The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-12-13
LOVE CONQUERS.
vr .rruor or "pou, rHoRNH,
ga ROSE ~ 1HuRNn, Eie'
CHAPTER Ill.

;rhe farmer was tnc hfsU to break the ST.
lence.
81 will never sell my own child" he
cried
at is not question OF selling, father,
for YOU gain nothing remarAed hatc.
..No culid of mime snail ever learn to
do.,ns. nj, mother ANA ac, nc went on.
..IIe need not dr,plsc u because ne rises
above Us, said KAT.
The farmer turned to Nanc.
..W nat do YOU say Yourself, my SOM
Are you Wiling to 20 VITA LAS stranger,
and leave Us, you own lalhtr ana Inother,
YOU know-yOur mother, VINO hufscu you,
YOUR father who mas worked tof you-to
leave the home wncre you nave never
heard "A cross word, where you nave uN'd
all YOUR life. Are YOU willing to give u
all I'D and 90 with this Stranger"
There was rugged dignity about the
farmer as he spoke.
"Stephen,' put in his wife, $40 not leu
MS interfere. The boy has chance that
does not come to one in ten thousand. lie
10 TO be gentleman: we Will not stand III
mis- way. Think what being gentleman
means. And he will not desert us; he
will never be ashamed OF us; II anything,
he will help Us in our old age. Think
twice before YOU stand in his light, Steph-
en-, Let us leave it to him; he can Judge
best for himself; he is not child. Vane,
what do you think YOURSELF Tell u.s."
rMother, | must have time. Nothing
could take nv love and duty from home;
but"
"But you want to try the strength OF
.il with a
smile and sigh. "Think about 1t your
self, Vane, and decide for yourself. See,
the sun has set; il is time we went III
We must be up by sunrise to attend 70
,he hay"
But pretty Kate remained with her
brother.
"Vane," she said, "gO--go and he gen.
tleman. wish some lady would offer In
the same way to adopt me. should not
be long in deciding. Go and be gentle.
man, Vsne."
The two had walked to the end Of the
lime.trees, and stood looking over the
white gate that gave access to the ciovere
fields. The air was heavy with summer
dews and fragrance, the moon had risen,
and graceful shadows lay over the grass
The beauty Of the pale moonlight touched
the boys heart, 90 full OF longing and am
bition.
alt would not be Of much Use for me TO
be . gentleman, Kate, If | could never
come home TO he one of you again"
"What would il matter aoout being one
Of usi You would be = gentleman and In
time you might marry MaUory Lynn"
The boys face flushed.
ar ink aI, INT Mar,nFy | ~
he said, "when | 70 out into the world TO
work."
az you say no. vaDe, you will be sor-
~ for il all your life afterwards; OF that
am quite sure. BE wise and be warned
In time"
"Bui / really love home, Kate, and 1
love oil OF you. j shall not like 10 leave
YOU"
"Think how much YOU could do TO help
us II you were . gentleman. You could
keep father and mother without work,
Desford could have the farm, and well,
i could be . lady, Vane. Why should l
notV
"Leave me Kate, I should like to think
il over alone," he said. "Good night,
pretty sis,er, HAPPY dreamsw
"Let me De . lady, Vane," she request
ed, ~ she kissed him and left him alone
in the moonlight
The whisper Of the wind among the
lines, the rustic OF tho long grass, the
rush OF the water in tho miIl-streanl, the
song Of the birds, all came to him like long
forgotten music--sweet familiar sounds
that helped TO mako up what he called
home; his fathers kinuly rugged voice,
lis M harris and MartOrv
Lynn's musical laughter were mixed with
them. There came before him the quaint
old-fashioned farmhouse, with its nome
legends, the HOLLYWOOD crest, the river
Mead, and the grand old Bandon hills
How he loved them all! His heart seemed
to warm and cling to them as 1t never
could TO any other place. Should he leave
them for the great unHnown world!
He loved his father he understood his
sterling honesty ANA simplicity, his kindly
rough nanner--nls mother too, with her
gentle pride and loving neart. lie loved
his pretty sister, and i,,u genuine alice
ton tor his brother. Coud ne give them
all up, and in all probability cut himself
OFF from tnemg The dream OF riches and
power was sweet, but the love Of home
was sweeter.
If he said "No," how dreary and Hat all
the rest OF his lite would seem To nun -
He would do nothing but spend IL at home
in work thar was most distastetul TO him.
self aud Almost useless TO otners. Yet, lie
Thought, he would remain with those who
loved him, safe in the maven OF home
Then the great CUTS That hcaN on mad given
u MIN >llrrcd his soul, aud he felt that he
must 10 out into the world and use them.
One voice, the voice OF nome aud kindred,
babe him stay, a thousand other voices
urged him to 20, On his decision the rest Of
his life depended. Ii seemed To his exclt-
ed fancy - though the whole worl Of ns-
ture stood still while he decided on what
he should do with his life.
"Stayv' cried home-love.
"Gow cried the voices Of pride and am
bition; and the boy, listening to them said
to himself that he would "go."
His parents said little when he an.
nounced mis- decision, his fathers hands
trembled slightly, and his mothers face
paled.
"You have the right to please yourself,
Vane," said the old farmer. "You are
going to be = gentleman, To my mind the
truest gentleman In the world is the one
who honors the place where Heaven has
placed him. You will never be 3 gentle.