Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-07-26
THE FIRST MRS. PETRRSHAM.
Oh bcm vour pardon"


"Ah-al." with an imtlr;lwn breath.
IL had thonght it was my neglect
alone: then there are two of us! OH,
accurscd race! 1t IS time we perIshcd.'
And he hid his face in his hands. eve
are only fit TO pcrish-a foul and feeble
racet'
As it lust made bold enough Miss
Furncyal liltcd.her own hand and gen.
tlv pulled his down. Look out on this
world that seems SO worthless she
said. this dazzling. well-ordcrcd world:
do you think il came about oil ltsc!t ?
Take = handful oi this water running
under our fee, oi this earth here on the
bank do YOU see in ii any germ or be-
ginning of intelligence by which it could
fashion itseu into world so fair? Don't
YOU lCci surely that it must have had
maker. Il creator, some great power,
some force, of whose possession OF the
love OF beauty and order and progress
sion we have certainly the evidence
about us You OF an accursed race?
Could there be such u thing, in such Il
world, the work of such hand? EVIL
would have been in the thought that
fashioned it-eYil can not be in. Gods
thought. Fit only to perish? Can you
think He made SO perfectly, so tendcrly,
and lingeringly that which He meant
only to rot and perish? Oh, MIR. Peter
sham, you SIN, more than in any other
way. in such Il conception of the posi-
bilities OF the Father and Friend and
Lord OF the Universe"
He was silent again for Il while after
this outbreak Then he said, 1t would
l., oil
so great and distant rs that,
"Oh. no, indeed, F" she cried. ''Only
believe that He is in the world. Call
out to him. believing that, and He will
answer. lie is close at hand; lie Is
waiting tor you; you are an atom OF Ills
universe as dear to Him rs any other
atom; He loves YOU"
II should think so! With venge-
auce. No, no; this sunshine that mere
ly tertilizcs the earth into brute food,
these birds that merely mate, these ilow-
ers that are presently troddcn into COM
post, this seething. bubbling mob Of
cruel, busy, selfish creatures--whe |
see any lofty purpose in any part OF this,
when [ see any sclf-iorgetful heroic ma
ture IN any one Of these-why, / may
begin to look about, hoping to find a
hand that made it all to some good end.
Till then" 4-..........
.Ah,'' said she, ~ might not insist so
if had not once been in rs deep waters
rs YOU, us deep and black ~ and she
shuddurcd as if with the memory. 'Halt
Il dozen years ago also was wretched.
Earth failed me, and could not find
heaven. | will tel! you-l even attempt
ed to destroy myself. But fate willed
otherwise. ! was saved. Friends took
me in hand. By-andby faith grew up
in my desert soul, and my whole nature
changed. | had been timid and retiring
and skrinklng;I became fearless and
calm; even my body, changed and from
Il slender fragile girl became strong
speak, and know you can find help
Your little struggles OF an innocent
soul ~ said he, with Il bitter half-laugh
Did you go out at night. rs | have
done, with spade to dig your owr
grave?"
But, MI r'Petersham-'
Come! :" said Mr.. Petersham. alb
ruptly: "I'he digest Of Unicers"
Laac is missing u.s. and he offered HI:
hand TO help her off the bridge.
Universal human law" said she, de
termined on the last word, sis only {
! tfi-+ and voIi NAV caII 4 Et"rnal Law
And if there ls such q ,,,;ns. ;+,,rn,,,
at MS as its ~rcat forces crash on IN,
crack our homes in dnst ),
"And vet Won saw one heroic actor
will give the world 4 different look, will
make you believe in possibilities of goot
and the author of o1nd,,
..We!l--vcs think 81 Add if &c s,G
to saw"
And as MIR. Pctersham stood lookino
out on the hills that nirht th, liknres
of n sweet duskv t,cn eager with on
Lhusi,sm. it's dark cvcs Turning ,il,,
Stars rho rich ch,,rcincc lint ,rIsr,;n,
unhrr tho olive hrors,, ~ ;ts nhoool, tnE
ho,,lri,,rr totnro H., H., ', W ,;tt, .h 'sop
the spirIr of the word, kent. sneokiny f.
hlm. and suddenly sense ot awe wa,
unou him so that hn almost tn,,od +,
nIrn lest after MI What hn d;shaliove,
vet longcd for were at his side "
y few rvrnincrs nttnr,vord hninr o1o,,
with her, he showed Miss Furneyal
miniature, the painted sembance of
dark-eycd ,ilower-iair face with an abun
dance of blonde braids bound above th,
brow-a face lovely. thounh rather il
expression than III feature. 1T was m,
WIFE," said he
WAS she like that?1 said Miss Fur
ncval, family, and with some tremor il
her tone.
..Verv. Rut no,er Do Won l.no,y
YOU often brine her TO nv mini a,thouUl
Won ,rn l,r,rar md nl,Iny tb.n Cor.,ia .
and n wise woman whnre sha was nni