The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-08-02
WOMAN AND HOME.
The Levite Who "Passed by on the other
sside."

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 ofmemory--something painful,
evidently, for shadow fell upon his
face.
"I don't want to be preachy or any of
that kind of thing, but 1 hope you will
remember the story, and tell it whenever
you can in the interest of exterminating
towards. III could put into the tale
what have suffered from my own sin, l
am sure that none who hear it would
have the same thingto regret.
"I was drowned once in one of those
little Minnesota lakes which look so
sweet and peaceful, and are as treacher.
GUS as tigers.
"Talk about the sensations of
drowning man! I know them. was
brought back, not from unconsciousness'
but from consciousness in strange and
interesting country. I knew what was
happening when sank the first time.
1t seemed to me that 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.
was at the bottom of the lake, drowning,
and knew it. could do nothing to
save myself, and, indeed, I didn't think
of doing anything then; my mind was
busy with the panorama of my past. I
have listened iucredulously hundred
times to stories of the drowning who
remembered every act of their lives as
they were sinking. l believe the stories
now.
II remembered everything. Queerest
feeling imaginable! forgot that ! was
drowning-thatis, l forgot to be frighten.
ed about it. seemed to be resting on
some elevation, and watching my life fly
past me, one scene after another. i
assure you l WINGED several times as
certain things, long forgotten, were
pictured in strong colors. Many a.siu
which l had lightly committed and light
ly dismissed from my mind looked very
dark to me then. And there was no
shutting my eyes to them, either. There
they we're, grim accusers, accompanying
me to the bar of judgment. I believe
truly in recording angel. / think his
name is Memory. I have seen his
account against me up TO that date.
Since then I have endeavored not to
increase it.
"Every deed carried its motive and
consequences in full view. The darkest
among them all-the one from which my
spirit turned with the greatest adherence
was sin of cowardice moral cowar-
dice. 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 diamond, and had 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.
"It may have been the most malignant
of lies-doubtless was. At least l had
no right to judge her. In any event she
WAS my superior in morality. Bravely
she bore tall, high spirited creature that
she was. She never bent an inch under
the malice of those accursed 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 lido when they began to
hound her down with their lowsuspiciors
and wicked tales? Never went near her.
Yes, and worse than that. 1t so happen
ed that one morning, as we were both
going down town, I overlook her on a
corner. Ispoke coruteously, of course,
yet feeling SO cowardly within that dare
say my embarrassment showed in my
face and manner. I thought of what
Mrs. So and So would say if We were seen
walking on the street together. So, like
the poltroon I was, I crossed the street
and walked down on the opposite side.
"Think fit, will you? Ifelt base at
the time. I feel vile now when I remem.
Der it. If I had struck knife into her
heart I am sure I could not hurt so
cruelty. Oh, she was very proud. Isaw
a 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 1
was under water, that one on the street
corner was the most repellant-the ore 1
regretted most.
II had been contemplate coward
when it would have been SO easy to be
brave. Threw away that priceless thing,
the opportunity of helping heart that
was stricken. had dealt q distardly
blow to woman who was making a
brave fight against poverty and injustice.
1 grow weak at the thought of it even
now.
"I never realized how basely l had
acted until that drowning panorama
showed my conduct to me in its true
light. l repented oft from that hour
and have repented ever since. had
been guilty of things the world would
call worse; but no other sin looked so
hateful to me, no other vas so entirely
without mitigating circumstances. A
man is always coward who consciously
hurts woman; but to wound one who
;s alreadv wounded alone. defenseless.