The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-02-14

Itttt buN l. ubtS UlIlttI Al Cfcdt utd1
whether we begin our married life with
truth or untruth; whether We meet the
world with an utterly false face. or else
a sullen face. rejecting all it's kindness.
Why not with a perfectly honest face,
saying openly. I'VE are poor; we know it,
and il is not pleasant; but it no disgrace;
We are neither afraid nor ashamedY"
''rhat might be all very we'll in Utopia:
but here? Did you ever know anybody
who did it,"
Yes; my father and mother did it.
Yours
Roderick hesitatcd. "Perhaps my faith
or might. only"
They were both silent.
Think. dearest she continued; st is
a question not merely for to-day or to-
| morrow. but for all our lives"
God forbid!'
The hasty mutter. the gloomy look
they went to his wifc's heart. and he
| could see they did; but still she never
| shrunk.
Il. too. say God forbid. for | know
even better than you do how hard pow
erty is. oh. my Rodcrick! when | think
Of what ] have cost you"-her voice fall
tcred-''of all you have lost through met
"Lost-and gained"
"Ics. | viii not lightly value myself,
! nor undcrratc the woman you chose. who
/ You thought would make you happy. And
! Will make you happy, ever if we are
not rich"
The heart Of her husband doth safely
trust in her." said he, fondly. But.
! come. this is nonsense, and quite beside
the question. What is the question, by
the bye? for | am getting rather confused,
| and'-looking at his watch-"I must be
off to my work. Oh. what a comfort
work is! Don't you perceive that | have
been twice as happy. and therefore twice
as good. since | was III the mill!'
She SAN through the little loving ruse
to save her pain; il made her feel doubly
the pain she was giving-was obliged to
give.
you are always good"-taking his
hand and kissing it-'and inexpressibly
good to me, no matter how great Il burden
| am"
'The heaviest burden | ever had to
carry, and the sweetest. But that is
neither here nor tlere'-with a sudden
change to seriousness, the serious, almost
sad look that sometimes came over him,
| showing how the youth had changed into
a man. the man into a husband-truly a
husband-housc-hand. the stay and sup
port of the house. Dear. we have chos-
on our lot: we cannot alter it: we would
not if we could. 1t is not all bright; |
/ know that; but we must not make it
darker than it is. We must not look
back"
''No."
'And for the future
Then her strength seemed to come into
her-strength born of a Notwithstanding
hope than even he could take in.
1T is of that future | think" she said.
1--WE may be poor, as | said, all our lives.
| hope not; but we may. Are we. and
more than we, to make life one long
! struggle and deceit, by keeping up ap-
~pcarances,' or are we to face the worst,
to appear exactly what we are, and trust
the world to accept it as such! | be-
| lieye il would-at least the good half Of
if. For the others, why need we care?'
Gently as she spoke, il was with Il Ger
| tain rcsoluteness. and the hand which
| clasped her husbands felt firm as steel.
"For me-" she went on, laying her
hand on his shoulder, and creeping close
to him. Il am 50 proud, both for myself
and you, that when these people invite
me, | believe they really val meme
myself. and not my clothes or my car
riage. And when thcy come and see me-.
| tlatter myself it is really to visit me.
And if l liked them, and felt them truly
my friends, l would go and see them.
and wish my husband to do the same.
whether they were poor professors-like
ours Ut Ncuchatcl or your English dukes
and duchesses."
Even if they said to MS, as | have seen
condescendingly affixed to church doors,
Come in your working clothes;' for | am
not even Il professor: J IA n working
man."
"Ccrtainly; but something else as well.
Look in the glass; you don't do it too of
ten. could anybody mistake you for any
thing but Il gentleman:'
Roderick laughed, c~oloring a little.
My dove. You are growing Il vcritable
serpent. Mistress Eve, you tempt your
| Adam on mans weakest p~oint-vanity."
NO, You are proud. not vain. Do not
he afraid; | see al your faults clear as
light"
Thank you"
AS YOU mine, ! hope; because then we
! can try and Curc both. Dear, We are like
two little children sent TO school together.
We may have many a hard lesson to
learn; hut we will learn them-together."
He was silent. AS she had said, things
were harder for him than for her. She
recognized this fully. You could have
seen 10y her face that her heart blcd for
him. as people call it-that cruel bleed
ing inside" which natures like hers so
we'll understand: but she did not compro-
mise or yield II inch even to him. and
he knew her well enough by this time to
be quite certain she never would.
A weak man might have RESENTED this,
have taken refuge in that foolish Il have
said it.. and I'll stick to it, or keep vi
that obstinate assertion of masterdOn
which usually springs from an inward
terror of slavery; but itoderick was prom,
10 neither of these absurdities. He haG
that trucst strength which never fears tc
viplI if there il "a rational unnd fnI