The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-02-26

see you closer-to hear your voice. 1t
has been so long, YOU know"
ayes, Effie, ! know" the man an
swered. "God knows, l know DO
you think have forgotten anything 7"
g How should know, Royal 7 You
have had much to engross you--your
studies, your friends, your work. For
me there has been but memory, and the
scorn of the world to keep my shame
alive"
Don't, Efiie for Gods sake do not
talk that way, if you could know what
have sufiered!''
81 do not want you to suffer, Royal"
reaching out her hand as If to touch his
hair, but drawing it back quickly.
"And l don't reproach you; | never
did We stood together once in the
shadow of the same moral wrong, pray
ing for forgiveness, resolving to find
the pure, white way, and with Gods
help to walk therein; and the world
gave you its velvet palm, its smiles, and
its support at ever step you took, in
every redeeming success you plotted and
achieved, because you were n,dn-re-
serving for me aConldn its averted face,
and its hard hand upon my head, and
heart, to grind me into the dust and
where all that while was the God you
Worship tell you, Royal, He was
not-is not-blind, nor deaf, nor pitt
less !"
She was quivering with emotion from
head to foot; and the face of the minis
ter was white and drawn, as faces over
open graves. She sunk into chair at
last, and he knelt on the carpet and
bent his head on her knee.
Effie," he said, breaking at last the
bitter silence between them, and looking
straight and honest in the girls pale
face, "you have suffered long enough.
Be my wife. Let me make whatever of
restitution l can. Give me a husbands
right to protect and defend you"
Three years ago you said those same
sweet words to me. Do you remember
my answerY"
Yes, God made you strong to suffer-
you said, even to the death; but never
to dishonor the man you loved'"
"And | say SO now, Royal" The
girl voice was low and broken. g Do
you think came for that ? DO you
think I'd let you soil your purple with
my dust Do you know me so little,
oh my lost, lost love?" She covered
her face with both her hands, moaning
piteously for moment; then she arose
suddenly, pushing the minister from
her, and walked dozen times back and
forth over the soft carpet, her hands
pressed hard on her heart, and her eyes
betraying the bitterness of conflict
'twiXt love and duty. The minister had
gone to the mantel, and stood there,
with his head in his hands, sobbing like
a child. She stopped beside him at last,
and put hand on his shoulder. Roy
al" she said, "Dear Royal !" But when
he would have taken her in his arms,
she drew back, saying: Don't Royal
don't make my duty harder to bear than
it already is. Tell me of your life a little
till l grow calmer, and can tell you of
mine"
81 know nothing of my life except
its love for you !" the man answered,
losing his self control. 6 know only
that you are my darling, wronged, for
saken; but here, at last, in my house, as
you have always been in my heart,
where, God help me, you shall always
stay. Thenceforth, for its scorn of you,
let the world answer to mel"
"You are wrong, Royal" the girl
answered, quietly, "you are wrong"
Have you ceased to love me, Effie ?"
Such smile as broke over the girls
white face. 1t meant SO much more
than man could interpret. 1t was as
if a voice from heaven had said: Great
er love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friends. T"
But the voice was not heard, and the
girls lips were silent. Her sorrowful,
struggling soul stood on height of de-
votion his own might never hope to
climb to; but deeds, not words, should
prove it.
LET us be seated" she said, at last.
"I am not strong, and want to talk
with you; but, wait a minute" she
added, taking vial from her pocket.
"I've not taken my medicine for a long
time" she lifted the vial to her lips
emptied it, threw it out of the window
aud then, going over to the sofa, put