Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-05-14

temperament was thrown into agitation.
He looked now more careworn and ema-
ciated than as we described him at the
scene of Hester's public ignominy; and
whether it were his failing health, OF
whatever the cause might be, his large
dark eyes had world of pain in their
troubled and melancholy depth.
"There is truth in what she says" be-
gan the minister with voice sweet,
tremulous but powerful, insomuch that
the hall re-echoed and the hollow armof
rang with it; truth in what Hester says,
and in the feeling which inspires herl
God gave her the child, and gave her, too.
an instructive knowledge of its nature
and requirements-both seemingly so
peculiar-which no other mortal being
can possess. And, moreover, is there
not quality of awful sacredness in the
relation between this mother and this
child.'
"Aye.-how is that, good Master DIM
mesdaleg' interrupted the governor.
Make that plain, pray youl"
1T must be even so" resumed tho
minister. "For, if we deem it other
wise, do we not thereby say that the
Heavenly Father, the Creator of all
flesh, hath lightly recognized deed OF
sin, and made of no account the distinc-
ton between unhallowed lust and holy
love? This child of its fathers guilt
and its mothers shame hath come from
the hand of God, to work in many ways
upon her heart, who pleads so earnestly,
and with such bitterness of spirit, the
right to keep her. 1t was meant for a
blessing; for the one blessing of her life!
1t was meant, doubtless, as the mother
herself hath told us, for a retribution
too; torture to be felt at many an I'M
thought of moment; pang, sting, an
ever recurring agony, in the midst of q
troubled joyi Hath she not expressed
this thought in the garb of the poor
child so forcibly reminding us of that
red symbol which sears her bosomY"
"Well said, again. cried good Mr..
Wilson. 81 feared the woman had no
better thought than to make a mounte-
bank of her child"
"Oh, not sol not sow continued Mr..
Dimmesdale .'She recognizes, believe
me, the solemn miracle which God hath
wrought in the existence of that child.
And may she feel, too-what, methinks,
is the very truth-that this boon was
meant, above all things else, to keep the
mothers soul alive and to preserve her
from blacker depths of sin into which
satan might else have sought to plunge
her. Therefore it is good for this poor,
sinful woman that she hath an infant
immortality, being capable of eternal
joy or sorrow, confided to her care, to
be trained up by her to righteousness;
to remind her at every moment of her
fall, but yet to teach her, as it were, by
the Creators sacred pledge, that IL she
bring the child to heaven the child also
will bring its parent thither. Herein
is the sinful mother happier than the
sinful father. For Hester Prynne's sake,
then, and no less for the poor child's
sake, let us leave them as Providence
hath seen fit to place them"
"You speak, my friend, with strange
earnestness," said old Roger Chilling
worth, smiling at him.
'And there is weighty import in
what my young brother hath spoken"
added the Reverend Mr.. Wilson. what
say you, worshipful Master Bellinghan?
Hath he not pleaded we'll for the poor
woman"
Indeed, hath he," answered the mag
istrate, land hath adduced such argu-
ments that we will even leave the matter
as it now stands; SO long at least as
there shall be no further scandal in the
woman. Care must be had, neverthe-
less, to put the child to due and stated
examination in the catechism, at thy
hands or Master Dimmesdale's. More
over, at a proper season, the tithing
men must take heed that she go both to
school and to meeting"
The young minister ON ceasing TO speak
had withdrawn few steps from the
group, and stood with his face partially
concealed in the heavy folds Of the win
dow curtain, while the shadow Of his
figure, which the sunlight cast upon the
floor, was tremulous with the vehemence
of his appeal. Pearl, that wild and
Eighty little elf, stole softly toward him,
and taking his hand in the grasp Of both
her own, laid her cheek against it, a
CdIESh 81 ltlluCIg anu MltAidl nO uuOOtIA~
sive, that her mother, who was looking
on, asked herself, "Is that my Pearlr'
Yet she knew that there was love in
the child's heart, although Il mostly re-
vealed itself in passion and hardly twice
in her lifetime had been softened by
such gentleness as now. The minister
for save the long sought regards Of
woman nothing is sweeter than these
marks of childish preference, accorded
spontaneously by q spiritual instinct.
and therefore seeming to imply in us
something truly worthy to be loved
the minister looked around, laid his
hand on the child's head, hesitated an
instant and then kissed her brow. Little
Pearls unwonted mood of sentiment
lasted no longer; she laughed and went
capering down the hall so airily that old
Mr.. Wilson raised question whether
even her tiptoes touched the floor.
"The little baggage hath witchcraft
in her, profess" said he to Mr.. Dim
mesdale. "She needs no old woman's
broomsticlr to fly withalr'
"a strange chiIdl'' remarked old Roger
Chillingworth. at is easy to see the
mothers part in her. Would 1t be
beyond philosophers research, think
We, gentlemen, to analyze that child's
nature and, from it's make and mold,
to give shrewd guess at the father"
MAY; it would be sinful in such q
question to follow the clew Of profane
philosophy" said Mr.. Wilson. Better
TO fast and pray upon it, and still better,
it may be, to leave the mystery as we
find it, unless Providence reveal it Of
its own accord. Thereby every good
Christian man hath title to show o
fathers kindness toward the poor, de-
serted babe"
The affair being so satisfactorily con-
cluded, Hester Prynne, with Pearl, de
parted from the house. AS they de-
scended the steps it is averred that the
lattice Of a chamber window was
thrown open, and forth into the sunny
day was thrust the face Of Mistress
Hibbins, Governor Bellingham's bitter
tempered sister, and the same who few
years later was executed as witch.
Hist, histi' said she, while her III
omened physiognomy seemed to cast a
shadow over the cheerful newness Of the
house. wilt thou go with us tonight:
There viii be a merry company In the
forest, and | wen nigh promised the
Black Man that comedy Hester Prynne
eho4Ild rnaka ono