loved her in q vague sort Of VS..
whose meaning be hal just begun
find out, ever since he could remer
Der. Life would not have muC
SAVIOR. be thought without her. Ar
vet she could not be a farmers wifi
and that was Just what he was, ia
mer. Then the question came aga
which had haunted him befure-
J could he he nothing else? Did I
doom him? Did God ask him alwa
' to 90 in and out of these old ways
plOv and plant. and make hay al
reap graio sll the summer, and
back and forth between the Old hon
stead aud the wood lot, all the wi
ter? Some one could be found to
as we'll for them, aud he, he believe
had enough in him to 60 away Al
make a career which Augeline wOu
not scorn to share.
The crimson bad died out of t
west, the rose hue out Of the ca
= A low wind had arisen, and bl
mournfully and slowly across
fields. John Osgood's mood char
cd with the face Of the night. I
g exultatiop forsoOk him, aud son
thing hard stern, sullsn, and alien