Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-06-18

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paired. 1t may be watched and guarded;
SO that the enemy shall not force his
way again into the citadel, and might
even in his subsequent assaults select
some other avenue iii preference to that
where he had formerly succeeded. But
there is still the ruined wall, and near it
the stealthy tread of the foe that would
win over again his unforgotten triumph.
The struggle, if there We're one, need
not be described. Let it suffice that the
clergyman resolved to fee and not
alone.
IF, in all these past seven years"
thought he, 81 could recall one instant
of peace or hope, | would yet endure,
for the sake of that earnest of heavens
mercy. But now, since am irrevocably
doomed-wherefore should / not snatch
the solace allowed to the condemned
culprit before his execution? Or, if this
be the path to better life, as Hester
would persuade me, surely give up no
fairer prospect by pursuing it! Neither
can any longer live without her COM
panionship; so powerful is she to sus-
tain-so tender to soothe! o thou to
whom | dare not lift mine eyes, wilt
thou yet pardon me?'
''Thou wilt got said Hester calmly,
as he met her glance.
The decision once made, a glow of
strange enjoyment threw its Pickering
brightness over the trouble of his breast.
| It was the exhilarating effect-upon a
| prisoner just escaped from the dungeon
of his own heart-of breathing the wild,
free atmosphere of an unredeemed, I'M
christainized, lawless region. His spirit
rose, as it We're, with a bound, and at
tanned nearer prospect of the sky than
| throughout all the misery which had
kept him groveling on the earth. OF a
deeply religious temperament, there was
inevitably tinge of the devotional in
his mood.
''Do feel joy again?" cried he, Won
dering at himself ''Methought the
| germ of it was dead in me! o Hester,
thou art my better angel! / seem to
have flung myself-sick, sin stained and
sorrow blackened-down upon these for
est leaves, and to have risen up all made
anew, and with new powers to glorify
him that hath been mercifull This is
already the better life! Why did we not
find it sooner"
''Let US not look back" answered Hes
ter Prynne. "The past is gonel Where
fore should we linger upon it now? Seel
With this symbol / undo it all, and
make it as it had never been~
So speaking, she undid the clasp that
fastened the scarlet letter, and taking it
from her bosom threw it to distance
among the withered leaves. The mystic
token alighted on the hither verge of the
stream. With hands breadth farther
fight it would have fallen into the water
and have given the little brook another
woe to carry onward, besides the unin-
tellgible tale which it still kept muir
muring about. But there lay the en-
broidered letter, glittering like lost
| jewel, which some i'll fated wanderer
might pick up, and thenceforth be
haunted by strange phantoms of guilt,
sinkings of the heart and unaccountable
| misfortune.
The stigma gone Hester heaved long,
deep sigh, in which the burden Of shame
and anguish departed from her spirit.
Oh, exquisite relief, She had not known
the weight until she felt the freedomi
| BY another impulse she took off the
| formal cap that confined her hair; and
down it fell upon her shoulders, dark
and rich, with at once a shadow and
light in its abundance, and impart-
| ing the charm of softness to her fea-
lures There played around her mouth
and 5eamed out Of her eyes radiant
and tender smile that seemed gushing
from the very heart Of womanhood. A
| crimson flush was glowing on her cheek
| that had been long so pale. Her sex,
| her youth and the whole richness of her
beauty came back from what men call
the irrevocable past, and clustered them
| selves with her maiden hope and hap
| piness before unknown within the magic
| circle of this hour.
And, as if the gloom of the earth and
l sky had been but the effluence of these
| two mortal hearts, it vanished with
| their sorrow. All at once, as with a
| sudden smile of heaven, forth burst the
sunshine, pouring a very flood into the
| obscure forest, gladdening each green
leaf, transmitting the yellow fallen ones
| to gold and cleaning adown the gray
| trunks of the solemn trees. The objects
| that had made a shadow hitherto en-
| bodied the brightness now. The course
| of the little brook might be traced by
| its merry CLEAN afar into the woods
heart of mystery, which had become a
mystery of JOY.
Such was the sympathy of nature
that wild, heather nature of the forest,
never subjugated by human law, nor IL
lumined by higher truth-with the bliss
of these two spiritsl Love, whether
newly born or aroused from deathlike
| slumber, must always create sunshine,
/ filling the heart SO full of radiance that
it oyerhows upon the outward world.
Had the forest still kept its gloom it
would have been bright in Hester's eyes,
| and bright in Arthur Dimmesdales!
| Hester looked at him with the thrill
of another joy.
Thou must know Pearll' said she.
sour little Pearll Thou hast seen her
! yes, know it--but thou wilt see her
now with other eyes. She is strange
child. | hardly comprehend her. But
thou wilt love her dearly as / do, and
wilt advise me how to deal with her."
"Dost thou think the child win be
glad to know mel" asked the minister
somewhat uneasily. Il have long
shrunk from children because they often
show distrust-a backwardness to be
familiar with me. have even been
afraid of little Pearl"
"Ah, that was sadr' answered the
mother. But she will love thee dearly
and thou her. She is not far off. Twill
call her! Pearl! Pearl.''
81 see the child" observed the minis
ter. "Yonder she is, standing in streak
of sunshine, a good way off ON the other
side of the brook. So thou thinkest the
child will love meg'
Hester smiled and again called to
Pearl, who was visible at some distance.
as the minister had described her, like
bright appareled vision in sunbeam
which fell down upon her through az
arch Of boughs. The ray quivered to
and fro making her figure dim or dis
tinct-now real child, now like a
child's spirit-as the splendor went and
came again. She heard her mothers
voice and approached slowly through
/ the forest.
Pearl had not found the hour pass
wearisomely while her mother sat talk
4 ipor rxyifh fha n1o-orv,nay, The e,~nat