The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-06-23
lHB SCARLET LETTER.
By NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
CONTINUED

The young minister on ceasing to speak
had withdrawn few steps from the
group, and stood with his face partially
concealed in the heavy folds of the win
dow curtain, while the shadow of his
figure, which the sunlight cast upon the
floor, was tremulous with the Vehemence
of his appeal. Pearl, that wild and
Eighty little elf, stole softly toward him,
and taking his hand in the grasp of both
her own, laid her cheek against it, a
caress so tender, and withal so unobtru-
sive, that her mother, who was looking
on, asked herself, sis that my Pearl?"
Yet she knew that there was love in
the chi1d's heart, although it mostly re-
vealed itself in passion and hardly twice
in her lifetime had been softened by
such gentleness as now. The minister
for save the long sought regards of
woman nothing is sweeter than these
marks of childish preference, accorded
spontaneously by spiritual instinct,
and therefore seeming to imply in us
something truly worthy to be loved
the minister looked around, laid his
hand on the child's head, hesitated an
instant and then kissed her brow Little
PEARLS unwonted mood of sentiment
lasted no longer; she laughed and went
capering down the hall so airily that old
Mr.. Wilson raised a question whether
even her tiptoes touched the floor
''The little baggage hath witchcraft
in her, profess" said he to Mr.. Dim
mesdale. "She needs no old woman's
broomstick to fly withalr'
ga strange childp' remarked old Roger
Chillingworth. at is easy to see the
mothers part in her. Would it be
beyond a philosophers research, think
ye, gentlemen, to analyze that child's
nature and, from it's make and mold,
to give shrewd guess at the father?'
'Nay; it would be sinful in such a
question to follow the clew of profane
philosophy" said Mr.. Wilson. "Better
to fast and pray upon it, and still better,
it may be, to leave the mystery as we
find it, unless Providence reveal it of
its own accord. Thereby every good
Christian man hath a title to show a
fathers kindness toward the poor, de-
serted babe"
The affair being SO satisfactorily con-
cluded, Hester Prynne, with Pearl, de-
parted from the house. AS they de-
scended the steps it is averred that the
lattice of a chamber window was
thrown open, and forth into the sunny
day was thrust the face of Mistress
Hibbins, Governor Bellingham's bitter
tempered sister, and the same who few
years later was executed as witch.
"Hist, histr said she, while her i'll
omened physiognomy seemed to cast a
shadow over the cheerful newness of the
house. "Wilt thou go with US tonight?
There will be a merry company in the
forest, and well nigh promised the
Black Man that comedy Hester Prynne
should make one."
"Make my excuse to him, so please
your answered Hester, with a trium-
plant smile. 81 must tarry at home and
keep watch over my little Pearl. Had
they taken her from me / would will
ingly have gone with thee into the for
est and signed my name in the Black
Mans book, too, and that with mine own
bloodI"
eve shall have thee there anon!" said
the witch lady, frowning, as she drew
back her head.
Buthere-if we suppose this interview
betwixt Mistress Hibbins and Hester
Prynne to be authentic and not para
ble-was already an illustration of the
young minister's argument against sun
dering the relation of fallen mother
to the offspring of her frailty. Even
thus early had the child saved her from
satan'S snare.