The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-02-17
A SIN NOT TO BE FORGIVEN
py LIzzIE w. CHAMPNEY.

DuU MS IaulV at Vne HIst was an ncOnslderato
one, and the system of hypocrisy in which he
found himself entangled was entered upon
from the good natured impulse of shielding
his friend. That friend was Andrew Steele.
They had been chums throughout their col
lege course, but their paths had diverged
widely during the four years which had
elapsed since their parting under the shadow
of alma mater. Steele had studied for the
ministry, growing gentler and more melan-
choly, narrow chested and possibly narrow
minded, but always pure of soul and tender
of heart, as he bent over his books. Halsey,
on the contrary, had plunged at once into the
world. His aim in life was to become
journalist. He could adapt himself easily to
circumstances and when he found that the
highest prizes were beyond his reach he low
cred his ideal and accommodated himself to
the actual, and at the end of four years was
quite content with what he would have
spurned Mt the outset, n regular position as
pulpit reporter of one of the leading news
papers.
II think little Of my experience would
do you good,n he said to Steele, as they sat
together in the summer on the clover under
the old orchard trees of his friends home
'It would give you chance to improve your
style, by a comparison with that of the most
eloquent and scholarly men of the day. It
would broaden your theological IDEAS and
give you points in composition and delivery.
If you will submit to taking few hints from
me can put you up to a thing or two There
are certain dodges that these great guns are
not above using, which are remarkably kill
ing, and 1 doubt whether they are ever
taught in the seminary. If you are going in
for divinity you might as well be at the top
Of the heap, a regular doubly distilled ID
and the pastor of a wealthy city church.
have come to the conclusion that the minis
try is better field for smart man than
journalism, and l almost regret my choice.
You see you have less competition; nearly
all the brilliant fellows take to the law the
regular digs to medicine, the long headed
ones to politics or business, those mistaken
beggars who care more for glory than gold
hang on to art or literature, while only the
chaps without any particular vocation are
left for the ministry and the book agencies
Now don't flare up Can't you see that it is
the luckiest thing in the world that it is sol
If you have clear idea from the start what
you mean to accomplish, you can just sail in
like whale among the fishes"
Andrew Steele answered quietly: "You
do not understand my aims. | am physi-
cally unsuited to lead the career you have
marked out for me. / have not sufficient
health to carry out what wish, and that is
to teach the suffering to endure"
Halsey scanned his friend anxiously "You
do look trihe used up" he said. ~ am glad
l accepted your invitation to spend fort
night with you, for l am going to take you
in hand. We will pass week or more in the
woods; hunting ami camping will soon give
tone to your mind, as well as to your COM
plexion, and you will bid goodby to morbid
salf abnapotipp no az land fnu
pound bass"
But Halsey found that he had difficult
task upon his hands, His friends melan-
choly was deeply rooted in a frail physique.
The dark woods and mountain solitudes
seemed to increase his gloom He took no
interest in sport Of any kind, and it was evil
dent that some settled trouble was preying
upon his mind.
"What is it, SteeleY" Halsey asked
one evening as his friend sat moodily
and dejectedly regarding the smoder-
ing embers. 'Is there a lady in the
case, or is it money! Out with it like
man; the very telling of the annoyance
will make it seem less. I'll warrant you that
I've been in a dozen tighter places"
SIT is my health the other replied. II
fought for it all through my college course,
but it was of no use, Two years ago broke
down utterly with nervous prostration /
left the seminary, and was recommended to
put myself under the care of Dr. Corcoran,
Of -. 1t was most providential thing.
He took me into his family and his good wife
nursed me like a mother was so weak that
could only lie still, like little child and
watch the leaf shadows of the maple playing
upon the wak. was with them tlTee months,
and they treated me like son. You have
guessed that there was lady in the case.
Before the three months were over l had
fallen in love with Miss Corcoran."
"Very naturally and quite the proper thing
under the circumstances. | suppose she
brought you your cruel and read aloud to you,
famed your fevered brow and all that I
only wish such a piece of good luck woula rail
to me-"
"You are quite wrong In all that time
never saw Miss Corcoran."
Halsey whistled.
"'Whom having not seen love- used to
repeat to myself again and again in those
| days. Miss Corcoran was in Philadelphia
completing a course of medicine which she
had begun with her fathar. They told me
that she was fitting herself to 90 out as a mis-
| sionary, and she wished to make herself USE
| full among the women and to gain admittance
| to the harems as physician DR.. Corcoran's
| family was a large one, there were others
staying in the house and was given her
| room. | have never known much about
women and all the dainty fittings of that
| room were revelation to me. 1t seemed to
| bring me very near to her, and, as | told you,
| used to lie and study one object and then
another, and it seemed TO me that l could inn
| agine from them just how she looked as well
as her tastes and mental characteristics
| There was IA cabinet desk beside the window
..9
more worn than before the dressing
table. That told its story to begin WITH
The decorations of the room were of an
eastern character An India shawl was
draped to form n curtain, Tunisian prayer
rug was spread beside the bed and a Daghes-
tan one in front of the CRATE, There was a
Moorish plaque over the mantel, and boxes
| OF Japanese lacquer, bamboo easy chair
from Calcutta, Turkish embroideries and
4 scarfs, and other suggestions of the Orient
scattered about. This was not the indis-
criminute gathering of fashionable devotee
of brc-a-brac; there was a consistent method
in all and it indicated fixed purpose. All
the trend of her mind was to the east, and
the books in her small but we'll selected
library showed the same taste. As | i'm
proved in health read them through, and
sometimes returned to make note in answer
TO the penciled queries upon the margin.
She had been studying Arabic but seemed
interested in all Asiatic literature, and had
secured everything that could be had through
translations from the arabian Nights II
and the Koran to Matthew Arnold's
works and the poems of Omar. There was
portfolio of photographs and engravings,
| reproductions Of the works of French
oriental painters, views from Dore's Bible,
| photographs of Palestine and Egypt, the
bazars of Cairo, the gardens of Damascus
| and the minarets of Constantinople, and the
library showed that she had read and studied
of all. She was one of those women Of whom
It could be said that to know her was lib
| eral education"
II should think So" Halsey replied "Do
you know, my friend, that it strikes me that
80 much knowledge suggests rather mature
person, and not exactly the frivolity of sweet
IGr
mo, she was not very young-23. learn
ell by consulting the family Bible, and saw
her portrait I'm her fathers study when be
came well enough TO walk about the house
A sweet, girlish face ii was, enough to stea
any mans heart away; but loved her befor,
saw it-for the beauty of her mind"
"And have you never seen her, or told hel
of your affection"
~ have never seen her. l went bacl
TO the seminary, completed my course
doing double work in the following veal