Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-05-07

Romayne, don ike TO near you
81 eak of your marriage in that way"
"Oh, very well. Let us go back to
my book. Perhaps shall get on better
with it now you are here to help me.
My ambition to make q name in the
world has never taken so strong hold
on me Il don't know why, unless other
disappointments have had something to
do with it) as at this time, when l find
can't give my mind to my work. We
will make last effort together, my
friend. If it fails we will put my manu-.
scripts into the fire, and l will try some
other career. Politics are open to me.
Through politics / might make my mark
in diplomacy. There is something in
directing the destinies of nations won.
derfully attractive to me in my present
state of feeling. I hate the idea OF
being indebted for my position in the
world, like the veriest fool living, to the
accidents of birth and fortune. Are
you content with the obscure life that
you lead? Did you not envy that priest
(he is no older than am) who was sent
the other day as the Pope's ambassador
to Portugal ?" r..
Pcnrose spoke out at last without any
hesitation:
"You are in a thoroughly unwhole.
some state OF mind" he said
Romayne laughed recklessly.
"Wheil was ever in healthy state
of mind 2" he asked.
Penrose passed the interruption over
without notice.
eff am to do you any good" he
resumed, 81 must know what is really
the matter with you. The very last
question that l ought to put, and that I
wish to put, is the question which you
force me to ask"
"What is it ?"
"When you speak of your married
life,' said Penrose, "your tone is the
tone of a disappointed man. Have you
any serious reason to complain OF Mrs.
Romayne ?"
Stella rose to her feet in her eagerness
to hear what her husbands answer would
be.
"Serious reasonsl" Romayne re-.
peated. Glow can such an idea have
entered your head? 1 only complain of
irritating trilies now and then. Even
the best of women is not perfect. It's
hard to expect it from any of them"
The Interpretation of this reply de.
pended entirely on the tone in which it
was spoken. What was the animating
spirit in this case? Irony? or indul-.
gence? Stella was ignorant Of the in
direct methods of irritation, by means
of which Father Benwell had encour-
aged Romanye's doubts of his wife's
motive for the reception of Winterfeld.
Her husbands tone, expressing this
state of mind, was new to her. She sat
down again, divided between hope and
fear, waiting to hear more. The next
words, spoken by Penrose, astounded
her. The priest, actually took the
wife's side!
"Romayne," he proceeded, quietly,
81 want you to be happy"
81 will try and tell you. I believe
your wife to be a good woman. I be-
lieve she loves you. There is something
in her face that speaks for her-even to
an inexperienced person like myself.
Don't be impatient with her! Put away
from you that besetting temptation to
speak in irony-it is so easyto take that
tone, and sometimes so cruel. / am only
looker-on, 1 know Domestic happi-
ness can never be the happiness of my
life But l have observed my fellow
creatures of all degrees-and this tell
you is the result. The largest number
of happy men are the husbands and
fathers. Yes; admit that they have
terrible anxieties-but they are fortified
by unfailing compensations and encour-
agements. Only the other day met
with man who had suffered the loss Of
fortune and worse still the loss of
health. He endured those Affections 80
calmly that he surprised me. What is
the secret of your philosophy /? I asked.
He answered: Il can bear anything
while 1 have ny wife and my children
Think of that and Judge for yourself
how much happiness you may have left
yet ungathored in your married life"
Those words touched Stella's higher
nature, as the dew touches the
thirsty ground. Surely they were
nobly spoken! How would her hus.
band receive them?
"I,must think with your mind, Pen
rose, before 1 can do what you ask of
me. Is there any method of transforna-
tion by which L can change natures
with you?' That was all he said, and
he said it despondingly.
Penrose understood and felt for him.
eff there is anything in my nature
worthy to be set as an example to you,"
he replied, "you know to what blessed
influence 1 owe self-disciplino and
serenity of mind. Remember what I
uoi1 ubnD / loft yo1, in r TopJon to NO