The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-09-13
SHE FELL UPON HER KNEES.

SHE FELL UPON HER KNEES.
far too scnsihle for at OF over all
this week. tn .ir first together for
eighteen months. And tonight he
had exposed his whole weak soul t.
her-in a sermon Bat did he guess
that she had translated him: Would
he do hi, duty vet: Did he know his
duty she rem mbercd-she would
never fOrget-how he had said under
the trees the other morning. Il will
give my life to you. Caroline" She
did not want his life she wanted his
love. Next to the knowledge t at he
loved her she would have had his own
brave, voluntary confession that he
dill not love her. She would have
given everything that night-every-
thing still to ha e admired as she had
admire him. the man ~he had loved
the soul she must love forever.
In the dead OF night and in the sill
yer Of the summer morning-mo,ion.
less OF her knees and rocking to anC
fro in he" chair-CaroliEc league
wrcstlcd with her grief a best she
might. p &C ng her humble spirit III
the hands of Him t. whom she walked
so nca". And the following forenoon
she accom- anied Noel -fcnnyman
through the sunny fields to the stat on
and came back in haste.
She found the rector in his study. at
his desk.
Father" She murmured. Il have
seen him o."
The rector did not raise his eyes.
We'll my dear. he'll b. back in Il
couple of day." he remarked cheer
f,,t1 h nj
NO: he is never coming back at all
The rector raised his head pushed
up his spectacles, an! -azed at his
daughter in dire amazcmcnt.
"What:" he gaspcd: has there been
quarrel:"
Mono quarrel"
What then, Caroline, in Heavens
name
Il have given him up" said Caro-
line. firmly.
MIR. Z, ague sprang up.
You have tilted him-NOel Penny
mln-thc man YOU have been engaged
to all these years."
Il have Tilted him."
The rector made her repeat it more
than once. May | ask why" he in
qui ed at length.
"Because-" Caroline hesitated.
because You can't marry without
love on both sides. This has been a
cruel. Il wicked mistake, from the very
+ beginning. Thank God, | have discOv-
cred it in time"
"IOu mean for your discovery that
vou do not care for him" cried the
rector sharply more sharply than he
had spoken to her in all her life.
Caroline bowed her head. "Ies---J
meant that"
Mr.. league sat down at his desk.
and leant heavily on his hand. Il am
ashamed of you, ''aroine,' said he. IN
a broken voice. Il am ashamed of my
dauo htcr."
Blu. now Miss league could bear no
NOR: she fell up II he knees at his
knee. and burst into passionate tears.
All tha; he now said was reiterated
many times: and much OF it was in
coherent.
oh. do not be hard on me. | have
no one left ;put you. will help you as
itha, been my ueligh; and pride always
to nelp You. : will help you to the
end. My happiness made no difference
TO my work. did it, My unhappines.
shall make no difference. either
Father. il is bette tran if he had given
me up. isn't it The world is more
lenient. | am sure-in this enc thing
t. the woman than to the man. And
y3u will be less hard on me. won't YOU.
than YOU would have been on him:
] Forgive me. father: | nave only YOU
! The rector laid his trembling hand
III Oh her hair.
Get up. nv darling: l am not your
judge. Nay he forgive you-and slav
/ God. Yet. Caroline. Caroline. I had
rather 1t Were the Young man who had
done this tnlng-not M daughter.
Miss league arose. ana went away
droopinE: for now. indeed. her heart
St med broken she went to that lit
! tie place. her iavorite place. whe re
Noel had pro. ose to her-where Noel
had seemed veNed at being reminded
OF that proposal-where she hid
opened his letters. Here. also. she
buried all that: and set her spirit to-
war. what was to be.
Now. the Reverend Noel Pennynlan.
saved by this strorg soul from Il hu
initiating duty-which ii is still bu,
fair to believe he might have per.
70: III d, in the end-has never pre-
ciated Miss leagues magnanim;ty.
For she vowed she did not love him
and though. in doing SO she snatched
J similar words from his mouth. and re
lieved his soul, his vanity carrie, the
scar to this day. She loved him. il
fine. SO we'll that she managed in thai
walk to the station to convince hin
that she did not love him at all. Sc
his friends in the North. and ever
Miss leagues friends, consider thai
poor Mr.. PennyT an was treated tom
inably. Why are women so stanch: