The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-04-06

to Efchard's hand What Tine picture they
madci Il, s. sss,..s-..
aMr. Hartman" said the young man, re-
specially, '.your daughter has honorcd me
with her love. Il gives me great happiness.
Will YOU not permit her to take mine in re-
turn, untroubled!-the best gift haver'
The old mans hands began to shake and
his eyes filed. 81 seed it q COMM, seed
it comm from the first r'he said. 'But I've
liked yc, an believed in ye, an I know yo'r
worthy of Ter, but it's great trial It amt
accordin' to our religion, an it's hard to
Civ Ter up, it's hard to Civ 'cr upr' For .
moment he seemed unable to 60 on, then he
faltcred: "But won't trouble We, won't
come atwixt We, for she's the best child
God ever Civ me, an has never had no one
to love but me, an now when amt got
much longer to stay can't take her away
from one like yo'; only leave 'er little
while here; shan't be long in the wayw
The two happy young hearts weretouched;
tender dew sprang into the bright eyes,
and the old man reached out his trembling
hands and took in each moist, warm palm
and stood a moment, crying silently. 1t
seemed type of life; sorrow and happiness
hand in hand. age waiting for death, and
youth eager to take the path that leads to
age.
After long pressure of the warm hands
that lay IN his, the gray and broken man
released them and turned away. He seemed
to totter as he went in, and something of the
real gravity of love and existence seemed to
descend upon the two whose young eyes
followed him.
Standing under the blooming vines their
lips met reycrently. even SO soon had duty
breathcd upon their passion, making it
thing more rational and holy.
''Ycu will stay with him, darling, till
then!"
''Yes, I can't leave him now. I never
had any one else to love until-you came,
but him: he's good. and weak and feeble,
and needs me even more than-you."
"Yes. but l shall not be far away" and
he smiled into her sober eyes and kissed
her, and they went in.
The girls father Tvas standing near the
farther door with his eyes fixed upon the
floor Elchard laid hand gently upon his
arm. "Don't feel badly about this, sir" he
said. cheeringly; IL am quito sure it will
prove a blessing to us all. You will find
me good son, 1 am almost certain. You
have been very kind to me, and shall try
to be as kind as l may in return
20, it amt that, sir" he cried, hoarsely.
81 know yo'r good, an like We, but my dar-
ter's lost in dom this she's lost for turnin'
agin counsel and revelation! You kent save
'er. Yo'r too fire an proud to be bad, but
yo'r of this poor worl', an in the end abe
must go whar yo do! o, sir, one wanted 'sr
that could a lifted 'er up hereafter! could
a. exalted er an made 'er one of his queens
IN the eternal WORT! but now she's lost!
she's sinnin' away the Holy Ghost, an kent
never be pardined but by the sheddin' Of 'er
own pore blocdr'
Elchard stood aghast; what doctrinal
abomination was this, The daughter
seemed to reel and droop under it. Sud-
denly she rose to her full height. her
Grecian outline seemed to become firm and
instinct with power. Its licl" she cried.
with white face and blazing eyes. sits
shame put on women for shame's sake! A
thousand times I've implored God on my
knees to tell me if must become q vile
thing-the mistress of a priest-to gain a
home among the pure! have begged Him
to strike me dead if it were true and let me
go into the darkness where nothing is ever
known. But He never told ne until He sent
love into my heart Hcrer' she cried,
striking her bosom quiveringly, "here is
His messenger that never d an unclean
thing, and for days through every moment
it has shouted: Nor in every dream it has
whispered that it was not true. o. father,
don't believe it any longer! a bad thing on
Garth can't be a good thing in Heaven; an
evil can never save US! A thing that has
no reason within or without can never be
true. Love has told me this, and love is the
voice of Godr'
Elchard could have knelt and worshiped
her. She seemed lifted out of her former
self out of her wontcd use OF words, out of
all hopclcssness. Her father fell back be-
fore her and stared in wonder.
''Trean!' he gasped. "Treanw
SIT amt worth while to warn me, father"
she painted. ''Love is greater than belief.
and love tells me that one man alone shall
be mine and l alone shall be his. Love
can't be divided. and he who practices that
it can. but plays the beast! put their false
hoods behind NE, their pretended revela-
tions are but filth! Love is my revelation,
love is my guide; that 1 know is sweet, and
wise. and beautiful, and comes from Godr'
s.Trcan! Trean!! Yom're siaaed array The
Holy Giosr and the bent figure wavered
toward her and sank down at her feet and
lay still.