The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-06-15
A GREAT TEMPTATION.

a u ANAShA w IA ~ ~ ~ OAAO
would select for a heroine because of
her personality. She was neither large
nor small; she was beautiful, l think
(beauty is a hard thing to define and
limit), but it was a beauty of nc won
derful or unusual type, and was of that
kind which grows on n gradually as
his knowledge of the possessor of it
grows. There was a wealth of sweet
ness and purity shining up in her eyes,
which tears could never wash out; and
the mouth indicated firmness and re-
solution which had it's beginning long
before the nights vigil which had left
it so sternly agonized.
The trouble which has come to Alice
Arnden is of no unusual kind. 1t is a
sudden sorrow, of a kind which has
crushed out all of hope in life many
times in the past. and will many times
in the future as long as men and maid
ems are proud and willful. One may
say, "Only a lovers quarrel" but n
should remember that there are heart
tragedies in this world, under the tor
ture Of which men and women may
drag out long lives without finding
peace. To Alice Arnden it seemed as
though everything worth having in life
wa now forever utterly beyond her
hope.
She arose from the seat she had oc-
cupied for SO long, and moved slowly
about her humble room. She had not
known, until she moved, how much
she was suffering physically how cold
it was how cramped and weary she
was. There was really little to do.
Her bed had not been used her room
EaS in order. She had plenty of time
t6 prepare herself for the task of
covering her sorrow from the gaze of
her friends-if she could.
She made a fire, and into the fire she
remorselessly put all the fragments of
the paper which she had spoiled in her
efforts to write a simple letter long
ago when her sorrow was new. Long
ago? Last night! Happiness gives
wings of lightness to the parts OF
eternity dying about our being and so
called time, rather than eternity
which we roughly measure and call
minutes and seconds; but sorrow
weights their noiseless feet with lead.
X X X
Mr.. George Fenby is the next among
the actors in this little fragment of
human life.
He sat at his window that morning
as Alice Arnden sat at hers. His win
dow looked in the same direction !;
from it he saw much the same scene
she saw. The stars faded out for him
as for her day frightened for him (;
%In Ct,n1ixhf f.1l narA-o hi, fnnn
But he sat there with a cheerful fire
near him; he was strong from happy
sleep; his eyes were bright and cheer
full, and looked as though tears had al
ways been strangers to them, and his
lips were smiling.
The icy marshes seemed to him a
type of his future. Smooth, white,
pure-the light stretching warmly
across them--and with the ocean out
side standing to him, as to her, as a
type of eternity-an eternity which he
felt would be n of strength and hap
piness.
George Fenby thought of what he
had in the world to be thankful for this
lovely morning. A small fortune,
enough for himself-and n other, a
fair woman-and good as f%air--for his
promised wife; health, education,
friends, influence, position; it was in
deed a goodly prospect.
This man was strong and quick
~good-looking, if not handsome. He
looks like who would not do a
wicked thing, or think it, while he
might do a weak OF foolish one. He
was a man who would be likely to wiz
a woman's heart-and hold it; a mar
whose love a woman might prize, ant
the loss of which she might wisely
mourn. Weak enough to be a man
he was strong enough to be one, hard
to spare from the life which had once
had him.
There was a happy smile on his face
as he heard his little brother knock a
the door, and he answered Come in
in a CHEEKY voice.
"Here's a letter for you, George"
"Thank you," said George. as h
took it.
You are welcome. BY the hand
writing on the envelope 1 judge tn
message will be a pleasant one"
And the boy left the room.
A pleasant message The smil
deepened on the mans face as h
lovingly handled the letter a little tim
before he broke the seal. A pleasan
message
These were the words he read:
"MR. GEORGE FENBY-I will not conseI
TO be any longer a hinderer regarding you
higher ambition i never wish to spea
with you again in all my life. l give yo
back your freedom. ALICE A~RsDEN."
So Mr.. George Fenby's morning 81
was the gift of his freedom. VIII
should he 90 with it? His cheeks an
lips grew cold and white at the though
Merciful heavens what could he d
with it?