Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-15

where no one knows us. We could live
on an island in the sea, if we must. Dear,
If we love each other, that is the one fact
in life, aud we are the only Two in the
world. With the church's consent or
without it-with marriage or without it
if need be, we will pass what years
Heaven nay give US together. Love is
enough. All else is foOlishness. Deare,
If you tr8ly love me this poor obstacle is
no obstacle. l tr3mple on 1t for you. /
know not what sin l would not do for
you. Surely you viii do 50 little for
mev'
she had shrunk unconseiously be-
fore the hot, resistless torrent of his feel
ings, bat as he went on she found strength
to measure herself and him, and she
faced aim as he finished wish a glory of
pity "A her eyes.
''PsOr, Mr.. Keator! l didn't know that
anything could lead COED man so far.
AnGdO you think ! would accept such
sacridceg Do you suppose that any wO-
man could help a man tOsuch fall? You
could hot accomplish it yOurself.v
lie raised his head which, his passion
being spent, hung detected upon his
breast; but she would not suffer him to.
speak.
please do not, NJ. Keator! you shall
Aot give the sanction of your saner speech
70 such madness. If you care for me let
1t make toward something better. You
say L have power with you. All, l know
now why 1t was given me! 1t was TO
save you from tAis.''
TherevulsiCa possessed him, and from
its vantage ground he looked back upon
his appeal 80 nightmare and compass
sl0nated 1t with patient smile,
You do not say enough" he said, after
a moments 'tyOu do not deal IS hardly as
you ought with me-"
u have TOO many failures of my own
to look after to treat yours thoroughly.
Besides" she said, after d moment, Il
should not dare
80 by, Constance? is it 4 feeling about
my calling? Is it the old tradition Of
sacTedness III it, Of some virtue outside
the man! Yes, yes, l should have seen
more clearly, even in my passion. The
ministry is not like other things. II is not,
as said, mere position, a profession
that | should give up for you. 1t is a
calling. something thai has its I'M
changeable seat in the nature of the
man, and its responsibilities to more than
himself-to the whole structure of socie-
ty and to God. All other things man
may take up and lay down. But the
priestly office implies dedication, con-
secration. 1t Is divine call; you may
answer it or not, but, having answered it,
it is final; there is no retreat
Eyes, and the worlds honor of it, sup
pose, comes from its sense of that-of its
permanence, its beauty, its holiness"
unused Constance. "Ah, / knew you
could not be less than perfectly loyal. l
knew | only seemed to lose my IDEAL"
A look of pain crossed his face.
my dear girl, don't say that. Remem-
Der that you can always tempt me-"
He sat mOOdIly silent for time.
HI go. rr . - f1fr
rose hue in the west. COnstance's needles
struck audibly on the stiffness with their
measured click.
"COnstance, do You think l could have
done it?" he broke out, at last. "Your
faith in me is sweet; say again you think
l could not"
81 know you could not" she said,
briefly.
But if you had yielded-if you-par-
don me; suppose tiff you had consent
edP'
The contest of her needles went on for
a moment like q roar in his ears, and he
watched her closed lips as if they had
been an Oracie's. For that instant she
hesitated; then:
''No, not if l had yielded, not if had
consented" she repeated, in a low voice.
Her tone had the weight of conviction,
but the minister was not fattered to be-
lief
81 cont know, don't know" he cried,
after moment. Constance, after such
a lapse l can never be sure of myself. l
shall never feel that l have surely mOrti-
fed the weak. sinful wishes of the flesh
unless l am offered the temptation again,
unless l force myself to face it cOntinu-
OuslY for a long time. Do you under
stand? l would be strong by challeng-
ing my weakness, confronting it until it
looks down ashamed. Give me the OPP
portunity. Say what you said again"
"But then L did not know it in
VOWED"
My calling? No; but now that you
know, help me to assure myself that that
i-swhat you think it-a final obstacle;
furnish me with the temptation"
You mean she dropped her needles.
"What a strange idea; wait moment. l
am trying TO understand"
you SAID a moment ago that your
power had been given to save me; that
L it; 1 ask you to save my self-re-
spect,
He looked at her with a confident
smile.
She took his hand.
IL will.''
"Uunderstand, dear, ask 1t for some
time; is there no one else, nothing to III
ter ere ?''-
mo one, nothing she answered, look
ing down.
'Then promise me that if 1 come to
YOU and say Il have failed, l am less
strong than thought, | have given up
my ministry, 1 offer you 4 life beggared
of everything that makes life worth
while, of deliberate malice divorced from
all good and noble things except my love-
YOU will submit yourself as you said to
the test of the lot. Will you promise
tnat, dedr?"
She did not answer.
"DOes it seem hard '
VERY hardV' owned Constance.
perhaps you think me OYersensitive.
But imagine similar mIseries-think of
soldier who has turned his back on the
enemy. Fancy his halting in the midst
of mis- shameful retreat to wish with all
his soul that he had not lett the faithful
men struggling behind him there to fight
the battle without him. Would he not give
all his future for the right to stand with
them again? What would he not barter
to renew his self-respect2 That's not
oversensitiveness, do you think, Con-
stance-nOr false pride? It's bitter hu-
man need. IL is the awful need of a pure
conscience. What do you think life
would be worth to that deserter with the
knowledge always pressing home upon
him that he had abandoned his trust,
with MS neart beating time ebernally 10
the wretched inward cry of coward!
cowardr Might he not better die if he
is never to win back the peace of soul
which he left behind him with his musket
as ne ran? And then think what an
angel of light he would seem to him who
should come up as he stood there hestat-
ing and say: Your place in the ranks is
not lost yet. No one knows that you
have failed for this moment but me-
Come back with me. Constance, you can
be that messenger of life to me-"
"Yes, yes, see," cried the girl, with
troubled look in her eyes.
81 may have more easily-tOrtured
conscience than other men; but God
knows it is slothtul enough. If it were as
quick as other mems it would not permit
me to do things like this which must pain
me ever after. I'm sure the need to which
ask you to minister is not peculiar to
me. 1t is-it must be-universal; else
why do criminals long to hold up their
heads again among men? why do lost
men and women spend all that is left of
life In striving for the place they have
forfeited? Is it mere pride, do you think?
"a wish to be well seen of men? Then
and reform are poor shams.
If men do not seek the light after the
darkness because 1t is condition of life
because they simply must be able to
walk upright before God and their own
consciousness; il they grOpe their way
toward it merely because they fancy they
will lOOIy baffor IN it-G1IrnlV fhau