Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-10
A W0MAN'S STRUGGLE,
by AGNES GIrroRp.


she said it obviously.
For moment she thought Gilbert
Fralchy would laugh. She hopcl h,
vr%oud. The doggdd slcadncss Will
1-shich he met her resistance at eyer,
point threw her hclplsssly back upon her
sell. II nc had relaxed from his direct
inslstancc for one moment she coud have
gathered her forces together for anothc,
effort at defense lie gave her no chance
All hcr arguments. cogcnt ms tilcy had
becn, as she urged them against her own
heart IN her solitude, seemed to fall
scattered and impotent TO the ground I'M
der the tbraldom of the mans ovcrwccn-
ing personal influence Her .,oadcd
scnsibilitics whirlcd suddenly and she
flashed upon him angriy:
mo, do not soc why Il man should
not permit his wife to be an actress
DO not see why he should put II woman.
II he prctcnds to love her. TO the altcrno
tive of choosing between him and a ca
reer for which She feels in every fibre of
her being that she has a vocation"
"a man probably wants the woman he
loves to himself
Some men. " she distinguished. with
the Hush still on her check. s.Not all
men arc selfish enough to wish to bury
away forever spark of the divine five
"a woman may have received in order
that they may possess her, as they imnp-
inc, the more fully"
Octavia was trembling, but Gilbert
Fraleby only looked at her rs thouuffSTr
were raving
'lf you really loved me, she burst
forth aStin, ''you would not ask such a
sacrifice of me-"
Ills silence seemed TO put that uues
ton away us though it were not worth
discussing. She could erect no barriers
sehat his attitude did not throw down.
When he left her Octavia had madc mo
hcadway problem stared her in the
lace, as unsolvablc now us it had been
1or days and weeks. She had reached
the point where aid of some sort must
como from without. If she should law
hcr case before one who could iudrc of
Its bearings from the outside?
She hastily put on outdoor apparel and
left the house. Her purpose carried her
strangely enough, it would have seemed
to some people, to :, woman comparu-
lively stranger to her. But Octayia's
instincts did not mislcad her. She found
III TINS woman, much older than herself.
that wonderful quality of perfectly in
teiliScnt human sympathy which is one Of
the rarcst as it is the most sacred our race
falls heir TO. She listened to Oc;ayia in
a dccp-cyed silence which gave the yirl
as She went in with IL trcmuious eager
ness sense Of keen and absolute cOm.
prchension and-of that respect and revcr.
'encc at the same time for the trouble of
any soul which is the keynote of, the
power for help that such people possess.
She had Il varied experience. She had
seen life in many aspects.
"AIy dear child, you put upon. me Il
grave responsibility she said. II
SHOULD not feel thatI could advise you
We must all stand for yourselves "a
''1cs, | know what you mean. but
scncrally--impcrsonally L. l-,s.s
'Impersonally = generally my dear
child, when Il woman hcsit.tes between
ambition and love-"
''No, no, not ambtioiil'' 18ii13r1tfg
"Ah, yes" said the older woman
gently "rhcrc is ambtion,ft though
may seem but the weaker part. shall
gay, 'houSh, winch 4 woman hcsltates be-
tween the love of her art and the love for
the one man who could make her
wrctchcd OF blessed. She. paused
and Octavia raised her eyes. 80 nf
eyes, do love him so, she murmurcd
beneath her breath uin
"Thcn, my child, believe mc-marry
him. Yes" she continued, as Octayia
turned her face impctuously AWAY
marry him. know what is poinr on
Irsyour soul now. You. are young; YOU
have beauty; | believe you have genius.
If you choose this career that lies before
you, l also believe that YOU would win
its fairest and its greatest prizes. But
arc such things enough for us women? ,
Gut OF my own experience let me warn
you, child-no! To some, perhaps, to
whom it is given to love lightly, there
might be SONG compensation some day
for what you would give up now. But
you arc not, I think of that order of
SOULS" - ~
Octavia had covered her eyes with her
hands. n W
eyes, yes, know Ishould suffer, Oh
L believe / should suffer always if gave
him up. But;such power as feel in my
self is surelya divine, giftl 1t is right
that should suffer and sacrifice my hap
piness. for its sake cannot fling it
away" >t.
IL. She had arisen to her feet, as though
VEo escape from the counselor she had
sought. The elder woman's worn, ten
der, placid gaze rested on her in that
saddened patience with such Civilizations
,ssssyhich comes to those who have seen toe
Woften the bitter ashes of dead enthusiams.
She kissed the girl gently and let her go.
Then she signed softly to herself.
"And thus it will be with women to
the end of the world. Only in youth