The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-27
FOR LOVES SAKE,

so far forgets his name and family
honor as TO make such an alliance can
ever remain son of mine.
Then l will give up my home,
father, for / will never be SO base as to
forsake the girl 1 love without just
and reasonable cause. l would like to
please you, and you know that l always
have strived to do so but in this in
stance | can not. Jane Morton is q
pure, noble girl, and even you can not
say word against her She is poor. il
is true, but that is no crime, and love
her"
Then go. To me you are no longer
son. If you wish to disregard my
wishes, 60.
Very well, father, I will go, and
should you ever come to look at this
matter in its true light you will see that
am not to blame. And some day you
will see it Alright. Some day you will
know that Jane Morton is all that 1 tell
you that she is, and that Florence Fla
ven is not the mild, sweet creature you
think her to be. Some day you will
understand these things, but too late,
perhaps, to do any good"
60, 1 say. Don't stop to reason
with me. You have already disgraced
your name, and from this on you are
nothing to me.
"Goodby, father; you have driven
me out, but you have not killed my love
and veneration for you. will think of
you often. Not as you are to-day, but
as you used to be when we were all SO
happy. Goodby."
And the proud, noblo son Of Ralph
Courtney went out from the old home,
out from the presence Of his angry
father, out into the world to begin the
great battle of life on his own response
bihty. Perhaps it was an unwise thing
to do, but thousands Of others have
done the same thing, and Lancey Court
ney did not stop to reason out the fu-
ture results Of his actions, but pro-
ceeded at once to the home of the Nor.
tons and importuned Jane to consent to
an immediate union. At first she
was averse to the proposition. believ-
ing it best to wait, hoping that time
might soften the heart of Lancey's
father so that at least they could
marry with his consent and blessing.
But when she knew that the old gentle
man had denounced her and called her
hard and undeserved names, her wom-
anly pride got the better of her judg-
ment and she consented to Lancey's
proposition, and in less than two
hours from the time our story opens
she was Lancey Courtney's wife.
All night the elder Courtney fumed
and stormed. He was mad that a son
of his should fall in love with the
daughter of man who was guilty of
the heinous crime of being poor. He
was doubly mad that the same son
should have the audacity to disregard
his wishes in the matter. That Lancey
would come back on the morrow and
beg forgiveness he never doubted. But
when the morrow came and Lancey
came not the fathers ire began to cool
and anxiety took its place. He had not
intended to drive his son away, but
only hoped to teach him a lesson and
frighten him into obedience
But Lancey was gone. The next
morning after his marriage he and his
bride took the early train for the West.
With but little of the worlds goods they
had gone forth, hand in hand, to labor
for loves sake. The contest was bitter,
and often, very often, uneven. Some
times hope sank down below the hori-
zon OF their lives, and for days the sun
light OF happiness was obscured by the
dark clouds Of doubt and uncertainty.
But for years the bitter struggle was
kept up. Lancey had studied law, and
though bright and quick, somehow it
seemed that people were slow to recog-
nize his merits, and for loug time his
shingle hung an idle plaything to the
winds, and the name on it became
weatherbeaten and dingy. Now and
then he got small fee. it is true,
but they were so few and so meagre
that very often the wolf of hunger lin
gered close about the door of his home.
Two little ones to share in the misery
and suffering Of the parents had been
born to them, and sometimes when
Lancey came home from his dingy little
Office to meet the pinched face OF his
faithful wife, his heart sank down and
he sat istlessly with his head resting in
his hands. On such occasions the true
and faithful Jane threw aside her own
great burden Of care and devoted her.
self to an effort to revive the dropping
spirits of her husband.
They heard and knew all that was 90.
ing on under the roof of Lancey's old
home; knew that Lancey's father had
renounced him forever and given orders
that Lancey' 8 name should nevermore be
mentioned in his presence. They knew,
too, that Ralph Courtney had given
everything, his home and his land, to
his niece, Florence Flaven. But they
did not complain, only sometimes there
would come up in their hearts feeling
of bitterness
Six long years had passed slowly
along, and the fight for bread was as
hard as ever. Sometimes Lancey almost
made up his mind to write to his father
and ask for assistance, then his self