Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-09-27
A GREAT TEMPTATION.


-RoSa Ptrtner Jc0"H in Home JoWhmi.
"
A GREAT TEMPTATION.
Alice ArndGn was not woman ono
would select for n heroine because 'of
her personality. She was neither large
nor small; she was beautiful, think
(beauty is hard thing to define and
limit but it was beauty of no Won
derful or unusual type, and was of that
kind which grows on ono gradually, rs
his knowledge of the possessor of it
grows. There was wealth of sweet
ness and pSrity shining up in her eyes
which tears could never wash out; and
the mouth indicated tirmncsS and reso-
ton, which had its beginning long be.
fore the Eight's vigil which had loft it
50 sternly agonized.
The trouble which has come to Alice
Arnden is of no unusual kind. One
may say, "only u lovers quarrel" but
one should remember that there are
heart tragedies in this world under
the torture of which men aud women
drag out long lives without finding
peace. To Alice Arnden it seemed as
though everything worth having in life
was now forever utterly beyond her
hope.
She arose from the seat she had oc-
cupicd 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 crampod and weary it was.
She made fire, and into the fire she
remorselessly put all the fragments OF
the paper which she had spoiled in her
efforts to write 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
y measured, and called minutes and
seconds; but sorrow weighs 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 morn
ing as Alice Arden sat at hers. His
window looked in tho same direction.
From it he saw much the same scene
she saw. The stars faded out for him
as for her; day brightcned; the sun
light fell across his face.
George Fenby thought of what he
had to be thankful for this lovely morn
ing. A small fortune, enough for him
self-and one other, a fair woman
and good as fair-for his promised
wife; health, education, friends, in
iluence, position; il was indeed good
ly prospect.
There was a happy smile on his face
rs he heard his little brother knock at
the door, and he answered Come i'm
in CHEEKY voice.
''Here is letter for you, George"
"Thank YOU" said George, rs he
took it.
"You are welcome. BY tho hand
writing on the envelope | judge the
message will bo u pleasant one"
And the boy left the room,
A pleasant message! The smile
deepened on the mans face as he lov.
ingly handled the letter little time
before he broke the seal. A pleasant
message!
These were the words he read:
"Mr. George Fenby--I will not con
sent to be any longer hindcrer re-
garding your higher ambition. never
wish to speak with you again in al
my life. l givo you back your freedom
ALICE ARNDEN."
So Mr.. Fonby's morning gift wa.
the gift of his freedom. What shoull
he do with it? His cheeks and lip
grew cold and white at the thought
Meroiful heaven! What could ho d,
with itP
The sky seemed darkened, the eartl
seemed dreary and desolate, Georg,
Fenby and Alice Arnden, bare quar-
ter of mile apart, could not hav,
been more widely separated had ar
ocean stretched between them. Ant
each looked on thesame landscape ant
saw it alike at last.
1t was relief to both George ant
Alice that there was servicn in the littl
church that morning, and everybody
would be looked for there. Secret sor
= row finds a certain abatement OF its in
tensity in the effort of appearing un
concerned. Then there is mournfu
pleasure in seeing what one has lost.
In place no larger than Marshan
every one knows everybody else. Ever,
ono knows the business of everybod
in some degree, or thinks so, or say
so. So our two friends were known
and their relations to each other wer
known also. And so poorly had the
played their parts that when servic
. was finished nearly all their friends ha
concluded that their engagement wa
over, and many were specializing as t
the reason for it.
Ralph Warden was too shrewd
man not to say what every one els
l saw. He said but little about it as h
spoke to one and another after church
but he was deeply interested and yer
much puzzled, The time had bee
when the gossips had connected hi
r name with that of Alice Arnden, an
D there were those who had shaken thei
I heads when it became evident that sh
had been won by George Fenby instea
of Ralph.
Ralph had never spoken TO Alice @
I love, and we will respect his reserve
4. What he cared for her may remain
sealed book.
George Fenby walked home alone
. Ralph Warden came the same road
Q but a quarter Of a mile behind him
Soma distanno mt of the villa0a Palm