The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-08-05


at is not possible, Cynthia" / said,
laughing, I" that you think faithless-
ness proves an absence of SOUL Why,
half of the women in the world, know,
would be proved soulless."
Cynthia bent forward and laid her
hand on my arm. Through my thin
sleeve could feel that it was burning
as with fever. The moon shone full
on her face, and / saw its eager look.
Her lips were parted, bright spot of
color burned in either cheek, and her
eyes, which were of soft blue usually,
looked black and brilliant.
"Thee will tell me-" she breathed,
"is it so with men, also, out in the
world"
looked at her in dumb amazement.
Was this the same self contained little
maiden who had waited on us at sup
per, and whom | had thought more
than usually sedate all day? A light
broke on me suddenly. remembered,
with flash of inspiration, the wistful
look cast on her by the young Quaker
the day before, and l knew, also, that
Cynthia had refused to be driven over
pleading headache.
And now this outbreak, for so l may
call it. Had fallen on little tragedy
in this mountain fastness?
Poor little onel she was so young
and tender to have learned already that
stern lesson of her sex-to appear most
outwardly composed when her heart
was sorest.
l wondered hoW faithless this lover
had been; and / could not think that
Cynthia had given her heart to one
wholly unworthy, even with my slight
knowledge of her character. All this
darted through my brain in moment;
then l suddenly Observation-Disclosures
forgive me-to play Providence.
"Cynthia," l said, if a man had
given his VOWS to one woman, and then
discovered that another had his heart,
do you think he should keep up the
mockery of false faithfulness?"
"But why should his heart changer"
she asked, quickly.
"How can any one tell? Solomon
himself knew nothing of the way of a
man with maid 1t might happen,
and neither he nor the second woman
be to blame"
. Cynthia suddenly interrupted me.
Does thee mean to show that there
can be any right in the woman who
steals what belongs to another, or in
the man who let's her?"
d" 1t might be neither a question Of
stealing nor letting-the discovery
might surprise both"
"Thee knows, then, it is the devil
teaching and binding them. There
could be no blessedness in such mar
riage, and thee forgets-thee utterly
forgets that other woman"
l longed to gather the suffering child
in my arms and soothe her with gentle
words and caresses. But this | knew
would be cruel kindness.
emo, Cynthia" l answered, 81 do
not forget the other woman. Her part
is a cruelty hard one, but not so hard
as it would be if false sense of honor
bound the mans body when it could
not bind his soul"
"She would have no wish to bind
him. She would only despise them
both," said Cynthia, finally.
slipped the question of the rival
woman.
1t would not make her despise him
if she loved truly, Cynthia. She
would learn to understand that he was
right"
Would thee be willing to love SOP"
asked Cynthia.
Cynthia, ifyou are going to do any
work tomorrow, child, you'd best go to
bed now"
A heavy step sounded on the floor,
and the portly figure of Mrs. Grey
showed in the open door. 1 looked
gratefully at her. The interruption
was welcome, for could not quite as
sure myself that Cynthia's question did
not contain spirit of criticism. Ger
tainly l had no answer ready, and my
enthusiasm for playing Providence was
dashed. Cynthia glided by me like a
shadow, leaving me feeling as one
might who had torn open a lily bud
and thus caught glimpse of the golden
heart within.
" It's beautiful night, Miss Kathar-
ine," said Mrs. Grey; but to-morrow's
wash-day, and don't like that rim to
the moon. 1t looks like rain.-Mar-
gdret Sutton BriScOe, IN Christian Union.
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.