The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-12-10

fully realized on how frail staff he
leaned when, he took her love for comfort
and strength. Like many women, she
was all loneliness and Joy when she had
nothing to make her anything else. She
never complained, nor was she unhappy
so long as all her wants were gratifed.
She was creature for the sunshine. not
for the storm. and when the storm came
she had no power to face it, for she had
never learned the meaning of those sub
lime words, renunciatlon, selfabnegation.
A sale in the house, That was a ter
rible thing for the proud spirit of the
young wife.
"Why, where are we to 90, joint
"Take lodgings, Mary was the ans
wer, II am sure that we can be happy any
where so long Us we are together"
elf you want to see me dead, to kill
me outright" she exclaimed, petulansly,
put me into 8 plain lodging house. I'd
not survive week. l did not marry Won
for that" and she began to cry.
"You married me for better; for worse.
The worst has come now. Mary; are you
not willing to accept all that 1t brings o.
I'll return to my fathers house." she
replied. John Rutherford looked stunn-
ed by this declaration. 90
81 can not 20 to your fathers house.
and will you go and leave me in the
"Let me go there and remain until YOU
recover yourself, and"
Her husband interrupted her.
lin the meantime you doom me to the
solitude OF my own sad life. Apa~xou
not willing to endure poverty "
sake? Mary, Mary" he conf
tones OF tender rcproach, 81 de he
understand the solemn VOWS we ed
each other year ago. I believed that
no earthly power nor circumstance should
part us-we who took each other for bet
ter, for worse. Now, above all other
times, when the storms of life are gather
ing around us, nothing should part our
footsteps upon the wilds.' Together
we might strengthen and sustain each
other; apart We must be miserable indeed.
Let us not break the tie which should
last for all time.''
ooh, John! I did not mean to separate
forever; only, until the storm blew over"
He looked at her sadly. Her love had
been tried In the balance and found want
ing.
The handsome furniture was sold at
auction, and the home of the Rutherfords
passed into other hands. Mary had sought
the luxury of her fathers house, and le.ss.
her husband to meet the destiny OF poT-
erty as best he could. In dong so she
never realized that she had violated anv
sacred duty, nor proved recreant to any
high trust. She had never lived any 9th
er life but that of luxurious self indul-
gence, and she set gold above love, and
self interest above duty. She was will
ing to perform her duties SO long az they
were pleasant, but she did not recognize
them as duties when they ceased to be
agreeable.
A man once down in the world finds
it difficult to rise again. John Ruther-
ford had resolute will and strong
spirit, but somehow he did not succeed
the shining goal was always afar. He
lost, at length, hope and faith in himself,
and grew dispirited and reckless. The
powerful motion for exertion was gone;
his wife was comfortably housed in her E
fathers house, and he need not keep up 1
brave heart for her. She gave him no
sympathy in his lonely life, for she felt
none; engrossed by her own pleasures
she never thought how few he had, and
she never dreamed OF the arrow she had
planted in his heart, and which was
cruelty ranking there. "Her love had :.
been weighed in the balance and
found wanting" was the one sorrowtu' =,
thought that clouded the life of JoEi
Rutherford. "How much better We,
could have endured our reverses," he said
"If we had endured them together
Togetherl All! the strength, the powe,
that one little world s
The end came, when death stepped il
and completed the work poverty had be
gun.
When John Rutherford lay dying, ant
pale, and sorrowing, his wife stood besid,
him. Remorse began its work. He ut
tered no reproaches. The time was pas
for thst-was over for regrets-for sol
row. Eternity was nearing. A mysteriou
fatrre was approaching over which tn
sorrows OF this lite can cast no shadow.
"Ah, John for better, for worse VIII
did l net sooner understand the meanin
of those wordsf" sobbed his wife.
Until death did US part" he gaspe
out, as clasping her hand, his spirit pass
ed away. s.