West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-09-26

WI. SO tho thlnB rs you no, no
said. and can't
plain TO me. IL you can take and enjoy
property that you know belongs to
others, you can do what / never can,
never, Aaron Deemsr
''1e stood before me, looking pale
and troubled. Can't you look at it
as L do-not even for my saKeP he
asked.
mot even for your sake, Aaronv /
said, though my heart was ready TO
break. But don't let us talk of il any
more tonight; am sure you will think
as do when you have had time to re-
fleet.
"I hope I am sure-wc shall come
TO think aliko in so important mat
tel, he said; for | couldn't bear TO be
separated from you, Abby
"'Oh, we can't be separated, Aaron
| said, and chung to him with all my
heart. But there was n GOODNESS in his
goodbye, and felt that awful shadow
between us after he was gone.
couldn' endure that the man loved
should take such views of right and
wrong, even for moment.
well, we had many talks on the sub
Ject after that; and the more we talked
the colder and heavier the shadow
grew He couldn't give up any part of
what was left him by his uncle; no, not
even for me! And | couldn't give up
the light | walked by; no, not even for
him! couldn't prevent his accepting
the fruits of his uncle's dishonesty; and,
II L married him would be a partaker
IN the wrong. So IL came to this.
Aaron, | said TO him one night, III
you are determined, then we must part.
can't share in any advantage obtained
through your uncle's wrong doing; as
should have TO, by becoming your WIFE
"'lben you don { love me- he said,
and pleaded with me to take back those
hard words.
Aaron, | said, Il would take them
back II l could, for ! feel that / am
giving up all the world when | give you
up. But can not give up the spirit of
righteousness in my own soul. Com
pared with that, o Aaron, l said, how
little seems that which | ask non to
give up, not for me only, but for your
own conscience and life
''He was all of trcmbe rs he took
my hand. ABBY, said he, You are the
noblest girl | ever saw, and don't
know but you are right. All know is,
! am not up to the sacrifice that seems
so easy to you So suppose we must
part.
And so we parted. / never" Aunt
Abby went on, ''nevcr can forget the
night that followed! | was torn with
anguish; | was tempted terribly. 1t
seemed TO me that was giving UP all
that was worth living for. was young
and not bad-looking, fond of society
and all beautiful things. / knew the
value of money; L, too, would have
been pleased with life of ease and en-
joyment. But all that was nothing to
my attachment to him. How c0uid [
give him upP
why should you?' something
whispered. why cant YOU do what
almost any body else would in YOUR
place, without any such silly scruples?
You can do good with the money. and
so atone for any sin there may be in ac-
cepting it. Don't throw away your
happiness for an idea
ION the other hand. n clear, deep
voice said: Walk by the light that
is given you.
why am | telling you all this?''
she suddenly interrupted herself. "Ah,
sir, how you have lrought the past
back to me by n little sympathy! All
this happened thirty-six years ago. but
1t seems like yesterday. How we'll |
remember the morning when Aaron
brought his bride into church-the
bride who had taken my place! Tho
sight would have killed me, if all nv
pride add selfishness had not been
dead already.
81 had other offers after that. but
none | could accept Folks called mo
notional. May be | was. All | can
say Is. | walked by the light that was
given me. That led me more ana
more out of the world and its WAYS, I'M
I'll, twenty years ago, | settled down in
this little house that appears to YOU so
lonely. Here have lived ever since
except for n few weeks every winter.
when | visit friends who would gladly
keep me with them all the time. But.
strange as it may seem, am never SO
happy as when | come back here TO nv
hcrmitage-to my birds and flowers
and books, and my own thoughts.
Aaron? Oh, yes, he lived aud was
prospered in a sense He had hand
some and fashionable wife, and he
grew richer still by some transactions
which some said were too much like his
uncle's. But ! don't condemn him.
He may have walked by his light. as |
walked by mine. | only know our
walks did not lie together.
And have | never regretted the sac
rilice made? Sometimes when have
looked upon myself, living alone in
poverty, with these hands hardened by
toll. and without the daily affection
which the heart Graves, / have won
dercd and said TO myself: ABBY. is il
all dream? Wouldn't that other life
have been better for you?' But some
thing says NO; you couldn't have
chosen differently Every life has its
sorrows and heart aches: but there is
no loneliness like that Of a soul that
has lost its rectitude, and grieved away
the Spirit.
"On the whole" she added. cheer
fully, II am very well of here. No
tioual as folks think me. my nciphbors
are very kind; they come and see me.
and lend me books; every winter thew
bring me iirc-woOl, and every spring
they plant my little patch TO corn and
beans and potatoes Oh" she OK
claimed, era ping my hand. as rose
10 take leave Of her. seeing my friend
drive up ut the gate, II sometime,
think there isn't another woman i'm all
the world so blessed rs H."
As rode away with my friend / once