Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-10-27


For bartholomew Richter the mi IS
of the future had suddenly Disappeared
lie now found himself face Ia faca with
the question which Il few hours before
he had been unable to answer ui her than
by saying he dill not know. lie must
know nDw, for he must act.
bartholomew Richter was not a man
to shrink from facing difficulty, and
resolutely hr turned to the question he
had SO recently put from him rs pulling
and Improbable. The time for decision
had come. lie did not for one moment
stop to consider that the lot wouli de-
eide for him. He felt at once that he
must decide now whether ii would be
his duty to abide by the decision of the
lot, or To do rs Johanna said-chooSe
what he knew in his own soul to be
right, though the whole world said it
was wrong.
That night, In the solitude of his own
chamber, he met the question and an
swcrcd it; and on the morrow, when
the lot did not fall on johanna, he did
not change his decision, but went to St.
Thomas alone. And the Elders were
sore distressed on his account and very
greatly feared lest Satan should in the
end overwhelm their much-lovcd brother
with some mighty, yet subtle temptation.
The years fly Dy. Bethlehem, the
little Moravian settlement, spreads out
her skirts like Il proud lady and daily
grows larger and more tlourishing; bat
III the Rothe cottage there have bGan
changes of different nature. The
gentle-hcarted mother has passed away.
The brother has married, and johanna
laid away her red ribbons and tied the
pink beneath her firm little chin, and
went away TO the quiet shelter of tho
'Sister's llome;" and there, within its
peaceful walls, has lived ten years of her
quiet life of good deeds and loving words.
And many times the message came from
the Council of the Elders" that BY lot
johanna Rothe was chosen for the wife
of some thriving citizen; but Johanna
could not he prevailed upon to leave tho
''H0me" for Il home of her own, and no
one except Brother Paul, an old and
tried friend of the Rothe family, knew
the reason why. say he knew His
own heart told him. Johanna never
limited it, by words or look but Brother
Paul had had n heart history of his own,
some thirty or forty years before, and
when man has once learned such II
lesson he can readily see whether an
other man or woman has been taught
the same.
1t is Brother Paul who has kept up u
somewhat dcSultory correspondence
with Bartholomew Richter, and through
him the young missionary once sodght
the aid of the "Council of the Elders"
that they should send him a companion;
but, though the Council had done it's
part, yet still Bartholomew remained
alone. Perhaps Johanna learned from
Brother Paul that Bartholomew had
sent for wife, and, when she knew
that he did not marry, perhaps she
thought-well; one thing am sure of.
she did not grow sour anL diSayrGcab!e.
She did not speak sliGhtingly of mar
riage, or even bitterly of that perverse
little lot; but her heart was as true and
tender, her face rs bright and beautiful,
as on that summer morning, ten wears
before, when Bartholomew Richter bid
her goodbye, and went out alone 10 his
field of labor, with the silent disapproval
of his church and people resting upon
him.
Ten years, and the years between
twenty and thirty are longer than any
ten afterward. Ten years, and Brother
bartholomew waits on the sea-shore,
for the good ship rides at anchor, and
the little boat bobbing up and down
upon the sparkling waves comes shore
ward with its precious burden of human
life. There is u stirring in his spirit, a
quicker action of the heart, and n
sudden rush of feeling; for he knows
that the ship has brought missionaries
from America, and among them is his
old friend Brother Paul.
Now the keel CRATES on the sandy
shore. The passengers are leaving the
boat. There is the tall form of Brother
Paul. How white his hair has turned
since Bartholomew saw him last! A
woman walked by his side. What was
there in her attitude that struck Bar
tholomew Richter with surprise, with
interest? Had Brother Paul married? !?
The flutter of pink ribbon said "No," "
and the good brothers words, as he
grasped his friends hand, revealed the
mystery.
81 sought the Council for You again,
Brother Bartholomew, and this time
the lot fell Oh Johanna. ~. y. Ildc.
pendent.