Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-01-04
A GREAT TEMPTATION.

her personality. She was neither
large nor small; she was beautiful, q
think beauty is hard thing to define
and limit, but it was beauty of nc
wonderful or unusual type, and was
of the kind which grows on one grad
ually, as his knowledge of the posses
scr of it grows. There was wealth
of sweetness and purity shining up in
her eyes, which tears could never
wash out, and the mouth indicated
firmness and resolution, which had It's
nights vigil which had left it so stern
ly agonized.
The trouble which had come to
Alice Arnden is of no unusual kind.
1t is a sudden sorrow, which has
crushed out all hope in life many
times in the past, and will many times
in the future as long as men and
maidenS are proud and willful. One
may say, "onlya lovers quarrel, but
one should remember that there are
heart tragedies in this world, under
the torture of which men and women
drag out long lives without finding
peace. To Alice Arnden it seemed az
though everything worth having In
life was now forever utterly beyond
her hope.
She arose from the seat she had Oc-
cupicd for so long and moved slowly
around her humble room. She had moi
known until she moved how much she
was suffering physically; how cold II
was; how cramped and weary she was.
There was really little TO do. Her bed
L 4 Il -,
order. She had plenty Of time to pre-
pare herself for the task of covering
her sorrow from the gaze of her friends
if she could.
She made fire, and into the fire
she remorsely put all the fragments
Of the paper which she had spoiled in
her effort To- write n simple letter long
ago when her sorrow was new. Long
ago? Last night! Happiness gives
wings of lightncss to eternity dying
about our being and so-called time
rather than eternity, which we rough,
ly measure and call minutes and sec.
onds; but sorrow weignts their noise
less feet with lead.
"
Mr. George Fcnby was next among
the actors in this little fragment of
human life
lie sat at his window that morning
ne Alice Arndcn sat at hers. His
window looked in the same direction
from it he saw much the same scene
she saw The stars faded out for him
MS for her; day frightened; the sun
light fell across his face.
But he sat there with cheerful
fire near him; he was strong from
happy sleep; his eyes were bright and
cheerful, and looked as though tears
had always been strangers to them,
and his lips were smiling.
The icy marshes seemed to him a
type of the futsrc smooth, white,
pure, the light stretching warmly
across them, and with the ocean out,
side standing to him rs to her, as II
type of eternity IN eternity which
he felt would be one of strength and
happiness
George Fcnby thought of what he
had to be thankful for, tins lovely
morning A small fortune, enough
for himself and one other, = fair wo-
man, and good rs fair-for his prom
Used wife; health education, friends,
influence, position; it, was indeed a
goodly prospect.
This man was strong and quick,
good looking, if not handsome He
looked like a man who would not do
a wicked thing, or think it, wnile he
might do n weak or foolish one. He
was man who would bc likely to
win woman's heart and hold ia
man whose love u woman might prize
and the loss of which she might
wisely mourn Weak enough to be a
man, he was strong enough to be one
hard to win from the life which had
once had him.
There was happy smile on his face
as he heard his little brother rap at
the door, and he answered, Come in, -"
in a CHEEKY voice.
Here's letter for you. George"
Thank you" said George, as he
took it,
~ GU are welcome. BY the hand
writing on the envelope | judge the
message will be pleasant one"
And the boy left the room.
A pleasant message! The smile
dcCpcued on the mans face as he
lovingly handled the letter little
time before he broute the seal. A
pleasant message.
These were the words he read
MR. GEORGE FENBY-l will not
consent to be any longer a hinderer
regarding your higher ambition. ;"
| never wish TO speak with you again
in my life. | give you back your
freedom.
ALICE ARNDEN.
SO Mr.. Feuby's morning gift was
the gift of his freedom. What should
he do with it2 His cheeks and lips
grew cold and white at the thought.
Merciful heavens What could he do
with itI
The sky seemed darkened The earth
seemed dreary and dlSolate George
Fenby and Alice Arnden, a bare
quarter of n mile apart, could not
have been more widely separated had
an ocean stretched between them And
each looked on the same landscape
and saw alike at last.
The village of Marsham was a small
enc, and most of it was farther from
the ocean than were the two houses
at the windows of which we have
seen two unhappy persons.
Ii was relief TO both George and
Alice that there was service in the
little church that morning, and every
body could be looked for there.
Secret sorrow finds a certain abate-
meut OF its intensity in the effort of
appearing unconc.rned. Then there
is mournful pleasure in seeing what
one has lost.
In place no larger than Marsham
everyone knows every body else.
Everyone knows the business of
everybody else in some degree, or
thinks ST.. and says so. SO our two
friends were known, and their rela-
tons TO each other were known also.
And So poorly had they played their
parts, that when service was finished
nearly all their friends had concluded
that their engagement was over, and
many were specializing as to the rea-
son for it
Ralph Warden was too shrewd a
man not 10 see what every one else
SAW. He said but little about il, as he
spoke To one and another after church
but he was deeply interested and very
much puzzled. The time had been
when the gossips had connected his
name with that of Alice Arudeu, and