Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-06-11
JOB WORK.
or every description, plain Of color
ed, promptly done at lowest
rates, such as
POSTERS,
PAMPHLETS,
EiLLHEAUS,
CIRCULARS,
LETTERHEADs
SALE BILLS, &C.
aNeatness taste and despatoh,n is
our motto. Call and ascertain rates.

own. We felt it sol We said SO to
each otherl Hast thou forgotten it"
s.Hush, HesterI" said Arthur Dimmes-
dale, rising from the ground. mo; I
have not forgotten"
They sat down again, side by side and
hand clasped in hand, on the messy
trunk Of the fallen tree. Life had never
brought them gloomier hour. It was
the point whittier their pathway had SO
long been tending and darkening ever
as it stole along, and yet it inclosed a
charm that made them linger upon it
and claim another and another and after
all another moment. The forest was
obscure around them and crealSed with
q blast that was passing through It.
The boughs were tossing heavily above
their heads, while one solemn old tree
groaned dolefully to another, as if tell
ing the sad story of the pair that sat be-
meath or constrained to forebode evil to
come.
And yet they fingered. How dreary
looked the forest track that led back
ward to the settlement, where Hester
Prynne must take up again the burden
Of her ignominy and the minister the
hollow mockery of his good name. So
they fingered an instant longer. No
golden light had ever been so precious
as the gloom of this dark forest. Here,
seen only by his eyes, the scarlet letter
need not burn into the bosom Of the
fallen wonanl Here, seen only by her
eyes, Arthur Dimmesdale, false to God
and man, might be for one moment
truel
He started at thought that suddenly
occurred to him.
Hester" cried he, ''here is new hor-
rorl Roger Chillingworth knows your
purpose to reveal his true character.
Win he continue, then, to keep our Sc
cret9 What viii now DO the course Of
his revenge?"
There is a strange secrecy in his ma
ture," replied Hester thoughtfully, ''and
it has grown upon him by the hidden
practices of his revenge. deem it not
likely that he will betray the secret.
He will doubtless seek other means Of
satiating his dark passion"
'sAnd I--how am to live longer,
breathing the same air with this deadly
enemy" exclaimed Arthur Dimmesdale,
shrinking within himself and pressing
his hand nervously against his heart, .
gesture that had grown involuntary
with him. "Think for me, Hester:
Thou art strong. Resolve for mel"
'Thou must dwell no longer with this
man." said Hester slowly and firmly.
THY heart must be no longer under his
evil eyei"
at were far worse than deathw re-
piled the minister. sBut how to avoid
ii? What choice remains to me2 Shall
| lie down again on these withered
leaves, where cast myself when thou
didst tell me what he was? Must ] sink
down there and die at oncef"
.sAlas, what ruin has befallen theel"
said Hester with the tears gushing into
her eyes. "Wilt thou die for very weak
ness? There is no other causep
ssThe Judgment of God is on me" an
swered the conscience stricken priest.
ct is too mighty for me to struggle
| withr'
"Heayen would show mercy" re-
! Joined Hester, "hadst thou bnt the
| strength TO take advantage of Il"
ssBe thou strong for mel" answered he.
| advise me what to do.
sis the world, then, SO narrow OK
claimed Hester Prynne, fixing her deep
eyes on the minister's and instinctively
exercising magnetic power over spirit
SO shattered and subdued that it could
hardly hold itself erect. "Doth the uni
verse lie within the compass Of yonder
town, which only little time ago was
but leaf strewn desert, as lonely as this
around us? Whittier leads yonder forest
track? Backward to the settlement, thou
sayest! Yes, but onward TOO. Deeper
it goes and deeper into the Wilderness
less plainly to be seen at every step, IN
til some few miles hence the yellow
leaves will show no vestige Of the white
mans tread. There thou art free. So
brief a journey would bring thee from q
world where thou hast been most
wretched to one where thou nayest still
be happyl Is there not shade enough in
all this boundless forest to hide thy
heart from the gaze Of Roger Chilling
WORTH"
| eyes, Hester; but only under the
fallen leavesr' replied the minister, with
| sad smile.
"Then there is the broad pathway Of
the seal' continued Hester. at brought
thee hither. IL thou SO choose, it will
bear thee back again. In our native
land, whether in some remote rural viii
lage or in vast London--or surely In
Germany, in France, in pleasant Italy
thou wouldst be beyond his power and
knowledgei And what hast thou to do
with all these iron men and their opin-
ions? They have kept thy better part in
bondage too long alreadyT
sIt cannot ber' answered the minis
ter, listening as If he were called upon
to realize dream. II am powerless to
| gol Wretched and sinful as / am,
have had no other thought than TO drag
ON my earthly existence in the sphere
where Providence hath placed me. Lost
| as my soul is, would still do what
may for other human soulsl dare not
| quit my post, though an unfaithful sen.
tinel, whose sure reward Is death and
| dishonor, when his dreary watch shall
come to an endp
Il "Thou art crushed under this seven
| years weight Of misery, replied Hester
fervently resolved to buoy him up with
her own energy. "But thou shalt leave
it ali behind thee! 1t shall not cumbci
| thy steps, as thou treadest along the
forest path; neither shalt thou freight
the ship with it, if thou prefer to cross
the sea. Leave this wreck and ruin hero
where it hath happened. NEEDLE nc
| more with I'll Begin all anewl Hast