The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-04-14
THE SELF-SACRlFICE.

Near it was little group of naples,
their tender foliage stirring softly in
the evening air. There were few
stars out, and low in the west a cres-
cent moon hung, looking for the
nonce like a broken ring, one golden
half gone. .:-..
This thought came to Sarah Vane
as she sat in the low porch, with her
face resting in her hand. Something
In her own heart must have prompted
1t, for she sighed quickly, while a soft
blush stole over her cheeks.
Everything is divided just so in
this world" she murmured to herself,
rising, the book which had been lying
upon her lap falling to the floor.
She stopped to pick it up, and as she
did so she caught the sound of a step
In the distance. Nearer it came,
strong, even and firm, keeping time to
tune melodiously whistled. For a
moment the wife stood, book in hand,
listening attentively; then, a look of
disappointment shadowing her eyes
and mouth, she went into the house,
closing the door after her. But the
step came forward just the same, and
the tune, clear and beautiful as the
notes of thrush, filled the air with
music.
It was frank, almost boyish face,
though bronzed and bearded, that
came homeward that night; just such
a one as mother would have delight
ed in looking upon, because the world
had left no trace OF evil upon it. The
eyes were blue and fearless, and the
forehead, protected from the sun and
wind, was as white as a woman's.
Only about the mouth there was a
look that would touch a mothers
heart to see; not an expression of sad
ness, wholly, but a grieved look which
sometimes comes to the faces of little
children.
AS he stepped into the porch, still
whistling softly, slip of folded paper
lying upon the floor attracted his at
tention. He picked it up and read
his wife's name written in a we'll
known hand upon the back. The i'm
pulse was strong upon him to crush
it in his hand, but something restrain
ed him; whatever the feeling was
that flashed up in his eyes for the mo-
ment, he had, or seemed to have, per-
feet control of it. He stood for awhile
with his straw hat in his hands, and
then went into the house as quietly as
though no fierce passion had been
graphing hard at his heart. His wife
was sitting by the table, and with a
simple, This must be yours, Sarah,"
he laid the folded paper beside her.
"Thank you," she said, without
raising her eyes; and Harry Vane
passed on, something very like sob
rising in his throat.
eff she had only looked up in my
eyes and said that it was from
George!" he thought {" if there were
not something from which she has
shut me out, I could bear it much
BETTER
Wiping his face and hands and
brushing his hair, he looked his wife
over, great, yearning, eager look in
his eyes-a greater hunger in his
heart. He thought of the time when
she had welcomed him with kisses
when her arms had chung fondly about
his neck--when she had whispered
loving words in his ear-when she
seemed to love him! But now she
had no caresses for him, no wifely
words with which to greet him.
Their lives were narrowed down to a
cold, dull routine-all that was beauti-
full and sweet gone from them.
The husband sat down to the even
Ing meal without word. Somehow,
everything seemed terribly real to
him that night. Looking about the
pretty, tasteful room he saw it as he
had never seen it before. 1t stood
before him like living picture, with
its homemade ornaments, snowy
curtains, and neatly-laid table. And
the wife, too--how fair she was to
him-how far above other women,
with her neat, housewifely habits and
her ladylike ways! No matter if she
no longer loved him--if some one else
had taken his place in her heart, Of
all women, she stood to him fairest
and best. He was but common fell
low, after all, with little taste for
poetry or books, while George
His thoughts startled him with
their intensity, and he sprang forward
so suddenly in his chair that Sarah
looked up wOnderingly.
"What is it?" she asked.
The poor fellow looked into her face
with wistful eyes.
''I'm afraid I cannot make you
happy, he said, in choked voice.
"I--I-what shall do, Sarah?''
"You can do nothing she an
swered, in a low tone. II am as
happy as deserve to be-
He arose from the table and held
out his hand to her. She did not
place hers in 1T. She was too honest
to play double game, and she could
not show a love she did not feel. He
read it all in her white face and
startled eyes, and terned away with
out another word. The next moment
he was out of doors, walking rapidly
toward a little Enclosure which lay
few yards from the house. It seemed
all the place in the world for him
then, and with a great sob he threw
himself down upon the grass and laid
his head upon his baby's grave.
Never child longed for the kisses and
caresses of its mother as Harry Vane
longed for the touch of the baby
hands and lips at that moment.
Broken-hearted and alone, a wanderer,