The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1892-03-18

You ask too much. cannot love you
and cannot marry you"
"Not 60 save your fathers name and
honor and your mothers lifc?" Pearson
asked. Remember how much you
have Mt stake, Louise"
"Can't they DC saved without that?"
"Without your giving yourself to me?
No. That is the only terms upon which
your father can be kept from the laws
grasp"
"Surcly, surely, Mr.. Pearson, you
will not require such a sacrifice on
my part. You know why father did
that, and you or any other man would
have done the same. You know all this,
and you would not be so heartless as to
forsalSe him now"
Louise spoke in pleading tones, and
her sad words and her yet sadder face
ought TO have touched heart OF stone,
but they had no effect on Pearson other
than to confirm him in his purpose.
"Why should | put myself to any
trouble for your parents" he coolly re-
piled, Except 1t be for your sake?
They are nothing 60 me, while you are
all the world he mine, Louise, and
then will continue my interest in them.
Refuse my offer, and / cut myself
away from the family. 1 will not try
further to force you to accept my terms.
/ make them known to you, and show
you the alternative, and leave you free
to choose as you wish. You can be-
come mine and save your parents, or
you can refuse my offer and submit to
the consequences"
Having spoken thus Pearson arose
and walked to and fro along the bank,
while Louise sat buried in sorrow and
doubts. That was the most trying hour
of her sad life. She knew only too
well the awful doom that hung over her
poor parents, and her heart bled for
them. She pictured to herself her
loved father clad in convicts garb and
locked up for years in n terrible prison,
for no crime save that of trying to pro-
vide bread for his starving wife and
child. She pictured her mothers grief
and death, which she knew would fol-
low her fathers arrest. She pictured
all the misery and suffering that would
come with the laws enforcement, and
she became sick at heart.
"No, no." she said, that must not,
shall not be if l can prevent it. / will
make any sacrifice to save my loved
ones"
Then on the other hand she thought
of Paul, and up from the past floated
remembrances Of the happy hours she
had spent with him, and of the bright
pictures her fancy had painted of the
future when she should be Paul's wife.
She recalled all his tender words and
chances, and now in this hour, when
she was called upon TO give him up, she
felt her soul going out to him as it had
never gone out before, and she felt how
utterly impossible it would be to live
happily without him, and in spirit she
walled:
"Oh, Paul, Paul, how can give you
up? How can | lose you? God, Thou
art just and righteous, and surely Thou
hast not forsaken me in this dark hour.
Help me, Lord, to save my parents, but
do not require r to do it at such
cost"
Pearson returned and stopped before
the girl.
WELL" he said, "have you decided?"
"No," she replied, without looking
up, 81 must have more time. viii you
wait until Tomorrow"
II suppose | must if you require it,
but see no use in it. You ought to be
able to decide how You will act without
much thought. 1t is n simple question.
On one side is your fathers honor and
happiness, your mothers life, and riches
for yourself, while on the other side
there is nothing but your own fancy.
You ought 10 be able TO choose between
the two easily enough"
~ must have time. 1t is matter of
more Importance to me than you say.
must ask God To help and direct me-"
Pearson gave light laugh at this,
and the girl shrank farther from him.
ITO give up dear Paul" she thought,
sis enough to break my heart, but To
become the wife of this man makes the
sacrifice unbcarablc."
She felt all her old loathing of him
return and IL only herself had been in
the question, she would a thousand
times rather have gone TO deaths en-
brace than his.
"Well," said Pearson after little ST
leuce, III you must have until to-mor-
row TO decide, suppose we go back"
81 would rather go back alone" Lou
Use replied. You need not wait for
me-"
But you see, Louise, that would not
do. Your parents would suspicion
something, and il you are 10 take :his
step to save them, they must not know
it. Nou would not want them to know
it."