San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-08-12

feed everything in life to that one end,
and he was prepared to do so so long as
ne was spared TO labor To practice in
every way, so far as possible, the princi-
pies he professed was the only escape, in
his opinion, from that worst stigma of
would-be refsrmers-hypocrisy, Among
the leading obstacles, in his Judgment,
to well ordered life was the accumula-
ton OF property beyond enough to salts
~ the common needs and comforts of
life. de had taken the VOW of approx
| mate poverty not the extreme obliga-
ton of the clerical orders. but limited,
moderate view in accordance with the
views just expressed
In seeking partner to aid him with
her support and sympathy in the great
| up hill struggle to which he had conse-
Grated his powers he had wished to
make choice of a woman with but small
means. if any; but fate had willed 9TH
| erwlse. Once already he said that he
desired To conceal nothing: he had of
Eered himself TO "A young lady of large
property. for whom he felt a deep at
tachment He had asked her as he was
III return for his love without her fort
une With that she was free to do what
she wished it would he easy to dispose
of it. After debate she refused him. This
was six years ago, and until he saw me no
thought of love had refreshed his heart
On that night at Miss Kingsley's. when
he saw me for the first time and before
| he knew of my fathers wealth, he loved
| me, he said, almost without knowing it;
but from the moment OF hearing the
words that warned him of the barrier
between us he had striven to drive my
image from his thoughts. ....
Ever since with all the might and
| resolution of which he was capable, he
| had struggled against his love, but in
| vain. He had tried to avoid my pres
ence; he had resisted the temptation to
become my teacher at the time | con-
| suited him on the subject, and subse-
quently, when we were brought into
constant contact at the rooms of the so
| ciety. he had offended his own sense of
! politeness by the reserve of his behavior
toward me. But, despite an this he
had felt the ground gradually slipping
| from beneath his feet A chance look
| or smile uullifed in an instant the self
denial of weeks He had been many
times already on the verge of an avowal.
| He had seen and heard from others of
the intimacy between Mr.. Barr and me,
and been tortured by the pangs of jeal-
ousy But the events of yesterday had
made it impossible for him to remain
silent any longer He loved me with
all the fervor of his heart and it was
vain for him to deny it.
| He paused, but | remained silent.
Spoken in his soft, melodious voice, his
words seemed to soothe me, by way of
contrast to the storm of passion | had
listened to SO recently did not try to
think. | felt that he had not finished,
| and | wished to hear him to the end.
| Perhaps | was conscious, too, that it
would be impossible for me to come to
| decision on the spot.
One circumstance, he continued, had
given him hope that might feel ready
to make the sacrifice he asked, provided
that returned his love, and that was
the earnest spirit ofinterest had shown
in the work he had undertaken. There
was no one among his followers who
seemed so completely Jealous, and who
had so unreservedly labored for the
| cause of moderation. as |.
If, then. my heart by chance were in
| terested in the founder as well as in the
| system, it might seem no very serious
matter to disclaim the wealth | should
| ,,,ha fat 10
| him that nature like mine might find
| a higher and more entire happiness in
| the pursuit of ideal truth than in the
| enjoyment of an excess of money con-
| trary to the whispers of a sensitive con-
science And if at the same time this
remuneration of that which less en-
Iightened souls esteemed as a chief good
should be abetted by the sympathy of
companion soul, what bliss might not be
in store for two lives so welded to
progress and to love!
Such was the substance of Mr.. Spences
communication and when he ceased my
feelings were still so doubtful that | sat
looking into space as though TO find coun-
sci elsewhere than from my own heart.
He had spoken-deemed it only right to
speak, he said-before closing, of the
criticism to which so unusual an act
would expose me. should be called &C.
centric, and doubtless by many crazy,
and the terms Of contempt and ridicule
already cast at him would be visited in
equal degree upon his wife. 1t was this
idea of martyrdom, Joined to the deep
interest had in the doctrines of moder-
alton, that now took possession of my
fancy and made me incline to accede to
his request Not that sought ostracism