The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-05-09
"You ought not to suspect your
hildren of being less generous than your


love Tom better"
II don't-I dom but the will has made
itimpossible for me to marry Arson with
clear conscience-to marry him and be
happy. Ifhe were sure of earning for
tune, with which we could make amends
to little Tom, it would be different. But
l cannot count upon such an improbable
contingency. As you say, Tom will have
bis head and hands to push his way, but
the best head and the busiest hands do
not always compel fortune; and, if any
harm should come to him from want of
capital, ifhe should be tempted to sin
answer for it; it would be my guilt"
"Nonsense, Kitty; your conscience is
too tender. Marry Arson and trust to
Fate, that's mig advice. Surprising you
refuse, and he ma,ries somybcdy else, and
little Tom doesn't live to grow up!'
81 shall rot have wronged him"
But you will have wrongcd Anson.'
" Not il he if he marrics
Many would, perhaps, approve Kitty
Thorne's conduct at this crisis, more
would condemn: but she walked accord
ing to her light in those cruel days. 1t
was no easy task she had set herself. She
was to receive no need for her sacrifice,
except self-approval-nothing but re-
proachcs. Could she have seen all that
would happen, she might have spared
herself this cruelty. And how much can
happen in this time! how much to make
our w,sest forcthoughts assume the aspect
Of appropriateness! Property changes
hands, values shrink, children grow up
with wills of their own, people die aad
make room fer remote heirs, Or they out
live the sharp edge Of sorrow and anger,
and learn to bear the burden Ct their
mistakes. Miss Kitty hal tadc., in the
mean time, while Arson Scarlc wore his
years like garlands. The fortune OF
which her "not impossible children
might have robbed little Tom had tiwind-
led to the merest pittance through the
knavery of the man to whose wisdom it
had been intrustcd, while Arson Scarlc
had unexpectedly stepped into the pos
session OF the Searle estate, with its old
stone mansion, It's orchards aud outiyind
meadow lands, and the income that had
been rolling up since the Scarles first set
foot on Plymouth Rock. Twenty years
before there had been no shadow OF such
possibility, no dream OF it in Anson's
mind or anothcrs. Two healthy lives
had barred the way against him, but
| Death had effected bleach.
"What a mistake Illtty Thorne had
made" people Lad commented these hat
dozen years ''Shc might have been
| mistr So at Searlc Hill if she'd ha,i {.
mind to risk marrying poor man.
Folks get their comc-up once in this
wor'! sometimes, with the usual charity
commentators bcstow upon the motives
Of others. No body lad known the true
cause OF Kitty's refusal to marry Scar!e
1t had been thctown talk to be surc-at
riddle which noone h al solved. She La
not even contided her reasons to her lover
He would over-rulc them, she feared
would call them absurd, and only make
hertask more difficult, and perhaps grow
to hate little Tom-and some time Tom
might need his good will wi 70 could tell
Arson Searle had not Borne his dismissal
with the tortitudt Of an carly martyr
but he had sworn lie would never ask
her twice to marry him, and he had kept
his word. But perhaps after his anger
cooled, and he watched her saddcnins
year by year, some surmise that her be.
havior had not been dictated by caprice
or any petty motive grew upon him, and
obliged him to render her the tardy JUS
ticc Of appreciation.
And d pretty return Tom had MAJ?
her-spcculatinS with his employees
money, and threatening the family pride
with disgrace. Unless five thousand dol
lars were forthcoming, there was only a
fortnight between him and ruin. And
Tom was only twenty-five. They must
save him. Miss Kitty was one to stand
by her guns; where there was will there
was way, and she followed the OILY
way she knew. Mr.. Scarle, fumbiiny
about for the reasons Of Hitty's conduct
toward himself, had at Zenith stumbled
upon the clcw--having an intimate
knowledge of her fathers will already
and if he had not been quite heroic
enough to forgive her for prcfcrrirg
Tom 5 welfare to his own, he must have
found a grim satisfaction, in the turn
that fate had ordered, in secin. the
lhomc property shrinking day by day,
till there was hardly enough TO butter
their brcad-till it was plain that Hitty s
sacrifice had been for nauyht. But when
did ever sacrifice prove futile? Tho,l,h
1t tail OF its direct purpose, does it not
enrich the soul not only of the one who
sacrifices, but Of all bcholders?
1t was near twilight Of an autumn dav
that Miss Kitty put on her WON bonnet
and went slowly, with certain reluctance
up the hill toward the Scarlc mansion
she pulled the brazen knockcr timidlv,
and stepped int" the house that might
have been he: own like any beggar. The
dead Scarles looked down from the walls
OF the oaken hall with cold questionings
III their pursuing eyes; in the great draw
ing-room the wood fire snapped with a
good will, and glinted gayly upon bronze
ana ormou, upon the quaint mirrors set
IN garncts, upon the yellow ivory keys Of
the old piano. Arson Scarlc rose to re-
cclve his guest with flush OF surprise.
us it-you-Hitty?' he cried. "You2'
"Yes. You did not expect me-"
"Expcct you! No. No. Have | had
reason to expect you2"
we sometimes expect without rcas,
on. have comc-expccting you to grant
me favor
"a tayor?'
| "Yes: 1t strikes you oddly that !
should be brought to beg faver of yor
does 1t not! But there is no other tricnG
upon whom l can make even so shadow
a claim as upon you. Do YOU think
would ask any thing of one whom l have
served 500 ill if were not in cxtrcm
ityr
IL hope you will ask anything of nc
Miss Kitty, anything you wart."
II have become mercenary, Mr.. Scarle
| want money. Liddy and have made
up our minds to mortgage the place; We
must have five thossand dollars withou,
delay; the place is not worth so much.
know, but I, I thought perhaps YOU
would take it Cor security, as far as il
would go; and then, Llddy and are moi
too ora to work and earn money; and
|