Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-11-20
tFor the NoRrHwEsr.l
TWO WOMEN.

The short winter twilight had given
place to night, and the fierce wind
shook the window blinds, and walled
through the branches of the leafiess
trees.
DIR. Henderson left his snowy great
coat i'm the dimly lighted hall, and
made his way to the library where a
bright coal fire glowed in the CRATE.
Seating himself in an easy chair, his
chilled hands stretched out towards the
cheerful blaze, his eyes took in the
room with all its comfortable, even
luxurious, appointments.
Surely a pleasant contrast to the
night without. Yet to this man it
brought q sense of desolation. His
thoughts returned to the home he had
lately left, where the burden Ofpoverty
was lightened by faithful love and the
cheerful voices of children.
Usually so strong and selfreliant, not
allowing morbid fancies and vain re-
grets to undermine his strength and
leave his life the MANNED and broken
thing that weak souls make of living.
And yet, this night a great wave of
loneliness creeps over him, too strong to
be resisted.
What pleasure in success, with no
loving heart to glow with pride, and
feel the honor as their own?
To win a name and place among the
people, with no happy children grow
ing up to fill that place that some day
will be left vacant!
Yes, in spite of all that life has
brought to him of wealth and honor,
in spite of the blessed knowledge that
he has benefited his fellow beings and
honored his Creator, still he Graves
what human souls can never be quite
satisfied without-the first place in some
loving heart, that's all their own.
To some love comes easily and goes
lightly, but to nature like Maurice
Henderson's, to love once is to love for
ever, with no possibility of love for
another. They may esteem, admire
and find pleasure in the friendship of
many, but from love they are shut out
forever.
Woe to such, who, mistaking friend
ship for love, rake away the ashes from
the hidden fire, and in burning the
false fire upon the alter, kindle the
flames of suffering and regret within
their souls.
To Maurice Henderson, sitting III his
lonely room, his head bowed wearily in
his hand, his keen eyes, grown soft to-
night, gazing into the glowing Goals,
the past comes back bringing old scenes
old tones before him, and waking the
old pain and burning in his soul.
He can see her face now as he saw it
then, in the happy days before pride
and, ,self-will parted them.
The dark, earnest eyes that grew soft
and tender for him. For him! All,
the bitter thought that they would
never wear that look again for the
sound of his voice, the touch of his
hand.
How they had glowed with anger on
that last day, shining like stars from
out the whiteness of her naughty,
scornful face as she said with the low
even tones that tell of hidden storm,
'Never speak to me again! You have
doubted me. We are strangers.
He had never heard her voice again
and that was ten long years ago. Ten
years since they, who loved each other
more than all else in the world, had
parted in anger. 1t was a little thing
that had parted them. A little willful-
ness on her part, little sternness on
his, and they were more widely asunder
than if the broad Atlantic rolled be-
tween them.
Afterward he saw the mistake he
had made, but too late. The giant
of pride was aroused in Leslie Graham's
gentle busom. He was refused admit
tance at her fathers home, his letters
were sent back unanswered.
The trouble wore on him in mind
and body. Hegave up hispractice, and
went to Europe. After year spent in
wandering about the old world won
ders, he settled down in Paris, and pur-
sued the study of medicine faithfully
for two years more. At length the
longing for his native land grew strong
within him, and he made up his mind
to return home. Once the idea had
possession of him, he could not rest,
and grew impatient over the days that
must elapse before the largo" could
leave Liverpool.
Perhaps some dimly defined hope
still fingered in his mind that fate
would yet be kind to him. Hope is
hard to kill when youth and love are
strong within us.
But be that as it may no kindly lot
awaited him.
He found himself stranger among
friends. His place had been filled and
no vacant niche awaited his return.
Old friends were MANY of them gone.
and those who yet remained greeted
him with new faces. They had chang