River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-12-27
A GREAT TEMPTATION.

| beautiful, / think, beauty Is a hard thing I
define and limit, but il was bsauty of n
wonderful or unusual type. and was of tina
kind which grows on one gradually as hi
knon ledge of the possessor oil il grows. Their
was a wealth of sweetness and purity shinin.
upon her eyes, which tears could never wasl
out; and the mouth indicated tilmness an,
resolution, which had its beginning long befor
1 the nights vigil which had left IL SO sternI-
agonized
The trouble which has come to Alice Arndel
ls of no unusual kind Ii is sudden sorrow
Of kind which has crushed out all of hope il
life, many times in the past and will man,
times in the future. as long as men and maid
ems are proud and wilIful. One may say
"only lovers quarrel" but one should re-
member that there are heart tragedies in thi
world, under the torture of which men ant
women drag out long lives without findin,
peace To Alice Arnden il seem as though
everything worth having in life was now for
ever utterly beyond her hope.
She arose from the seat she had occupied
for so long and moved slowly around her hum
BILE room. She had not known until she moved
how much she was sutft ring ply, ically; hov
cold 1t was; how cramped and weary she was
There was really little to do. Her bed had no
been used, her room was in order She haC
plenty of time to prepare herself for the tasl
of hiding her SORROW from the gaze of he
friends, if she could
She made fire, and into tue fire she re-
| which she had spoiled in her efforts 10 writ1 q
simple letter, long ago when her sorrow was
new. Long agog Last night Happiness gives
| wings of lightness 10 eternity tlying about our
being and so-called time rather than eternity
which we roughly m -asure and called minutes
| minutes and seconds; but sorrow weights their
noiseless feet with lead
Mr. George Fenby is next among the actors
in this little fragment of human life,
He had sat at his window that morning, az
| Alice Arnden sat at hers. His window looked
N the same direction; from it he saw much the
| same scene as she saw. The Stars faded oul
for him as for her; day frightened; the sun
| light fell across his face.
But he sat there with a cheerful fire near
1 him; he was strong from happy sleep; his eyes
were bright and cheerful, and looked as though
| tears had always been strangers 10 them, aud
| his lips were smiling.
The icy marshes seemed to him type of his
| future. Smooth, white, pure-the ligbt stretc
| ing warmly across them-aud with the oce
on side standing to him, as to her, as type 1
5ternity-an eternity which he felt would
one of strength and happiness.
George Fenby thought of what he had to b.
thankful for, this lovely morning A small
| fortune, enough for himself-and one other, a
| fair wOman-and good % falr-for his prom
ised wife; heath, education, influence, friends
POSITION; it was indeed goodly prospect
This man was strong and quick; good look
| ing, if not handsome. He looks llk man who
would not do a wicked thing, or think It, while
| he might do weak or foolish one. de was a
man who would be likely to win woman
heart-and hold il; man whose love woman
might prize aud the loss of which she might
wisely mourn Weak enough to be ma ;, he
was strong enough to be one hard to WIN from
the life which had once had him
There was a happy smile on his face as he
heard his little brother knock at the door, and
he answered "Come in, T" in CHEEKY voice.
Here's letter for you, George.
"Tiank you," said George, as he took 1t
s'You are welcome BY the handwriting on
the envelope l judge the message Will be a
pleasant one"
And the boy left the room.
A pleasant messagel The smile deepened on
the mans face as he lovingly handled the let
| ter before he broke the seal pleasant mes
sagei
These were the words he read
Mr. George Fenby: will not consent to be any
longer a hinderer regarding your higher ambl-
ton" never wish to speak with you again in all
ALICE ARNDEN.
So Mr. Fenby's morning gift was the lift of
his freedom. What shoald he do with it? His
cheeks aud lips grew cold and white at the
thought Merciful neavenl What should he
do with it?
The sky seemed darkened, che earth seemed
dreary and desolate George Fenby and Ahce
Arnden. bare quarter of mile apart, could
not have been more widely separated had an
ocean stretched between them And each
looked on the same landscape, and saw 1t alike
at last.
The village OF Marsham was a small one, and
most of 1t was farther from the ocean IMAM
were the two houses al whose windows we
have seen two unhappy persons
1t was a relief to both George and Alice that
there was service in the little church that
morning, and that everybody would be looked
f,,,J.s taiT1 a hat ia
ment Of its intensity in the effort Of appearing
unconcerned Then there Is mournfnl
pleasure in seeing what one has lost
In place no larger than Marsham every one
knows everybody else. Every one Knows the
business of every body else, in some degree, or
thinks so, and says So So our two friends
were known, and their relations 10 each other
were known also And 50 poorly had they
PLAYED their parts that when service was fin
ished nearly all their friends had concluded
that their engagement WAS over and many
were sDecuatipg as to the reason for It
Ra Din Narder was too shrewd man not to
see what every one else saw. He said but little
about IT, as he spoke to one and another after
church, but he was deeply Interested and very
much puzzled. The time had been when the
cossips had connected his name with that OF
Alice Arnden. and there were those who had
shaken their heads when 1t became evident that
she had been won by George Fenby, instead OF
by Ra PHI.
Ralph had never spoken to Alice of love, and
we will respect his reserve What he cared Tor
her may remain a sealed book.
George Feuby walked home alone Ralph
Warder came the same read, but quarter of a
mile behind him. Some distance out OF the
village Ralph suddenly came upon two papers,
resting on the snow by the side of the road.
Tiev had most likely been pulled from the
pocket of the owner in removing his handk er
chief. The smaller paper had blown apart; 1t
Law upon the other, and Its contents were so
brief that Ralph had read 1t before he was
aware of what he was doing We nave seen
fine naper before It was the brief letter in
which Alice Arden Ind dismissed George
Fenby.
Ralph Warder stood for long time with the
letter in his hand.
eve read it once; it can do no harm to read
it again" he said.
And he read il again--not once-merely, but
dozen times. 1t seemed as If he was trying
to draw something from the bit of paper which
he did not find there.
After a time he stopped and picked up the
other paper, a long, folded document, but the
acion was merely a mechanical one. He did
not cipen it to see what it was, but with his
head bent forward on his breast, and with u
very grave face, he went on his way. He
walked more slowly than before; he some
tim s stopped, and he talked to himself from
time to time.
.'If this is final" he commenced aloud, and
then relapsed into silence. asa hnderer. p"
Then, after standing and thinking for awhile.
he went on: 'She never was that to him.
And she never was moody and elf-distrust-
full"
He thought for many minutes now.
81 don't understand what she means by his
higher ambition His highest ambition lately
seems to have been to win her. Ithas cost her
a great deal TO give him up-auy one can sec
that with half an eye And his freedom s not
welcome to him; be neither wanted 1t nor ex-
pected it"
Suddenly he stood still, and hot, fierce flush
or pit into his face.
II wonder if it is true that hearts are ever
caught in the rebound, as they sometimes say
they are? will"
And he clenched his hands and hurried On
his way.
He did not stop again until he reached his
home, w1ere his mother and sister were walt
ing for him, nor did he think his Thoughts
LOUD any more With few words or greet
ifts and a few more Of excuse, he put hie
mo her aud sister aside for the present, and
went up TO his own ROOM
The MONDAY sun was shining and making
everything pleasant There was glow IN the
wintry air which seemed to have promise OF
summer 1t -,
He seated himself at the table placed Alice
hrnden's letter upon II, and read II again
Then for the frat time he looked at the other
paper which he had picked up. He turned 1t