New-York tribune., 1895-02-10

smiled - ~. s,, LAT us
dwell on the fact. And let remember tnat Goo
takes account OF our provocatlons' anu Tou ""o"
Just the kind of creature Bartholomew Is.
She went back to the mirror.
you think He will forgive me?" with painful
earnestness.
II know He will
Neither spoke for a rev moments. Al ias' Aei"'
do you think that NJ. Mercer would still con-
slider that he-that T
Mrs Ammidown dropped the brush she held.
She gazed silently at her companion and as sne
gazed she became more and more convinced that
Temple was not now referring 10 religion.
That Mr. Mercer would consider! she re-
pea ted nterrogatively and with unconscious stern
ness She was asking herself IL her brother could
~ was wondering II he would think was still
worthy to help him in his work. replied Temple
now, with no blush and no glrlish CONSCIOUSNESS;
Indeed, she did not understand why she hao
blushed.
"To help him." ,,.
work"
What did YOU say?"
There came a CLEAN into the womans eyes.
Teinple was now becoming calmer -,
Yes" she said. "Hc asked me. I'm 10 give
him my answer in day or two
He asked you?"
yes | know I'm inexperienced and-and-
but | hope could learn -
you are going to say yes. then ....e
and there was now an incs!veness coming TO her
voice in place OF the mere surprise.
Yes" answered Temple.
did he tell you he loved you!
'Oh. no. It's not a question OF love.
'Only Of marriage, them
You know" said Temple. that should have
to marry him so that might go with hiH,' ana
work with him, and
will you stop talking like that?' sharply
on Mrs Ammidown Don't you think I'm
right"
~ knou, vou ar, not right"
Temple gazed straight before her without
speaking. a..
Mrs Ammidown stopped and picked up the
hairbrush from the floor. She glanced at the
girl but did not break the silence. She saw the
peculiar expression Of resolution coming 10 rem
pies mouth. and what seemed certain squarihs
of the chin. =,
II am convinced that I'm right said the girl.
and when I'm convinced OF a thing nave 10
do IT, II I were that kind of girl who thinks
of love She hestated and the other finished
the sentence for her.
yes. Mrs. Ammidown.' advancing quickly
toward that lady. That's just it, Have you
read my mothers letter."
Il have read II twice--three times
We'll I'm going 10 do as my mother counseis.
That afternoon when Mrs. Ammidown was
back again from her surgical work Tor fucatan
she sat down with Mrs. Crawfords letter In her
hand for more perusai before she returned
IT TO its owner.
This is the letter which this mother had left
written in slender unimpressive characters
strangely at variance with their meaning
My precious little girl as you are all nave
that Is precious il Is for you that | have the
strongest desire that Is left to me- And l nave
always had strong ires-strong-deep-Durn
ing That's why | have been so unhappy. l
ought only to have cared a httle-oyed ii..e, tue
or not any. hoped a little. then could have been
placid and comfortable Instead. l have been
agtated and uncomfortable have flung away
the comfort Of years for the rapture of moments.
~. ntc haN NFp
1T IL love that brings rapture. 1t Is love that
brings misery. Therefore. never love. Mind,
am not saying never marry: II some good, up
right wants you for his wife tell you TO
saw yes 10 him-say yes. Then you Will never
know happiness: but you will never know misery
And love has days of wretchedness for every
second Of bliss And after little while oh.
such "A very little while there is no happiness at
all He-your possible lover and husband-Will get
tired OF you long before YOU have ceased 10 ,h'nk
OF him with pulses growing fast. You VIII not
believe il now but he'll make you believe H.
Then YOU will begin to eat your heart. Ii Is not
well for a woman to spend her best years eating
her heart That's what did. And am going
TO die Of II than you would You are Il
great deal stronger than ] ever was -.
your father was what they call In love with
mo When see how cold his eyes are when they
rest upon me now. think how much better II
would have been II he had never had more than
a friendship for me. and for him; then should
not have had this love To remember and TO long
for That Is the way II Is. The woman remem-
bers and longs. The man grows tired ana wants
"A
love. .,.,. 49,, =,
And there is that disgusting revusion that Is
liable to come when disillusion comes When
the glamour is gone. II is not that YOU see more
CORRECTLY II Is that the face YOU did love is not
half as attractive as II really Is. AT first IL was
moro beautiful than reality then 1t is more ugly
than reality. -,
man All men are like him in this particular
once he could not live unless | smiled upon MIN.
Nov he does not know whether smile or not.
Oh H. u a
ever knew how better than he.
Il was seventeen when he came down to my
fathers house. That was IN louisiana. you
know At seventeen Il Louisiana girl Is as ola
as "A Northern woman OF half dozen more years
He wakened my heart hope ana pray you
will never know what At means 10 nave your
heart awakened oh. could tell you In words
# fire all he was 10 me then,t He Is sitting here
In the room with me now as write. sometimes
he glances at me and i Is as ne iookeo dt a
chair or "A log The curse rs that remember
what there can be- in his eyes am only able TO
write few lines before ! must rest cough
50. and then am 50 tired. But | shall finish
this before die. And you. my little girl VIII
have my dying words. You know the vision OF
the dying is very clear ] see unto the tutuie
and I tell YOU to fly from love as from death
You will not read this until YOU are old enough
10 understand II.
Il am not beautiful any more; and If | were
should not now be novel. Alter all! IL Is hoNeity
more than beauty or charm that attracts men
There isn't any such thing as constancy. Re
member that. not in the male heart
"It is three weeks since | wrote the last lines.
have lust been reading them over. They are
not half strong enough. And ! thought could
write such words as would be like hot iron TO
burn into YOU that II Is misery TO love- save
coollv reasonably and love is never cool or
reasonable But there are no such words. or II
there are | am too weak and sick to find them
Sometimes when my cousin Rosalind comes
nm from the other plantation I see your father go
out and take her off her horse. and catch In ms
eyes that look which used TO be there for me.
Not that | care now He has that way with him.
and women Ike IT, I'm almost sure he left some
one up North who loved him and believed
I'm him And then he fe In love with me-
Never let a man look al you IN mat way
never
II wish | could find those words that would
mean enough, and be strong enough When |
am coughing and lying awake nights. am try
ing all the time to find those strong words. There