Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-12-15
,lace he must decide what should be ths

place he mus, decide what should be t1s
burden OF his future years
Marian loved him-aye, even as ne
loved her. II he could lose sill to ind
everything n her love! Oh, the thought
was terribly sweet N lis defiance.
To take her, 70 hold her, 10 keep her
in spite Of law or right, 10 fill his lie
with the beauty Of her smile, to be hers
absolutely forever, and she his!
Wha. need TO try to hold to his CID
ideals? They slipped from him in that
terrible m0ment as sand through Est
less fingers.
Still he gazed into the light.
BY degrees the keen, troubled sweet
ness Of the longing that ravished him
faded What was this new feeling chat
crept in, this strange power growing
like g sixth sense? A feeling Of remote
ness from himself assembled upon his
heart, subduing pain and joy and strug-
gle. 1t was as + he had shaken OF his
own personally and WAS looking back
upon his life absTactly with a fine
power OF discrimination never possessed
before.
tls eyes were unSealed, and he reco.l-
eu from what he saw. The reckless ex-
ui,4t.on had gone as if brushed away by
hand Of ice. Only for a moment had
ne dreamed Of what could never be-
Love was not enough since guilt walked
with it.
He knew it now.
uutn, like white flowers poisoned in
oAe noXious air CT a swamp.
He knew it now
Even to see Marian sometimes would
be impossible. His good resolves would
die igno5ly He would become com
iemptible his self respect be finally
murdered by his own acts, and this
something in his nature that upbraided
and reasoned now broke loose, a wound
ed giant, and crush him. The wrench
must come at once and be complete.
He sighed and for a moment closed
his eyes. What was that Mark had said
about conQuer.ng self? Was there a life
before him still where he might stand
alone, Stanch, though tried, life apart
from Marian, but sweet for both with
the sweets of repentance?
No answer came and as he remained
m0ti0nless, like a man on the lookout
waiting fer a sight of land, he saw a
great vessel glide from a wharf close at
hand. 1t crossed the path Of light with
r0nderous Stateliness and slipped into
Jhe shadows until 1t was but a Big,
black hulk stealing away with the tide.
But, strangely enough, the ships de
parcure made a desire potent and alb
sorb.ng start within h.m-the wish TO
slim away into the shadows and begin
anew somewhere, remCrsefui desire TO
atone somehow, the first thought o. s-I
sacrifice.
Mark was going on the morrow. on,
that he had strength for such complete
self forge fulness, Mark was going on
Lhe morrow, never to return.
An egerness. an exaltaticn, brighten.
ed his face. He could go with Mark II
he would. There was nothing to pre-
vent Mark would be glad, he knew,
Win his medical knowledge and skill
ba c,uId do much in the leper colony.
He could relieve and cheer, Though cure
os vet was believed impossible.
r-,e Thought was overp0Werlng. II
came back again and again 10 81 WIN
M2rkl ii. life eoq
Panounce the ambition that Whlsp Pc,
of Great things to his own glory sun 70
10 done? Surrender everything ne hau
Loet loved to overcome himself! sur
,.o,der love that had sweetness so SUD
Nv Tnived with poison? And his young
life that only a little while ago nao
I,-o,oieod so much. and his dreams thaI
bad lain so warmly against hrs heart!
could he give up all and 90 to De noun
inc acceDting the bitterness OF the
daily and hourly expiration?
A groan of agony broke from him.
From the depths OF his torn soul thSre
came a cry:
"D-o no" and his hands knotted
themselves in the agony of the CONNECT.
,Tbera was brightness all around, but
nieht within him.
After a long while he looked up into
the moonlight with wild, dry eyes buC
if would not be for nothing. Ihere was
surely a triumph in giving all Ior otn-
ers If he gave his life, he gave all
Words he had heard somewhere came
hack 10 him like voice through the
flooding light:
ITO give ones life is better that ones
aims: TO spend, be spent, beyond the
gift Of gold
Yes. he saw it all so clearly now. A
ouicl1 breath came from his parted lips,
as if he had assembled 10 a helght Where
the air was rarehed.
How could he have failed to see the
trnth before how questioned it? That
way lay redemption. That sacrlnce
promised peace.