San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-07
WOMAN AND HOME.
THE LEvITE WHO "PASSED RY
ON THE OTHER SIDE.n
Some Hints About Acknowledgements
ments of Life-Soap for the Face-The
Mind Healer's Advice-Hot Water.
Hints for the Household.

Mind HeaIer's Advice-Hot Water.
Hints for the Household.
Mr.. Dorsey's natural eyes were looking
straight ahead of him, but the eyes of his
| spirit were gazing at something back in the
halls of memory-something painful, evil
IDENTIFY, for shadow fell upon his face.
81 don't want to be preachy or any of that
kind of thing, but hope you will remember
the story, and tell it whenever you can in
the interest of discriminating towards. IL
could put into the tale what have suffered
from my own sin, am sure that none who
hear it would have the same thing to regret
81 was drowned once in one of those little
Minnesota lakes which look so sweet and
peaceful, and are as treacherous as tigers.
Talk about the sensations of a drowning
mani | know them. l was brought book,
not from Inconsistencies, but from con-
seriousness in a strange and interesting coun-
try | knew what was happening when l
sank the first time 1t seemed to me that l
could see through the water to the very sky.
After the first roaring sound, when my ears
were filling with water, all was utter silence
l was at the bottom of the lake, drowning
and knew it. l could do nothing to save
myself and, indeed, didn't think of doing
anything then; my mind was busy with the
panorama of my past. | have listened in
credulously hundred times to stories of the
drowning who remembered every act of
their lives as they were sinking. l believe
the stories now
81 remembered everything Queerest feel
ing Imaginable! l forgot that was drown
ing-that is, l forgot to be frightened about
it, seemed to be resting on some elevation,
and watching my life fly past me, one scene
after another. | assure you l WINGED several
times as certain things, long forgotten, were
pictured in strong colors Many sin which
| had lightly committed and lightly dis
missed from my mind looked very dark to
me then. And there was no shutting my
eyes to them, either. There they were, grim
accusers, accompanying me to the bar OF
Judgment. l believe truly in recording
angel. think his name is Memory. have
seen his account against me up to that date.
Since then | have endeavored not to in
crease it.
Every deed carried its motive and conse-
auences in full view. The darkest among
them all-the one from which my spirit
turned with the greatest abhorrence-was a
sin of cowardice-moral cowardiCe A
young girl in our town, when | was in my
early twenties, got the tongue of scandal
after her She was alone in the world and
poor but bright as a diamond, and had a
pleasant face and sweet manners. She was
employed as bookkeeper in one of the stores,
and somehow there began to be coarse gossip
about her and her employer.
ut may have been the most malignant of
lies-dOubtless was. At least had no right
to judge her. In any event she was my
suaaror in morality. Bravely she bore it all,
higSsspikted creature that she was She
never bent an inch under the malice Of those
accused tongues, but she must have suffered
cruelty Probably every fiber of pride she
had was wounded every day, again and
again. We had been at school together and
were good friends.
what did do when they began to hound
her down with their low suspicious and
wicked tales! Never went near her Yes,
and worse than that. 1t so happened that
one morning, as we were both going down
town, overlook her on corner. spoke
courteously, of course, yet feeling so
cowardly within that dare say my embar-
rassment showed in my face and manner.
thought of what Mrs. SO and So would say
if we were seen walking on the street to-
gether. So like the poltroon was, l crossed
the street and walked down on the opposite
side
Think of it, will you9 l felt base at the
time. l feel vile now when l remember it.
If had stuck knife into her heart I am
sure 1 could not hurt so cruelty Oh, she
was very proud. l saw stony look come
into her face that can never forget, though
I wish I could.
"Well, the scandal mongers did their
work at last. They drove her out Of town.
She went to the city and died of heart break
and starvation, while trying to find honest
work-literally done to death by wicked
tongues. OF all the scenes memory revealed
to me while was under water, that one on
the street corner was the most repellent-the
one regretted most.
II had been contemplate coward when
it would have been so easy to be brave.
threw away that priceless thing, the oppor-
tunity of helping heart that was stricken.
had dealt a dastardly blow to a woman who
was making brave fight against poverty
and injustice. grow weak at the thought
| of it even now.
Il never realized how basely had acted
until that drowning panorama showed my
conduct to me in its true light. repented
of it from that hour and have repented ever
since l had been guilty of things the world
would call worse; but no other sin looked so
hateful to me, no other was SO entirely with
| out mitigating circumstances. A man is
always a coward who consciously hurts a
woman; but to wound one who is already
wounded, alone, defenseless, struggling,
working, and putting brave face ON it all
well, hope none Of you may ever have to
confront an accusation from the past like