, 1889-01-03
SIN NOT TO BE FORGIVEN
BY LIZZIE w. CHAMPNEY.

bAt ltilIl tI llle was an lncGIslUeratt
one and the system of hypocrisy In which be
found himself entangled was entered upor
from the good natured impulse of shielding
hiS friend That friend WAS Andrew Steel,
They had been chumIs throughout their col
legc 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 meIan,
choly, narrow chcsted and possibly narrow
minded, but always pure Of soul and tender
OF heart, Us hc bent over his books Hnlsey
on the contrary, had plunged at once into the
world His ala in life sas To become a
journalist. He could adapt himself easily to
circumstances, and when he found that the
highest prizes were beyond his reach he low.
cred ais ideal and accommodated himself to
the actual, and at the end of four Years was
quite content with what he would have
sPurned at the outset, regular position as
pulpit reporter of one OF the leading news.
papers.
II think little of my experience would
do you good 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 comparison with that of the most
I eloquent and scholarly nren of the -Ilay- II
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 thing or two. There
are certain dodges that these great guns are
/ not above using, which are remarkably kill
Ing, and doubt whether they are ever
| taught IN the seminary. If you are going in
| for divinity you might as we'll be at the top
OF ths heap, a regular doubly distilled D. D.
M n N1y.a s-,fx ,I, r
have come to the conclusion that the minis
try is better field for a smart man than
| Journalism, and l almost regret my choice
| GU see you have less competition; nearly
all the brilliant fellows take to the law, the
regular digs 70 medicine, the long headed
onss to politics or business, those mistaken
beggers 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 fare up. Can't you see that it is
the luckiest thing in thA world that it is soi
II 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
| co not understand my aims. / am physi-
| cally unsuited to lead the career you have
marked out for me- 1 have not sufficient
health to carry out what wish, and that is
| 10 teach the suffering TO endure"
Halsey scanned his friend anxiousIy. ssYou
do look q trife used up" he said. 'I am glad
| accepted your invitation to spend q fort
night with you, for am going to take you
in hand. We viii pass week or more in the
woods; hunting and camping Will soon give
! tone 10 your mind, well aS to your COM
/ plexion, and you will bid goodby TO morbid
| self abnegation Us soon as you land four
! pound bass"
But Halsey found that he had difficult
| task upon his hands. His friends melan-
eholy was deeply rooted in frail physique
| The dark woods and mountain solitudes
| seemed to increase his gloom He took 10
| interest in sport of any kind, and it was evil
| dent that some settled trouble was preying
upon his mind -
"What is it, Steele!n Halsey asked
one evening Us his friend sat moodily
and dejectedly regarding the smolder-
| ing enbers. SIS there u lady in the
case, or is it money! Out with it like u
man; the very telling OF the annoyance
| will make it seem less. III warrant you that
I've been in dozen tighter placesn
''It is my health" the other replied 81
| fought for it all through my college course,
but it was Of no use. Two years ago l broke
down utterly with nervous prostration. I
| left the seminary, and was recommended to
put rnyseH under the care OF a Dr.. Corcoran,
! of -. 1t was a most providential thing
| He took me into his family and his good wife
uursed me like q mother was so weak that
| could only lie stin like little child and
watch the leaf shadows OF the maple playing
upon ths waA. Twas with them three months,
| and they treated me like n son. You have
guessed that there was lafy in the case.
! Before the three moRths were over / had
| fallen in love with Miss Corcoran"
| 'Eery 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. ]
only wish such piece of good luck would fall
to me"
''Yoa are quito wrong. In all that time
never saw Miss Corcoran"
Halsey whiStlcd.
?" Whom having not seen love- used to
| repeat To myself again and again in thoss
days Miss Corcoran was in Philadelphia
completing q course of medicine which she
had begusi with her fathar. They told me
that she fitting herself TO 60 out as a mis-
sionary, and she wished to make herself use
full among thewomen and to gain admittance
TO the harens as q physician DR.. Corcoran's
family was large one, there were other:
staying in the house and was given her
room have never known much about
women, and all the dainty fittings of that
room were a revelation TO me- It seemed tc
bring mo very near to her, and, as told you
used to lie and study one object and ther
another and it seemed to me that could im
ngine from them iust how she looked as wei
as her tastes and mental characteristics
There was q cabinet desk beside tho window
and the carpet in front of it wa:
moro worn than before tbs dressing
table. That told its story to begin with
The decorations OF tho room were OF a.
eastern character. An India shawl wa.
drapad 70 form a curtain, q Tupisiap pray yei
| rug was spread beside the bed and q Daghes
tan one in front of the CRATE. There was [
Moorish plaque over tho mantel, and boxe!
| of japanese lacquer, bamboo easy chaii
from Calcutta, Turkish cmbroidsries and
-scarfs, and other suggestions Of the Orient
scnttcrcd about This was not the ihdis
crimihate gathering of q fashionable deyote<
of bric-a- -brac; there was consistent method
In nlI and it indicated fixed purpose. Al
the trend Of her mind was to the east, and
the books In her small but well 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 pcnciled queries upon the margin
She had been studying Arabic, LEt seemed
interested in all ASiatiS literature, and had
secured everything that could be had through
eTanSlatfons tTO.-i tle 'afGDlea N1SatSp
and the Koran" TO Matthew Arnold:
works, and the poems OF Omar. There was a
portfolio OF photographs and eu=rayin9a
| reproductions VI TIE WoTIS OF rrencl
oriental IElintcrs, views from Dore's Bible
photographs OF P,:leitine -Gnd Egypt, the
bazars of Giro, ts.. gardens of Damascus
and the llinarets Of ColIStantinople, and the
library showed tlI:.t she had read and studied
of oil S.ie w:iS-nilo of those women nj whom
it could bc saii that to know her was lib
erai education"
|. II should think So" Halsey replied DO
you kno.f, my friend, that it strikes me that
50 much knowIed.,e suggests a rather mature
person, and l.os exactly the frivolity OF sweet
| lGs'
+No, sho vas not very young-o3. learn
Cd by consulting the family Bible, and saw
her portrait il lic- fathers study when be
came well enough TO walk about the housa.