The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-10-19
SELECT STORY.
A GREAT TEMPTATION.

her personality. She was neither
large nor small; she was beautiful, |
think (beauty is hard thing to de
fine and limit), but it was a beauty of
no wonderful or unusual type, and
was of that kind which grows on one
gradually, as his knowledge of the
possessor Of it grows. There was a
wealth of sweetness and purity shin
ing up in her eyes which tears could
never wash out, and the mouth indi-
Gated firmness and resolution, which
has its beginning long before the
nights vigil which had left it so stern
ly agonized.
The trouble which has come to
Alice Arnden is of no unusual kind.
1t is a sudden sorrow, of 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 maidens are proud and wilful.
One may say, "Only lovers quar-
rel,' but one should remember that
there are heart tragedies in this world,
under the torture of which men and
women drag out long lives without
finding peace. To Alice Arnden it
seemed as though everything worth
having in life was now forever beyond
her hope.
She arose from the seat she had oc-
cupied for SO long, and moved slowly
around 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 lit
tie to do. Her bed had not been
used her room was in order. She
had plenty of time to prepare herself
for the task of covering her sorrow
from the gaze of her friends--if she
could.
She made a fire, and into that fire
she remorsely put all the fragments of
the paper which she spoiled in her eff
forts to write a simple letter, long
ago, when her sorrow was new Long
ago? Last night Happiness gives
wings of lightness to eternity dying
about our being and so-called time
rather than eternity, which we rough
ly measure and call minutes and sec
onds; but sorrow weights their noise
less feet with lead
-
Mr.. George Fenby was next among
the actors in this little fragment of
human life.
He had sat at his window that
morning as Alice Arnden sat at hers.
His window looked in the same di-
rection: from it he saw much the
same scene she saw The stars faded
out for him as well as her; day bright
lened the sunlight fell across his
face.
| But he sat there with a cheerful
| fire near him; he was strong from
happy sleep; his eyes were bright
and cheerful and looked as though
tears had always been strangers to
them and his lips were smiling.
| The icy marshes seemed to him q
TYPE of the future. Smooth, white,
lpure-the light stretching warmly
across them--and with the ocean out.
side standing to him, as to her, as g
TYPE of eternity an eternity which h,
felt would be one of strength and hap
piness.
George Fenby thought of what he
had to be thankful for, this lovely
morning, A small fortune, enough
for himself-and one other, a fai
woman-and as good as fair--for hi
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. H,
looks like man who would not d,
a wicked thing, or think it, while h
might do weak or foolish one. III
was man who would be likely t.
win woman's heart-and hold it;
man whose love woman might prize
and the loss of which she might wise
ly mourn. Weak enough to be
man, he was strong enough to be har,
to win from the life which had one
had him.
There was a happy smile on hi
face as he heard his little brothe
knock at the door, and he answere
"Come in" in CHEEKY voice.
"Here's letter for you George"
"Thank you" said George, as h
took it.
you are welcome. BY the hant
writing on the envelope l Judge tn
message will be pleasant one"
And the boy left the room.
A pleasant message! The smil
deepened on the mans face as he lo
ingly handled the letter little tin
before he opened it. A pleasant me
sage
These were the words he read:
"Mr. George Fenby-I will not co
sent to be any longer hinderer r
garding your higher ambition.
never wish to speak with you again
all my life, give you back yo
freedom.
ALICE ARNpEN.
So Mr. Fenby's morning gift W
the gift of his freedom. What shou
he do with it? His cheeks and Ii
grew cold and white at the though
Merciful heaven! What could he
with it?
The sky seemed darkened, t
= earth seemed dreary and desola
George Fenby and Alice Arnden,
bare quarter of mile apart, could Il
have been more widely separated h
an ocean stretched between the
And each looked on the same lal
scape and saw it alike at last.
The village of Marsham was
small one, and most of it was fartl
from the ocean than were the t
houses at the windows of which
have seen two unhappy persons.
1t was a relief to both George a
Alice that there was service in the
tie church that morning, and eve
body would be looked for tn,
Secret sorrow finds a certain abt
ment of its itensity in the effort
appearing unconcerned. Then tn
is a mournful pleasure in seeing W
one has lost
- In place no larger than Marsh
every one knows everybody e
Every one knows the business