The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-09-05
". He couldn't rive up anv part of

grew. He couldn't give up any part of
what was left him by his uncle; no, not
even for me- And I couldn't give up
the light I walked by; no, not even for
him! couldn't prevent his accepting
the fruits OF his uncle's dishonesty; and.
if I married him would be a partaker
in the wrong. So it came to this.
".Aaron, / said to him one night, If
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,
Then you don'tloYe me- he said,
and pleaded with me to take back those
hard words.
Aaron, said, I would take them
back if l could, for / feel thatI 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, I said, how
little seems that which | ask goa to
give up, not for me only, but for your
own conscience and life.'
sHe was all of tremble as he took
my hand. abby, said he, you are the
noblest girl / ever saw, and l don't
know but you are right ALI | know is,
| am not up to the sacrifice that seems
SO easy to you. So | suppose we must
part.
Sand so we parted. / never" Aunt
Abby went on, ''neVer can forget the
night that followed / was torn with
anguish; 1 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; /, too, would have
been pleased with life of ease and en-
joyment. But all that was nothing to
my attachment to him. How could I
give him up?
why should you?' something
whispered. why can't you do what
almost any body selse 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
"On the other hand, 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 brought the past
back to me by little sympathy! All
this happened thirty-six years ago, but
it seems like yesterday. How well /
remember the morning when Aaron
brought his bride into church-the
bride who had taken my place! The
| sight would have killed me, if all nv
pride and selfshness had not been
dead already.
AZ had other offers after that, but
none could accept. Folks called me
notional. May be I was. All I can
say is. walked by the light that was
given me. That led me more and
more out of the world and it's ways, un-
| til, twenty years ago, / settled down in
this little house that appears to you so
lonely. Here have lived ever since,
except for a 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 my
| hermitage my birds and flowers
and books, and my own thoughts.
Aaron? Oh, yes, he lived aud was
prospered in 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 I 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 tho sac
rifice madeP 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, I have won
dered and said to myself: ABBY, is it
all a dreamp 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,
| vi VIC WuOlC, BIG duuCl. Cu00r-
fdlly, Il am very well off here. No
tional as folks think me, my neighbors
are very kind; they come and see me,
and lend me books; every winter they
bring me fire-wood, and every spring
they plant my little patch to corn and
beans and potatoes. Oh!'' she ex-
claimed, grasping my hand, as l rose
| to take leave Of her, seeing nv friend
drive up at the gate, Il sometimes
think there isn't another woman in all
the world SO blessed as I!''
AS lrode away with my friend once
more looked back at the little house
which did not seem so lonesome to me
now, as | thought of it peopled with
high and holy thoughts, and filed with
the presence of that neroic woman, te
whom great light had beer given
with courage and strength to live by
that light. z. Trowbridge, M Con.
c1so0nfin3onISof