The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-11-16

on the broad highway to future wealth.
1t only arose from the fact that he took
time by the forelock, the only way poor
mortals have of ever getting even with
him of the scythe and hourglass.
Now, Mabel Thorpe did not expect her
hero to swim the Hellespont of life with
all his armor on, but she did demand from
him, as she had right to do, high moral
standard, for she had not married him
until she had seen, as she believed, his
whole past life laid open before her as a
book. There is no time when man is as
weakly sentimental and as religious as
when he is trying to live up to the stand
ard of pure young girls ideal, and Lean
der became almost an angel.
There are very few of us capable of max
ing human angels of ourselves Good and
evil are as persistently present in our
moral nature as light and darkness are in
our atmosphere and one serves as the
complement of the other. To Danish night
we use the light OF science, to counteract
wrong we invoke divine help, but so
largely 1s our worldly nature in excess
of our spiritual powers that we are con-
stantly in danger of erring to be forgiven
in other words, SHINING and repent
ing.
Mabel Thorpe believed in an infexible
upriuhtness. The command to do evil that
good may come was to her perverted
text. She was not aware that there are
sins of omission as we'll as commission,
and that her unrightcous condemnation OF
sinners and her severe judgments were in
themselves of Il sinful nature. The self
righteous are often harder to live with
than the sinner.
Leander Clarke had been a good son,
and lie intended to be good husband.
He was both fond and proud of his
wife, but certainly regretted that he
could not give her all the luxuries that
she could appreciate, not even the grand
piano that her musical talent deserved.
But he went to work with will to
make her happy and hoped in few years
to be able to add all other needful
things.
Among the wedding presents of the
young couple was one that far outshone all
the rest-a superb set of diamonds sent by
an uncle of Lenders who was near to
death and gave the residue of large estate
in this extravagant present. Leander him
self was genuinely SORRY that such an I'M
desirable gift had been made, but he
argued that his wife was sensible
woman and would turn them into some
thing more suitable to their present
condition in lite-a piano, for instance,
which was necessity rather than lux
ury. What was his surprise when his
bride said
II never was so pleased in my life
Diamonds represent to me the cryStalll-
cation of everything beautiful i'll art and
nature. | never dreamed that | should
possess such magnificence."
"But these have no associations,
said her husband. "They are not heir
looms"
"They will be. All diamonds were
new at some time. And are they not as
ISOLATED with the dear old man who gave
them ~
The dear old man had been terror in
the family and had only given the
diamonds to Lenders wife because he
hated that nephew a little less than
the others, whom he hoped to make
horribly Jealous and angry and had sue
ceeded
When Lcander asked his wife to keep
her diamonds in the bank, she promptly
declined.
"But you surely will not wear them,
dear % he suggested.
"Why not, - she asked.
sit would iniure our prospects and not
be consistent with our position
''They were Il gift to me. Surely |
have the right to do as | please with my
own"
"The right, yes But l thought
my wife had more discretion | did
not know you cared for gewgaws,
Mabel
So the first cloud came on the horizon Of
their love but Ieander was good tempered
and Mabel satisfied, and it disappeared.
The truth was that Leander had expected
a handsome SUN Of money from this very
uncle, who was bachelor and very old
But aye had not mellowed an ugly
disposition to thwart his relatives, and
after raising the young mans hopes
he took Il malicious pleasure in disappont-
ing them.
The young couple began life in q pretty
furnished cottage on the modern plan of
chatting dish and hand painted china
and it worked like charm. Mabel
presided over the dainty cuisine, the
buffers pantry, the parlor, and really
did wonders. Lcander fell in love with
her over and over again. But for the
diamonds they would have been as happy
as larks.
Did they hear sound at nght-it was
burglar after those precious gems
They were afraid to leave the house alone
lest thieves break in and steal and one or