The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-05-01

clasp, the little woman looked him sad
ly but decidedly in the eyes.
"Do You love me, Robert Atchison?"
"Oh, Katie, how can you ask?"
"Then you must choose between me
and the coal-beds, for ] will never mara
ry you until you have repaired this
wrong"
I A look of astonishment came over the
young mans face, and for moment he
felt like wavering; but the sense of his
treasure and all it brought with it came
over him. and he only said
"Katie, this is foolshness, thought
you loved me too well to accuse me of
wrong doing. do not think I ought
to give up to you in this thing. Your
idea of right is unnecessarily exalted. Z"
!. ''Then must say farewell, Bobby,
though it breaks my heart. Fam sure
You will come to your right mind be-
fore T. is too late." '' Af'0 I' a..a
"Kate, you are speaking cruel words
to one who loves you" A"
III am only saying truthful ones.''
|, "You are firm . g.. a. I.
"Firm as the rocks" F-1s.f 9lrr 4.
'Then good.by" He arose ana
quickly left her without one tender look
or word
This faulty hero OF ours slept but
little that night. He was torn by visi-
BILE hands of mighty strength. On one
side he saw fame and wealth, while
beautiful happiness stood upon the 9TH
er, lowering near sweet Katie Saddon.l s.
Oh, these secret battles, how terrible
they are No noise, no sword clashing,
no cannon booming, no display ,- yet
more fearful than tieshy battles by far.
Robert Atchison's struggle was a
grave one. Alternately striding up
and down the floor of his chamber, then
throwing himself upon his couch, he
fought the enemy through the long
hours of the night. lie had dreamed
so long of wealth he burned to see the
great word outside the hills that hedg-
ed him in. He longed to see and know
the great men whose books he SO loved,
and learn of them the mighty secrets
of Nature which remained locked to
him alone. Money would bring the
consumation of these desires and great
er things. This money was now Offer
cd to him in quantities far beyond his
widest hopes or dreams. lie could
not, he would not yield the prize to an
other. What did old Jacob Harder
| want with money? lie was old and
miserly and--but just here came the
! specious pleading of Eugene Aram into
his mind. ..I r.H
! Think as he would, turn and struggle
/ and wrestle. one good angle seemed to
hover near. He could not shnt out
the pleading eyes of Katie Saddon.
Could he give her up? With wealth
and position secure, could he enjoy
them deprived OF her society? ''A
/ No, no, thousand times. .pt 1I
Thus she saved him, as thousands Of
good women before her have saved the
men they loved from evil. ....-.
When the bright morning sun kissed
the brow of the hill, and smiled on for.
est and field and with kindly favor,
Robert Atchison threw wide open door
and easement as il TO Danish the evil
spirits of the night, and left his cham
ber victor. He had battled against
"the root OF all evil" and had braVely
conquered. eis afi M sl.- .ll "a.
From that moment he knew he was
a moral hero, and success was his.
Jacob Harder was surprised to see
his neighbor Atehison SO early in the
morning, and so he told him. ~ aaf
"I have come on important business.
/ wish you to release me from our con-
tract" s1fc, haia s.s 80 8Eu tr.
! "Humphl Won't do It," said the
old man sententiously. '.-5' 70 .f
I However, when the young man told
him what great riches lay concealed
beneath his barren soil he pricked up
his ears and rubbed his hands in un-
speakable glee. Eagerly he nulliied
1 .
the contract, aud not one word express
i've of gratitude gave he to the man who
had so enriched him; not one Thought
of Offering to share the great riches
with him. -,... ......,.. ~.
And Bobby, to do him justice, never
let thought enter his head on this sub.
iect. He knewthe character OF Harder
too well; besides, when his better genius
prevailed, all the good, the NOBLE. and
the true, of which there was no little
in him, rose to the surface, aud the
only thought thai occurred was to re.