The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-10-16
POOR MIR. DALE.

1.-THE splendid, generous creature
Would there were more like him in this |
mercenary world,' were some of the |
EXPLANATIONS which greeted the announce
ment of one of the ladies gathered in Mrs. |
Green's parlor to discuss the best meth |
DDS of serving the Lord at home and
abroad, and any incidental subjects that
might be suggested.
you2" asked the President Of the So
ciety for the Promotion OF Piety at
Home.
+"Not one pennyr' was the ener.
getic answer, favored with an emphasis
by no means complimentary to Mrs.
Dale. -.
"You might have spared yourself the
trouble Of calling upon her," exclaimed
the secretary of the Society for the dis
tribution Of Bibles and Tracts among
the Heather. "Shc will not give cent
to charitable associations, nor would
she permit her husband to if she could
prevent it. Poor, dear Mr.. Dale. do
feel so sorry for him. 1t must be dread
full for man of such noble, generous i'm
pulses to be tied to such cold, unsym-
pathetic woman"
"He don't look happy and | don't Won
der at it," chimed in the president Of the
of the Society for the Prevention of Cruel
ty to Children. II went to her for do
nation last week and she refused me in
vehement-indeed in an unlady- like man.
ner, and when told her Of the handsome
sum given by her husband she said That
must suffice for the family / told her
it was customary for husband and wives
to make separate subscriptions; that
saved regularly from my monthly al
lowance for personal expenditures, so
that might always have something for
our contribution boxes, and I pointed my
words with an emphasis that was not los,
on her, for her face flushed to her very
temples, and when the color died away
she was paler than BEFORE
~ am glad you had the courage to talk
so freely to her," exclaimed an energetic
member Of dorcas society.
II never can do it, she has such high
and mighty air about her; so different
from her husband, whose every word
shows he finds the greatest pleasure in
ervlng and giving to the Lord"
II had an unpleasant experience with
her last week." said the hostess, Mrs.
Green, though I wouldn't have said
word if we had not drifted upon the sub
ject, for you all know never talk about
my neighbors. l went to see her and
found her patching some clothes tor her
children and asked her to give them to
me when she finished them, as they would
just fit some poor children in my district,
and she answered rather CURLY. thought
that she needed them for her own chill
dren. Then felt it my duty to tell her
what would cnsue from her love of accu-
mutation of worldly treasures-how the
Blessed Book pronounced it the root of
all evil: then cxhorted her to come to
the societies she had ceased to attend
to come under the softening influence of
the spirit of charity which ever brooded
over us.'
Beautiful! How you were favored |!
What did she say to that?' came quickly
in different keys from different auditors
''She flushed up all of sudden, just
as Sister Brown told, and them would
not like to say she smiled satirically, for
it would be accusing her Of sacrilege,
seeing we were talking Of sacred subjects,
but if we had been talking after the pro-
fame manner Of the world, which is, l
fear, her favorite conversational would
say she smiled satirically as she an
swered: Il think I prefer St. Paul's def
milton of charity to yours"
1.-THE horrid creature! Poor, dear Mr.
Dale. No wonder he looks at times as
if he carried the world on his shoulders
What different lite he might have led
What different man he might have been
with soft hearted and more sympathet
ic wife," softly murmered symyathet
ic spiinster.
Marjorie Dale sat alone in her sitting.
room, watching her children playing IL
the pretty yard, and their clear laughte,
made sweet music in her ears, yet, when
she ceased watching them and picked ur
the work which had fallen upon her Ian
an aExiuos look troubled the depths Of
the clear brown eyes. And the expression
which had been called cold and unsym
pathetic crept upon her face. The room
was prettily and testefully furnished, TIT
children playing on the green grass out
side were healthy and handsome, and
what was yet more grateful to the moth
er's heart, affectionate, for one had JUS
left his play and rushed into the room
and covered her face with boyish, bois
ferrous kisses, and the others had clappe6
their hands and cheered him with de
light. Clearly there was nothing in Mar
jorio's visible surroundings to produc.
an unpleasant effect. 1t was evident thu
children loved their mother.
A step startled her. She had been 81
absorbed in her work and her thoughts
that she had not noticed the entrance O
her husband.
"You are weary, Edward," she said
after greeting on her part which woul,
not have been called "cold" by any wit
ness.
II am very tired. Keep the childre,
quiet, and I will sleep till dinner, as
afterward."
A little sigh found involuntary vent
"And must you go out tonight, Ed
warrior
ayes, I must go to meeting tn
vestry-men and then to the Sunday
school Union. Surely you do not Office
to my attending to such business9"
20, no; I. want you to do all the GOO
you can, only it seems so long since W
had quiet, happy evening together"
There was no answer. Mr.. Dale ha,
comfortably settled himself for nap
and. going to the door, she babe tn
children play more quietly, and the,
as she noiselessly resumed her work on
transparent tear glistened upon he
needle. She glanced up hastily, for fea
her husband might have seen it-he hat
mans hatred Of domestic tears-bu
she saw he was already fast asleep. Al
one evening passed, so did another-ther,
was always something to take him from
her--solnething to absorb all the spar,
hours 80 that there were none to be give1
her. She had tried hard not to be rebel
lious-she had prayed to overcome thu
strange thoughts which crept into he
~ head, and, until Of late, she had been par