Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-03-18


| what shall spring from the seeds YOU
have allowed this night to be set within
your heartr'
Again he saw his home and farm,
but, ah, how changed Neglected lay
the rich fields around his homestead
| and in his garden overrun with weeds.
stood Laura, looking out upon the
landscape. Could this be the Laura
whom he loved? Although the familiar
features were there, the expression OF
accustomed unhappiness upon them
struck him with fear. Presently his
second self came toward her; but she
was not, as before, taken to her hus-
band embrace, and he made no re-
Spouse to the warming look with which
ever and anon she raised her eyes to
his. In silence they walked side by
side to their house.
a. Who has been here, Laura?"
:. No person, William
80 You are sure of thatr'
:" Indeed, indeed" she replied, with
a heavy sigh, ':there has been no per-
son here
He received her assurance with a
sneer.
80 We men are not match for you
fair womenr'
She turned from him, sobbing. and
William recognized that an unhappy
home was here before him, darkened
by doubt. gloomed by mistrust. Love
did not illumine it; faith did not sane
tify it.
In the evening. the wife crept hum
bly,, beseechingly, to her husband 5
side.
William" she said, timidly, lis
this to go on forever"
50 1t is for you to decide" he replied,
morosely.
What can 1 doP'' she cried s.oh,
what can l do? Why do you still con-
tinue to doubt me?"
Why do you give me cause?'
Heaven knows 1 do not! You
have an evil spirit in your heart, and
am weak and powerless against it. By
the memory of our dead child | have
been true and faithful to you in deed
and thought. 0 William. our past life
has been very very miserable. Let it
go. and all our misery with it. Do not
darken the days to come, there is no
cause-indeed. indeed, there is no
cause. Cast from your heart the doubts
that beset you, and do not entirely
wreck our future. l love you still, de-
spite your unkindneSs.
..Of course he said, bitterly; .tmv
unkindness-throw it all upon me,
Like all you women But / am not
yet quite blind. Stephen Winkw orth
was right-you are all false alike"
William, William!" she cried, tears
of anguish in her eyes, ..you have
broken my hearth
But he left her abruptly, without re-
ply-left her to weep over the cold
ashes of her love.
Thus passed the years. Thinner and
paler grew the wifc-more morose and
haggard grew the husband-until the
hour arrived when she lay upon her
bed of death, her wan face looking up
to his, while the angel of love and the
demon of doubt still fought their battle
within his soul.
kiss me, William" she said. slowly
and painfully. Il am sorry, yet glad.
to leave you. Our life has not been
what | hoped it would be. How hap
py we were before we were married
in the dear old days, How bright the
future was. But all my dreams died
years, long years ago 1t is too late
now to endeavor to bring them to life;
but we shall meet again-in the Here
after, when all doubt is cleared away.
In that good time you will know me
better. and will love me again, as in
the old days, will you not?"
He choked back the spasms that rose
to his throat, and, in q sudden agony
of remorse. knelt by the bed and laid
his hand in hers.
Thank Godr' she said, with glad
light in her voice as she held his hand
to her wasted breast, and then raised
it feebly to her lips. 1T is all over
life was very hard to bear without your
love. l gave you all my heart, William;
but you took yours from me-and it
was my life, my lifei When am gone.
think of me sometimes, with love in
your thoughts. Look. William. look"
she rose in her bed, and pointed out
of the window-''ther is fathers
house! The snow is falling-is it
Christmas, then? Beautiful shadows
are moving all around Kiss me, Will
lam. for the last, last time. All, my
love! my love!'
With that last kiss spiritual beauty
passed into her face, and her soul
winged its way to the bosom of our
Heavenly Father.
Sucn lives DIS lileSe- Sdlu the III
visible Spirit ''are the fruits of Doubt.
Behold Remorser'
For the third time the aspect of his
home changed. All now was drear
and desolate. A deathly stiffness
reigned throughout the house. and. sit
ting by himself, with eyes that sought
the ground, William beheld prema-
turely old, gray-headed man. Un-
friended, uncared for, he mourned in
silence, surrounded by the sad evil
dences of a wrecked and wasted life
Brooding over what might have been,
listening for what he shall never hear
for the tender voice of the woman
whose heart he had broken, for the
pretty prattle of children, and the joy
Gus scrambling of their pretty little
feet; searching for the home-lights
which he himself extinguished, and
which shall never shine again, stretch
ing forth his trembling hands to the
wears that were gone, and gazing
despairingly at the dead flowers which
might have bloomed for him until he
closed his eyes upon the world
And for the last time the spirit
spoke:
1.-The story you have heard this night