Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-04-30
lcnNTINrED /

young mans oVersOftneSs, albeit wise
beyond his years. that it were wronging
the very nature of woman to force her
to lay open her hearts secrets in such
broad daylight and in the presence Of
so great multitude. Truly, as l sought
to convince him, the shame lay in the
commission of the sin, and not in the
showing of it forth. What say you to it
once again, Brother Dimmesdale2 Must
it be thou or I that shall deal with this
poor sinners soul?'
There was a murmur among the Dig
nifed and reverend occupants of the
balcony, and Governor Bellingham gave
expression to its purport, speaking in an
authoritative voice, although tempered
with respect toward the youthful clergy
man whom he addressed.
"Good Master Dimmesdale," said he,
..sthe responsibility of this woman's soul
lies greatly with you. 1t behooves you,
therefore, to exhort her to repentance
and to confession as proof and conse-
quence thereof"
The directness of this appeal drew the
eyes of the whole crowd upon the Rev
erend Mr.. Dimmesdale, a young clergy
man who had come from one of the
great English universities, bringing all
the learning of the age into our wild
forest land. His eloquence and religious
fervor had already given the earnest of
high eminence in his profession. He
was a person of very striking aspect,
with white, lofty and impending
brow, large, brown, melancholy eyes,
and mouth which, unless when he
forcibly compressed it, was apt to be
tremulous, expressing both nervous SEN
sibility and a vast power of self restraint.
Notwithstanding his high native gifts
and scholarlike attachments there was
an air about this young ministeF-an
apprehensive, a startled, a half frighten-
ed look-as of being who felt himself
quite astray and at loss in the pathway
of human existence, and could only be
at ease in some seclusion of his own.
Therefore, so far as his duties would per-
NIT, he trod in the shadowy bypaths and
thus kept himself simple and childlike,
coming forth, when occasion was, with
freshness and fragrance and dewy
p..r1ty Of thought which, as many people
said, affected them like the speech of an
angel.
Such was the young man whom the
Reverend Mr.. Wilson and the governor
had introduced so openly to the public
notice, bidding him speak in the hearing
of all men to that mystery of a woman's
SIC ,1o1Iv1fior,
The trying nature of his position drove
the blood from his cheek and made his
lips tremulous.
"Speak to the woman, my brother,
said Mr.. Wilson. cit is of moment to
her soul, and therefore, as the worship
full governor says, momentous to thine
own, in whose charge hers is. Exhort
her to confess the truth"
The Reverend Mr.. Dimmesdale bent his
head in silent prayer, as it seemed, ar
then came forward.
Chester Prynne," said he, leaning over
the balcony and looking down steadfast-
ly into her eyes, "thou nearest what this
good man says and seest the accounta-
bility under which labor. If thou feel
est it to be for thy souls peace, and that
thy earthly punishment will thereby be
made more effectual to salvation,
charge thee to speak out the name of thy
fellow sinner and fellow sufferer! Be
not silent from any mistaken pity and
tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hes
ter, though he were to step down from
a high place and stand there beside thee
on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were
it so than to hide a guilty heart through
life. What can thy silence do for him
except it tempt hirn-yea, compel him.
as it were-to add hypocrisy to SIM
Heaven hath granted thee an open igno
miny, that thereby thou mayest WORK
out an open triumph over the evil within
thee and the sorrow without. Take heed
how thou deniest to him-who perchance
hath not the courage to grasp it for him
self--the bitter but wholesome cup thai
is now presented to thy Epsf'
The young pastors voice was trem
ulously sweet, rich, deep and broken
The feeling that it SO evidently mani
Tested, rather than the direct purport Of
the words, caused it to vibrate within
all hearts, and brought the listener.
into one accord of sympathy. Even the
poor baby at Hester's bosom was af
fected by the same influence, for il
directed its hitherto vacant gaze toward
Mr.. Dimmesdale and held up its little
arms with half pleased, half plaintivt
murmur. So powerful seemed the min
listers appeal that the people could mo-
believe but that Hester Prynne woul6
speak out the guilty name, or else thai
the guilty one himself, in whatever
high or lowly place he stood, would b.
drawn forth by an inward and inevita
BILE necessity, and compelled to ascend
the scaffold.
Hester shook her head.
woman, transgress not beyond ths
limits of heavens mercy!' cried the Rev
erend Mr.. Wilson more harshly than be
fore. "That little babe hath been gifteo
with voice to second and confirm The
counsel which thou hast heard. Speal
out the namel That and thy repentance
may avail to take the scarlet letter of
thy breast"
"Never" replied Hester Prynne, look
ing not at Mr.. Wilson, but into the deer
and troubled eyes of the younger clergy
man. st is too deeply branded II
cannot take it off. And would that
might endure his agony as well as miner
''Speak. woman said another voics
coldly and sternly, proceeding from The
crowd about the scaffold. Speak, and
give your child fatherr
81 viii not speakr' answered Hester
turning pale as death, but responding te
this voice, which she too surely recog
nized. "And my child must seek heay
emily father; she shall never know al
earthly onel'