The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-08-25

secret-no high place nor IowIy place
where thou couldst have escaped ne
save on this very scaffoldr'
Thanks be to him who hath led me
hither!'' answered the minister.
Yet he trembled and turned to Hester
with an expression of doubt and anxiety
in his eyes, not the less evidently be-
trayed that there was a feeble smile
upon his lips.
els not this BETTER" murmured he,
ethan what we dreamed of in the for
est?'
81 know not! know mott" she hur-
riedly replied. Better? Yea; so we
may both die, and little Pearl die with
us?'
''For thee and Pearl, be it as God shall
ORDER" said the minister: ''and God is
merciful! Let me now do the will
which he hath made plain before my
sight. For, Hester, am dying man.
So let me make haste to take my shame
upon mep
Partly supported by Hester Pryne, and
holding one hand of little PEARLS, the
Reverend Mr.. Dimmesdale turned to the
dignifed and venerable rulers; to. the
holy ministers, who were his brethren;
to the people, whose great heart was
thoroughly appalled,, yet OVERLOOKING
with fearful sympathy, as knowing that
some deep life matter-which, if full of
sin, was full of anguish and repentance
ikewise-was now to be laid open to
them. The sun, but little past its me-
ridian, shore down upon the clergyman
and gave q distinctness to his figure as
he stood out from all the earth to put in
his plea of guilty at the bar of eternal
justice.
"People Of New England" cried he,
with a voice that rose over them, high,
solemn and majestic-yet had always a
tremor through it, and sometimes a
shrek, struggling up out of a fathom-
less depth Of remOrse and woe-''ye that
have loved me!-ye that have deemed
me holy-behold me here the one sinner
of the world! At last-at last stand
upon the spot where seven years since /
should have stood; here with this wom1
an, whose arm, more than the little
strength wherewith l have crept hither-
ward, sustains me at this dreadful mo.
ment from groveling down upon my
face! Lo, the scarlet letter which Hes
ter wears! Ye have all shuddered at it!
w uSIGNGI uGI Walk udIu DGCIl--N IlGI@
ever, so miserably burdened, she may
have hoped to find repose-it hath cast a
lurid CLEAN of awe and horrible repug
nance around about her. But there
stood one IN the midst of you at whose
brand of sin and infamy We have not
shuddered!'
1t seemed at this point as if the min
lister must leave the remainder of his
secret undisclosed. But he fought back
the bodily weakness-and, still more,
the faintness of heart-that was striv-
ing for the mastery with him. He threw
off all assistance and stepped passionately
forward pace before the woman and
the child.
cit was on him!' he continued, with
kind of fierceness, so determined was he
to speak out the whole. Goods eye be-
held it! The angels were forever point
ing at it! The devil knew it well and
fretted it continually with the touch Of
his burning finger! But he hid it cum
ningly from men and walked among you
with the mien of a spirit, mournful be-
cause so pure in a sinful world and sad
because he missed his heavenly kindred!
Now, at the death hour, he stands up
DGlOI6 OtA! I10 OllS YOU 4OOh dill Stb
Hester's scarlet letter! He tells you
that, with all its mysterious horror, it is
but the shadow of what he bears on his
own breast, and that even this, his own
red stigma, is no more than the type of
what has scared his Utmost heart!
Stand any here that question Gods
Judgment on a sinner? Behold! Behold
a dreadful witness of it,
With a convulsive motion he tore
away the ministerial band from before
his breast. 1t was revealed! But it
were irreverent to describe that revela-
ton. For an instant the gaze of the
horror stricken multitude was concen-
trated on the CHASTITY miracle; while the
minister stood, with flush of triumph
in his face, as one who in the crisis Of
acutest pain had won a victory. Then
down he sank upon the scaffold! Hester
partly raised him and supported his
head against her bosom. Old Roger
Chillingworth knelt down beside her,
with blank, dull countenance, out of
which the life seemed to have departed.
''Thou hast escaped mey' he repeated
more than once Thou hast escaped
me!'
'May- God forgive thee!'' said the min
lister. ''Thou, too, hast deeply sinned."
He withdrew his dying eyes from the
old man and fixed them on the woman
and the child.
my little PEARL said he feebly-and
there was a sweet and gentle smile over
his face, as of spirit sinking into deep
repose; nay, now that the burden was
removed, it seemed almost as if he
would be sportive with the child-''dear
little Pearl, wilt thou kiss me now?
Thou wouldst not yonder in the forest!
But now thou Wilt"
Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was
broken. The great scene of grief, in
which the wild infant bore a part, had
developed all her sympathies; and as her
tears fell upon her fathers cheek, they
were the pledge that she would grow up
amid human joy and sorrow, nor for
ever do battle with the world, but be a
woman in it. Toward. her mother, too,
PEARLS errssld as messenger of anguish
was all fulfilled.
Chester" said the clergyman, ''fare-
wellp'
'sShal we not meet again?n whispered
she, bending her face down close to his