The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-10-01
But while the kettle boiled, she sal

'>.~~' "AA r. A'0N, " 1CCA A1o"
lIrely the love that once threatened
to wreck her life had died out Of it.
Hard, indeed, it is to believe that
love can ever die! The young girl
cllngs passionately even to her grief,
and rejects as an insult the idea that
such deep regret can become less in
all a life-time,-that love, immortal,
vital, all-pervading, can perish from
its prime, and dutter away into dust
like the dead leaves of rose. Yet
is it not the less true. Time, cold
reason, bitter experience, all poison
its life-springs; respect, esteem, ad-
mlration, all turn away from a point
that offers no foothold for their
clinging and she who weeps to-day
tears hot as life-blood ten years here
after may look with cool distaste at
the past passion she has calmly weigh
ed and measured, and thank God that
her wish failed and her hope was cut
down. Yet there is a certain price to
pay for all such experience, to such
a heart as sat in the quieted bosom of
Content. Had it been possible for
her to love again, she would have felt
the change in her nature far less;
but with the stream, the fountain al
so had dried, and she was conscious
that an aridness. unpleasant and un-
natural, threatened to desolate her
soul, and her conflict with this had
been the hardest battle of all. 1t is
so hard to love voluntarily,-to salts
| fy ones self with minor afections,-
to know that life offers no more it's
grandest elimination, its diyinest tri-
umph,-to accept a succession of wax
lights because the sun and the day
can return no more,-above all, to
feel that the capacity of receiving
that sunlight is flee, that, SO far,
ones own power is eternally narrow
ed, like the loss of a right hand or the
binding Of a right eye! Patience
endures it, but even patience weeps
to think how the fair intent of the
Maker is marred, TO see the mutil-
ated image, the brokenness of perfec-
ton!
Not that 'Tenty was conscious Of
all these ideas. They simplifed
themselves to her simple nature in a
brief soliloquy, as she sat looking at
the splendid haze of October, glorify-
ing the scarlet naples and yellow
elms of Deerfeld street, now stepped
in sunset Of purpled crimson that
struck its level rays across the sap
phire hill-tops and trans6gured brief
ly that melancholy earth dying into
winters desolations.
"Well, it is curious to think I ev-
er cared so much for anybody as I did
for Ned Parker! poor, selfish ere tur',
just playing with me for fun, as our
kitty does with mouse, and I reilly
thought he was a fine man. Live
and learn, I declare fort! He let
me know what kind of cre'turs men
: are, though. I haven't had to be
pestered with one all my life, I'm
, thankful that's one good to come out
l Of evil. I don't know but what
should like to feel as wide awake
again as did then but 'tisn't worth
} the price"
Saying which, Miss 'Tenty brewed
her tea, spread her bread and butter,
and with bit Of cheese made her
savory meal, cleared it away, washed
the dishes, and resumed her work as
peacefully as if her life had been all
as serene as to-day.
| Ned Parker did come back to Deer
field, and settled there,-a coarse, red.
6 faced, stout, sailor-like man, with a
wooden leg. Ten years in Patagonis
9 and ten years of whaling had not i'm
proved his aspect or his morals. He
, swore like pirate, chewed, smoked a
pipe, and now and then drank to ex
!, cess; and by way of elegant diversion
, to the amusements fell in love with
Content Scranton Her trim figure
: her bright, cheerful face, her pretty
neat little house and garden, the ru
mored "interest money" that was the
fruit of years Of hard work and say.
ing, all attracted this lazy, selfish
man, who, remembering his youth
fancied he had only to ask, to receive
and was struck with astonishment tt
hear,-
"No, thank you," in a very clea1
tone, answered to his proposition.
r "Good Lord! you women are quee1
s craft I swear, 1 thought you'd lay
to when I h'isted signals; I ha'n't
It forgot past times and the meetin'
$ house steps, if you have, 'Tenty Scran
: ton"
VI "You've forgotten Hannah-An1
y Hall, I guess" retorted the indigna9
little woman.
Ned Parker swore a great oath; h
:. had forgotten that passage,-thougl
: only for moment.
i "Look here! p said 'Tenty, colorin!
e with quiet wrath. Il cannot b.
d friendly, even, with a man that talk
k that way. You had your sport, max
Y in believe you was an honest man
" I did think a sight of you then
d Ed'ard Parker. I ant ashamed t,
|, own it. I had reason to,-for you
:. actions was louder than words. Bu
d when I come to know you hadn'
t meant nothing by all your praises ant
= kisses and fine words, except lust t,