The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-21
A GREAT TEMPTATION.

y IL H(T
small; she was beautiful, 1 think fbeantv
IS hard thing to define and limit. but
II was a beauty of no wonderful or unu.
sual type, and was of that kind which
grows on one gradually, as his knowl-
edge OF the possessor of itgrows. There
was wealth Of sweetness and nuritv
shining up in her eyes, which tears
could never wash out; and the mouth in
dlcated tirmness and resolution, which
had Its beginning long before the nights
vigil which had left it SO sternlv aoo-
nized.
The trouble which has come to Alice
Arden IS OF no unusual kind. 1t is a sud-
den sorrow, Off kind which has crushed
out all of hope in life, many times inthe
past, and will many times in the future
as long as men and maideus are prond
and wlllful. One may say, "only a low
ers quarrel" but one should remember
that there are heart tragedies in this
world, under torture of which men and
women drag out long lives without tind-
ing peace. To Alice Arnden it seemed
as though every thing worth having in
hope.
She arose from the seat she had oc.
cupied for 30 long, and moved slowly
around her humble room. She had not
known until she moved, how much she
was suffering physically. how cold il
was. There was really little to do, Her
bed had not been used; her room was
in order. She had plenty of time to pre-
pare herself for the task of covering her
borrow from the gaze of her friends-it
she could.
She made a fire, and into the fire she
remorsely put all the fragments of the
paper which she had spoiled in her ef-
forts to write a simple letter long ago.
Then her sorrow was new. Long ago?
iast hlght! Happiness gives wings of
llghtness to eternity dying about one
and so NE time rather Than e%ternitv),
which we roughly measure and call min
utes and seconds ; but sorrow weighs
their noiseless feet with lead.
Mr.. George Fenby was next among
h actors IN this little fragment of hui
man life.
He had sat at the window that morn
ing as Alice Arden sat at hers. His win
dow looked in the same direction, from
1t he saw much the same scene she saw.
The stars faded out for him as for her:
day frightened; the sunlight fell across
his face.
But he sat there with a cheerful fire
near him; he was ST. ong 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 We're smiling.
The icy marshes seemed to him q
type of the future. Smooth, white,
pure-tho light stretching warmly
across them-and with the ocean outside
standing to him, as to her, as a type OF
eternity-an eternity which he felt
would be n Of strength and happiness.
George Fenby thought ofwhat he had
to be thankful for, this lovely morning.
A small fortune, enough for himself
and one other, a fair woman-and good
as fair-for his promised wife; health,
education, friends, influence, position;
1t was indeed d goodly prospect.
This man was strong and quick; good
looking, if not handsome. He looks like
a man who would notdo a wicked thing,
or think it, while he might do a weak
or foolish n He was a maj who
would be likely to win q woman's hear.
and hold it; a man whose love q wo-
man might prize, and the loss of which
she might wisely mourn. Weak enough
to be a man, he was strong enough to be
n 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 iu'
In a CHEEKY voice.
Here's q letter for you, George"
SfFl,,~ ! - d .-.l N@. -. L. S-.Jx
"You are welcome. By the hand
writing on the envelope I Judge the
message will be a pleasant one.n
And the boy left the room.
A pleasant message! The smile deep
ened on the mans face as he lovingly
handled the letter a little time before be
broke the seal. A pleasant message!
These were the words he read:
"Mr. George Fenby-I will not con
sent to be any longer a hinderer regard
ing your higher ambition I never
wish to speak with you again in all my
life. l give you back your freedom.
ALICE ARNDEN."
So Mr.. Fenby's morning gift was the
gift of his freedom. What should he do
with it? His cheeks and lips grew cold
and white at the thought. Merciiul
heavenl What could he do with it?
The sky seemed darkened, the earth
seemed dreary and desolate, George
Fenby and Alice Arnden, q bare quar-
ter OF q mile apart, could not have been
more widely separated had an ocean
stretched between them. And eace
looked on the same landscape and saw
it alike at last.
The village of Marsham was a small
0ro md yp,ncf cf II xroo ia rfhn fror f11
the ocean than were the two houses at
the windows of which we have seen two
unhappy persons.
1t was a relief to both George and
Alice, that there was service in the lit
tie 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 uncon'
cerned, then there is q mournful pleas
ure in knowing what one has lost.
In a place no larger than Marsham
every one knows the business Of every
body else in some degree, or thinks 80
and says SO. So our two friends were
known, and their relations to each 9th.
or were known also. And 80 poorly had
they played their parts, that when ser
had concluded that their engagement
WIS OpCIy uiu tuaAy nCAC opCSuLhbAAS dc
to the reason for It.
Ralph Warder was too shrewd a mar
not to see what every one else saw. He
eaid but little about it, as he spoke to
one and another after church, but he
was deeply interested and very much
puzzled. The time la neen when the
gossips had connected his name with
that of Alice Arnden, and there were
those who had shaken their heads wher
it became evident that she had beer
won cy George Fenby, instead of Ralph
Ralph bud never spoken to Alice Of
love, and we will respect his reserve
What he cared for her may remain o
sealed book.
George Fenby walked home alone
Ralph Warden came the same road,