Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-13

cav. But if you have any particular dis
like to this place, we can go some 'Other
where as Mr.. TennysOn would say.'
''Oh. l don't in the least care where we
60 so we find a spot secluded and dry. l
am little afraid Of damp"
Certainly, you must avoid the damp.
just look up at that little hill slope! Isn't
it sunny and pleasant? Do you see the
bench under that water oak? Pm going
to seat you there and bring you drink of
water from a spring close by as cold as
ice. Are you tired, dear Ellen~
Not much, but glad to rest; this IS a
lovely place. l should like to be buried
just here, where the sun comes through
the trees in long bright strips, ana the
shade is perfumed with flowers"
Charlie grew a little restless under
this gloomy speech, and turning lmpul-
sivelv to her friend, she put one strong
Young arm around her neck and SAID:
Vow. Ellen, l want to preach you a
short sermon. Listen, please! You know
YOUR parents both died of consumption,
and. YOU know, you have had mild hem
orrhage or two. and on these data you
proceed to break down your health and
kill YOUR hopes. This is all wrong.
Plenty of people, circumstanced exactly
as YOU are. have lived to be wrinkled and
aged: you may do as much. Instead of
feeling fore-dOOmed forget all these sad
iaCLS anu ldkt ali INT EOOu int OOuS Will
give. Auntie says you have not taken
good care of yourself, and she IS going to
pet you back into strength and hope and
happiness. You shall live, you pretty
darling, if it is but to be loved and nursed
by US all. Now, what do you Think of my
sermOn?7
st is a most sweet and pleasant SER
mon: but, dear child, there's no fighting
against fate as nearly accomplished as
So. frs~A Ir.~- Z o,r.sf LOT hot Il
distress you'll don't want to liyen'
''YOu-yOu don't want to liye-yOu
want to resign this breathing, joyous be-
ing to lie pulseless and sOulless under a
cold stone like thatE' pointing to a near
monument. Il cannot think it! 1 can
not realize it at all! If you were old and
tired and weary and friendless such an
unnatural idea might be possible; but
young and sweet and lovely! Oh! no,
Ellen, you are blue or morbid or sick to-
day; tomorrow you Will sing cheerfuller
note"
u am not old, Charlie, but tired; so tired
and weary"
Weary dear! Of what?"
s'Of sin"
Charlie looked closely at her for one
long minute; then, laughing merrily,
said:
"Then fancy me a shaver priest and
confess. think 'tWOuld be after this sort:
oh. my father. I confess myself| cot
what. my childT of forgetting to say
my prayers one cold morning last winter,
and of eating bit of meat last Friday "
But no smile lighted Elaine's sad face
at this sally. She looked far off at the
brilliant sky. and then at the lonely
/ graves around her, and, at last, in low,
! constrained voice said:
sCan YOU bear to hear my confession,
Charlie: 1t is for that l came here to-
day"
COT course 1 cam" laughed the girl.
"Wait and let me get up long
faced expression suitable for the
solemn occasion. PrOceed-begin! Il
have sinned, dear Charlie. l have
spent money on fine clothes, which
should have been given as aims to the
poor, and | have discarded several worthy
young men who coveted me for a wifep"
'sCharlie,'' again asks the sweet voice,
"can you bear to hear my cOnfessiOnp'
''Oh! yes, dear; certainly, l can; let's
/ have it.''
Elaine moved a little further off, and,
( shutting her two small hands tightly to-
l gether, said:
! i am an actress!'
"Ohp' exclaimed Charlie, more from
I pure establishment than any other senti-
ment just now. Excuse me, Ellen; do
( 90 on"
Il have lived alone without friends, Of
/ ten without money, and Once-0nce for a
/ short time-withOut reputation"
! What do you meanT' came cOldly,
J icily, slowly from Charles white lips
/ Il mean more than / say. l mean that
/ once, for three months, lived life that
/ l scOrned, and pure women like you de-
/ spise."
! As she spoke great change had come
! over Charities mobile, sensitive face. Ig-
.
| Elalne'S words, nevertheless, contained a
! hOrrid significance, and all the purity, all
| the self-respecting pride of wOmanhOOd
I spTang into life and active defense at the
/ girls humiliating confession. Flushing
| scarlet with outraged feeling and disap-
| pointed confidence, she sprang to her feet
| aud said:
ELLEN Weston, how have you dared
/ how have you dared come here with this
pollution of sin about you? How
| have you dared accept my auntie's
kindness and my love? All. and
/ L have kissed yOu!-you who came
! to me with the strong appeal of
beauty and poverty and friendlessness!
J No, no; don't speak; | viii not hear you 4!
! Don't touch me; L viii not permit it!
! You are vile, corrupt, stained with sin,
! and yet you are woman! Oh! the pity
} of it. Oh! the shame of iti' And
Charlie, wrought to the highest pitch of
/ excitement, knelt down ON the long grass
and sObbed aloud.
For five long minutes not a word was
I SAID, and not a sound broke the forest
stiffness but the low weeping of the I'M
happy girl. Gradually this ceased /;
} Charlie dried her eyes and walked off
! quietly toward the rivers brink, and was
! soon lost in the thick underground.
Elaine We're. sitting calmly on the bench
under the trees, watched her retreating
figure with quiet hOpelessness. Just so
/ she had expected to suffer, and she meek
/ ly accepted her portion.
\ long time, perhaps twenty minutes,
I passed, and then figure was seen slowly
I approaching. 1t was Charlie. Her face
was no longer flushed; her eyes were dry,
/ and her step was quiet and regular. She
came up and took her old seat at Elaine's
side and said:
"What will you do now, Ellen?'
The answer came quickly though
softly:
Il Will tell your uncle and aunt what
| have told you, endure the stings and ar
/ rows of most outrageous fortune a few
short weeks, and then the end will
/ come"
''What will you do after death, EllenY'
| asked a soft, trembling voice.
| over Elaine's pale face beamed a smile
! of inetiable content.
/ leave my soul with One who has said.
/ Neither do | condemn theer"
The next moment Charlie was kneeling
/ at Flames feet.
"Can you forgive me, Ellen, that 1 have
/ so cruelty punished you, that l have pre-
/ sumed to be purer, better, wiser than my
I Master, that l have dared judge when He
/ said Judge nOt;' that, sheltered from temp
tatiOn and protected from sin, have dared
says stand off and touch me not;' that l
have thanked God that l was not such
as you? Ellen, frIendless, homeless,
orphaned and helpless as you We're, can
| you forgive my presumption and my
sin! say that you do, or l will kneel here
| forever"
In Charities grand eyes the tears were
| rising, but her voice was resnluto anu
( etronS. still Elaine said nothing. She
/ was too deeply moved to speak, and still
! the young girl knelt and waited: at last
/ she said:
I "Ellen, you are too wounded to speak
/ Lean down and kiss me that l may have
I peace"
Elaine bent over and pressed one short
/ kiss on the pretty forehead, and. weak
1 from excitement and exhaustion, fell
/ fainting on the grass at her feet. How
/ tenderly Charlie nursed her and kissed
/ her back TO consciousness, and, when the
/ poor girl opened once more her eyes on
/ the anxious face bent over her, she saw
nothing but sisterly love and tenderness.