Evening journal., 1892-08-26

itual touch Would she ever hear'his,
words OF peace'
The rcd, ripe leaves grew overripe,
and fell aud buried October. Then
came the first days Of November. with
their clear. sharp sunshine, and bold.
blue sky, and massive white clouds.
sailing with the northwest wind n month
before the snowdrifts. Sweet Indian
summer followed It's low southern
breezes whispered the dying. refrain OF
the times of roses and passionate sun
shine.
Edwin Brothertoft sat by his wife's
window one twilight of that pensive
season.
A new phase ia his life had begun
from the night Of the rescue BY that
one bold act Of heroism he had lcaped
out Of the old feebleness He felt for.
gotten forces stir in him. His long sor.
row became to him as a sickness from
which man rises fresh and purified.
In this mood, with the dim landscape
before him, n symbol of his own sombet
history, and the glowing sky of evening
beyond, symbolizing the clear and open
regions of his minds career henceforth;
in this mood he grew tenderer for his
wife than ever before.
1t was no earthly love he felt for her.
That had persisted long ago, Deceit on
her side wounded it, Disloyalty killed
it. The element Of passion was gone.
There would have been a deep sense Of
shame in recalling his lover fondness
once for q woman since unfaithful. But
now he looked back upon her wrongs
and his errors rs irremediable facts, and
he could pity both alike. The tendency
of such a character rs hers, SO trained as
hers, to some great rebellion against the
eternal laws, some great trial of its
strength with God, and to some great
and final lesson of defeat, became plain
to him. The law Of truth in love and
faith in marriage is the law a woman is
likely TO break If she is a lawbreaker
She had broken it, and he OWNED the
spiritual warfare and the knowledge of
defeat and degradation which had been
her spiritual punishment, bitterer to
bear than this final corporal vengeance.
Entering into her heart and reading
the thoughts there, he utterly forgave
and pited her.
And for himself-what harm had she
done himf None-so he plainly saw.
Except for the Disseminating Office of
this great sorrow, he would have lived
and died a worldly man. When his
poetic ardors passed with youth, he
would have dwindled away prosper
Gus gentleman. lost his heroic and mar.
tyr spirit and smiled or sneered OF
trembled at the shout for freedom
through the land.
Except for this great sorrow his grace
full gifts would have made him q court
Ter, his refinement would have become
fostiliousness, he would havc learned
to id1lize the status quo, and then. whef
the moment came for self sacrifice, h,
would have been false to his nobler self
That meanness and misery he had es
capped. That he had escaped it and knew
| himself to be q man wholly true wa
victory. The world might repeat its ole
refrain Of disappointment in his career
it might say, "He promised TO be oui
brilliant leader-he is nobody" But i
could never say; "See. there is Brother
! toft! He was an ardent patriot; bu
5 wealth spoiled him, the court bough
{ him and he left us meanly."
MY life, he thought, "has been some
what a negative. / have missed sue
cess. have missed the joy Of house
hold peace. And yet bear no grudgl
against my destiny. l have never foI
, lne moment been false to the hghes
. truth, and that is a victory greater than
success"
These last words he had spoken aloud
J In reply, he heard a stir and muir
muir from his wife.
He turned to her, and in the dusk h,
. rould see that her life was recoiline
from death TO gain strength to die
, Voice and expression returned TO her.
Edwin" she called to him feebly.
i ''Janew he answered.
In the pleading tone Of her cry, in til,
sweet affection of his one word of re
J sponse, each read the others heart. Their,
was no need of long Interpretation. 4,
J her yearning for pardon and love, hel
name upon his lips gave full assuranc,
that both We're granted.
She reached blindly for his hand H,
took hers tenderly. And there by TN
solemn twilight they parted for time
Death parted them. She awol1e il
eternity. He staid to share a it'll
longer in the dreamy work Of life.
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