St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-15

fathers sheep to the watering trOughs.
But it wasn't-so with this chivalrous
young prince of Canaan. There was
rest for the weary and balm for the sore
feet in the sparkle of the dark eyes and
the glow of the olive-tinted cheeks of
Maud Muller's Eastern prototype. When
JACOB stepped forward and gallantly
rolled the stone away from the wells
mouth and pumped the water into the
troughs RACHEL's heart was won. 1t
was always SO. There is nothing woman
admires so much in man as gallant bear
ing.
Although JACOB had won RAcHEL's
heart at their first meeting, what time
he had of it before he got her hand.
Two terms of seven years each at hard
labor! RACHEL had cloSe-fisted old
father. Like some fathers we could lay
our hands on any day, avarice was
stronger trait in old LABAN's nature
than paternal affection. With his thrifty
turn of mind it didn't take him
long to decide what to do when
he discovered JACOBS passion for his
child. For fourteen years he enjoyed
the benefit of JACOBS brain and labor
in charging his own estates, and in the
meantime had palmed off on him an I'M
manageable daughter. LABAN was an
awfuily mean man, but there are faith
ers right here in Minnesota who would
be just as mean if they had the chance.
Chicago is full of them. 1t is seldom
they find JACOB among the young
men OF the ninteenth century, but for
all that, they are continually on the
lookout for him. AS it is, they barter
their children away in marriage just as
it matrimony were originally designed
for commercial purposes.
When the fourteen years Of labOriouS
probation were ended JACOB and
RACHEL were married, and as the story
tellerS say, they lived together happily
ever afterwards. RACHEL was just as
true as her lover, and refused to receive
attentions from other young men in
Padan-Aram while JACOB was serving
out his two terms. Her fidelity was re-
warded by long and happy life,
crowned by the birth of two boys who
became famous men,.
But how was it with poor LEAH all
this time? Many is the kind, sweet
word spoken of RACHEL, but in all
these centuries no one has uttered
syllable OF sympathy for the woman
who, of all women, most needed it.
What a deplorable fate was LEAFS!
Nature had been unkind to her by max
ing her chrome for ugliness, while her
younger sister had been adorned with all
the grace and beauty that can be be-
slowed upon womanhoed. The COM
parisOn between herself and her sister
was continual torment to LEAH. Then
came the enforced marriage with the
man who. never loved her and never
would-a wife only in name, and hardly
that. There is no use talking, LEAH
had hard life of it. She raised big
family, and little comfort they were to
her. Her ten boys were bad lot, and
she had trouble with her daughters.
And yet there is no instance recorded
wherein LEAH failed to perform her
duty as wife and mother. In all her
darkened existence there was no rifting
of the clouds through which one single
ray of sunlight ever stole. Hers was
heart bowed down, and from the begin
ming to the end the journey of life
was to her continuous march through
the valley and shadow of death. And
yet she plodded her way Oh patiently,
without a murmur or any evidence of a
rebellious spirit. She accepted what
fate deereed without complaining. Oh,
how many LEANS there are in the
world to-day Loyal wives, loving
mothers, faithful in all the duties OF
life, who find no recompense for their
loyalty and devotion, except in the con-
seriousness of duty performed and the
hope of a reward in land where there
are no blighted lives.
History has been just to RACHEL. 1t
has not been so to LEAH. RACHEL
merited all the good that has been
spoken of her. LEAH did not deserve
the oblivion to which she has been con-
signed. If we are going to build monu-
ments to women, let us build them to
or LEANS, the noble, unpretentious
women who take up the burthen of life
and bear it unassumingly, even though
the way be not cheered with the light of
love by those from whom they have the
right to expect it.