Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-07-09

SuO alWdJo IiOo OuulPuOl p"s "lOuhV
my neck"
"I am not at all afraid" replied Ma
rion, sand this is not a God-forsaken
part of the city, if the people generally
are as sweet, patient Christians as the
sick woman | have left. never felt so
happy in my life, and have just begun
to learn that our truest happiness comes
to us through doing good to Others"
"Charity begins at home" said the
young man, twirling his gold-headed
cane. You better make convert of
me, though | don't think much of your
religious chaps"
Roland Fletcher walked home with
Marion, expostulating with her and try
ing to make her promise that she would
never 90 into a tenement house again.
After they had seated themselves in her
fathers parlor, he took the tiny hand
with the diamond ring on it into his own
and said:
"The idea of such a beautiful hand as
this is ministering to sick people in tene-
ment houses, and Juggling fruit, plas-
tiers, and nobody knows what else,
through the street for their benefit"
"My hands are not beautiful, Roland
Fletcher, - replied the young lady, hasti-
ly withdrawing her hand from her low
er's. 81 have learned to-day that
Beautiful hands are those that do
Work that is earnest, brave and true.
Hereafter / shall devote myself to min
istering to those whom God has not seen
fit to bless with this worlds goods as
abundantly as He has blessed me-"
elf there is anything detest," said
Roland, "it's your pious women, your
women's rights women, your self-sup-
porting women, and your fanatical
women, who think they have q mission.
1 expect you will be clamoring for the
ballot next. You are my individual
property now, and wish you to pre-
serve your true womanliness and not
overstep the boundaries of propriety by
this nunnery, mission business"
I" You ald differ about the meaning
of the term true womanliness," repeat
ed Marion, in a trembling voice. 81
feel that | have right to follow the
dictates of my own conscience in such
matters
Roland saw that Marion felt hurt,
and, as he did really love her as much
as his selfish nature was capable of low
ing any woman, he tried to modify his
rash words. Weeks passed on, Marion
still continued her visits of love and
mercy, but always under protest. Every
day she felt that Roland and she were
drifting farther and farther apart. The
external things of life-the life of pleas
ure and fashion that had woven suct
chains about him-were slowly breaking
in Marion's soul. Her estimate of thu
things that bring happiness were very
different. She was not surprised ont
morning to receive note from ROLAND
Fletcher asking that the engagement
might be broken. He closed the not
saying: "It has always been against m,
principles TO marry any woman with
mission"
Years passed away. Roland Fletche
and Marion Douglass had drifted apar
and lost sight of each other for a lon.
time. Marion had married a wealth,
gentleman who believed with her tha
our happiness in life comes to us "whel
we make life less difficult to others.
They both were of one mind in thei
ideas of usefulness. Marion's beautiful
hands never tired of doing work tina
was ''earnest, brave and true" Thre
lovely children had come to their home
but amid their present happiness th,
sorrows of others were never forgotten
One lovely summers morning Mariol
started from the "Flower Mission,
with her basket of bouquets to distribut
in the hospitals, While passing througI
one of the wards she stopped beside tn
cot of new patient who had bee
brought in the night before.
"Will you have bouquet, sirp" ask
ed Marion, as she tenderly bent over tn
suffering one.
"Thank you, madame" the sick maj
said, as he reached out his hand AM
took the proffered flowers. "Wha
a beautiful mission the Flower Mission
is, and how very kind you ladies are t
bring them to us poor sick ones, VIII
are shut out from natures beauties"
"We are very glad to cheer the sic
ones in this way" replied Marion, a
she took stray rosebud out of the bas
ket and handed it also to the patient
The mans eye fell upon the hand of tn
woman who ministered to him, and h
said:
beautiful hands are those that do
Work that is earnest, brave and true"
Marion's face had been hidden be
meath her large shade hat, but when sh
lifted her head there was mutual rec
ognition. 1t was Robert Fletcher.
"Marion Douglass!" he exclaimed
"How often havelonged to see you an
take back the cruel words said to yo
so long ago about true womanliness.
have tried to bless the name of womal
| have been the recipient of her Chri
tian love and kindness. When all otl
|. ers forsook me, it was woman with
. mission who nursed me through
malignant disease, and rescued me fro
> a death without repentance and forgiv
, ness. 1t was woman's hand tht
!, guided me to the 'only Name give
! among men whereby we may be saved
= and it was a band of praying wome
= who rescued me from drunkard
grave"
! Roland's story was soon told. II
q mother died years before and left hi
+ her immense fortune, which he SOC
squandered in riotous living. He w
now a charity patient at a hospits
n and he was cared for tenderly and kin
n ly by women who believed they did n
overstep the boundaries of "true wor
anliness" when they ministered
Christ's name to His needy ones. Wh'
l. he passed away from earth it was Ma
r ions hand that smoothed his dying p
It low-Marion' hand which closed /
q avas unon a world in which he lparne