The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-27

pie and eddy on the beach falls on her
ears, and, as she ascends higher. she can
see the foam of the breakers as they dash
against the rocks below.
The moon is obseured by passing
cloud, but the heavens are radiant with
the light of a million stars.
Now she stands on the very brow of the
cliff, and looks down on the dark waters
beneath.
Then she lifts white despairing face
to the skies, clasping her hands.
Heaven have mercy on my soul !"
mutters poor Daisy, with ashy lips.
Another second, and she would have
been struggling in the cool, clear water.
But it was not to be.
As she leaned over to take the fatal
plunge, the moon shone, out suddenly,
Illuminating the darkness with strange
vividness.
Step by step the girl draws back from
that terrible brink, her hand pressed
conyulsively to her heart, as if in NOR
tai fear.
ooh, Heavensl what have 1 been
about to do! Sacrifice my souls saliva
tion for the sake of mans love, for is
not Heavens curse upon the suicide I?
Oh, merciful Father. forgive me."'
She kneels down on the hard ground,
blessed tears streaming from her eyes
tears that relieve the spirits pent up
agony; and thus kneeling, she fights her
battles between life and death-bravely
and VIGOROUSLY.
divina 1i0ht caane m an;n,ofa fb n
sweet, upturned face.
A holy calm gradually pervades her
being, and the war in her breast gives
way to sweet, mild peace.
Surely that night the angels must
have wept for Joy over another of earth S
weary ones saved from temptation.
What is the worth of a mans love
when compared to the priceless value of
a woman's9
Why should human soul be sacri-
feed for the sake of one mans heart.
Heaven never meant that woman
should forfeit her salvation eter-
nal happiness-for the affection of a
weak man.
After that eventful night Daisy went
to Lawrence Deane, and, giving him
back his ring, she told him she wished
to be free.
1t cost her a terrible effort, but she
went bravely through the ordeal.
She was perfectly calm and self-pos-
sessed to all seeming, but her poor heart
was breaking all the while.
In vain did he question her motive
for this sudden determination.
II L E II r.
him, was that she desired to break the
engagement between them, for reasons
of her own,
She evinced such. carless nonchalance
that he felt slightly piqued, but did not
protest against her wishes.
And SO as the result of this interview,
there was wedding three months later
in the village church, and Lawrence
Deane and Isabel Marsh were united in
the bonds of matrimony.
They proceeded on their honeymoon,
leaving Daisy, brave, loving Daisy,
alone.
Alone, to take up life again with pa
tiert resignation.
Very dreary the future appears to her
now, that wasonce SO bright with golden
hopes.
The love that she would have died for
has gone out of her life!
All that is left is memory of that
brief happiness.
Only memory, infinitely sad, and in
finitely sweet, of the love long ago; but
tears come into her eyes, and her heart
grows heavy as those recollections come
back.
Yet she is not unhappy.
She has chosen the hard, thorny road,
but does it not lead to gloryf
She has sacrificed all that was dear to
her on earth, but has she not laid up
treasures in heaven.