The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-09-13
he pack off to India to die perhaps Of ma!arial

you shun it, ii is upon YOU
"Why did he want to dc?
at is a short story soon told He engaged
himself at twenty to II beautiful girl. He wa
not in condition to take a wife tor three years
She had many admirers got tired of waiting
and married another"
"a murrain take her! But her HUSBAND
turned out a spendthriit and drunkard, and
SO she was punished"
"Not so, my son. She lives in wealth aRc
ease and is u devoted member Of the church,
"Of what church,"
"The Baptist church.
"Confound the Baptist church for harboring
such"
you do not mean it, Edward!'
"No, mean the woman They could not
see her heart"
"But have conversed with her on the sub
ject."
"And what did she say tor herself, the
mlnx?"
"Do not call names; you do not know her
Why, she says 1t was mistake, engaging her
self to one so young; she did not know her
own heart she mistook his ardent love for
hers, and found out in time that it was all a
grand mistake"
"Mother mine, do not defend her; she was
not a true woman"
THAT is all |, too, can say for her-she
seems happy, and is useful. Now, will you
hear another stOryg'
Eyes, go on, if 1t is not like the last"
ut is like it, and yet not like it,"
go on, then, mother"
"a young man OF twenty, tall, handsome
and intelligent, loved young lady whom you
have seen and pronounced handsome. They
grew up together He was bright, generous
and bold to daring, and the young lady loved
HIM truly, passionately,-yea, loved the gal
liant horse that he rode so magnifcently, loved
The ground that he trod upon so proudly. He
could accomplish everything easily, and do
many things that other young men of his age
could not do; so he won the love and conf
lence of this fair, yotils asting lady; and
hey were engaged to be married as soon as he
should get an occupation. He chose the law,
md by the time he was twenty three he was a
man among men, large, handsome, accom-
Dished and brave. And she was now twenty
md more beautiful than ever, and had many
admirers and several good offers of marriage
But she was true to her first love"
"She was woman after my own heart"
aid Edward
"They expected to be married in a year.
when the lady made an astonishing discovery"
What was it,"
"She learned that he was becoming addicted
o the wine cup. But she might have, by her
,reat love, won HIM from that perhaps-oniy
perhaps but he had been traced to the dens
If strange women by her own brother"
what them"
"What then, Edward, look at me" Ed
ward glanced around at his mother; her face
vas flushed, her eyes were in blaze, her teeth
we're set, and she looked the embodiment Of
Germ. Edward" she repeated, in tender tones,
would you have liked TO have had Hbertine
or fatherY
"No, mother"
"Well, then Edward, had she married that
nan, he would have been the father of my
hlldren.
as that true, mother"
at is true, my SON.
Then you did WELL"
"Yet il was I that broke the engagement"
You did perfectly right; honor you for it,
nd shall ever love you more dearly
Thanks my son; that of itself is reward
nough But the Lord has rewarded me still
more by giving me one of the best and most
oval and noble men for husband" And
Mrs w. broke into food of tears and sob
,cd almost Historically, showing that the
great deep" of her soul had been stirred, and
hat underneath her usually calm exterior there
vas a depth of feeling that could be reached
edward knew his mother well, and therefore
vas silent for some moments. AT length he
skcd:
"lIow did you arise out of it?"
Drying her eyes and calming herself, she re-
,lied: Your father, whom | had refused,
aw there was something wrong with me, and
Gently, kindly, considerably led me out of my
,reat grief And when he could see me smile
ny old accustomed smile again he asked me
o bc his wife"
what did you say to him, mother?'
II told him all in rs delicate manner as
ouId and when had done, he opened his
trcat arms aud exclaimed You are the jew
i tha, have been looking for; can trust
,ou anywhere ana everywhere; Will you trust
ney"
"And what did you say, mother mincg'
81 fell into those strong arms that have
hielded me ever since, and wept rs you have
ust seen me weep, and thanked God for His
WAYS aud not my ways"
"Thcn you believe that marriages are made
m heaven ~