Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-06-26
MAKE ME STEADFAST'

Every ono enid thu. n was IN absurd
engagement Every one pointed out with
tho air Of having made tho discovery him.
self That Laura Clayton md John Baxter
woro totally unsuitcd 20 each other. ola
Mrs Baxter spoke Of 10 10 her son with
conviction, and Mrs. Clayton suggested 81
TO her daughter drllcatcly, as her manner
was.
what on Garth would your father have
said, JohnV demanded his mother iIcrc5
ly. "is sho Intended for n country minis.
tors wliri Look Ht tho way sho drrs.os'
Look st her hnlr done M tho lstcst wnyc
mud knot,i Look NJ her hands, don't
want TO sAy anything against your hoppI
ness, John. hUl shc'4 n butterfly She hI.
no stability %, ohgmrtrri I'm even afraid
that when tho lrst glamour
Then John interpo.cl with fow r.
marks which cent bis mother from li.1
study moro than yer inclined TO ilnd fault
with Laura Clayton.
What Mrs clayton said was;
Darling { don't wonder You are IN
love with John We 3, the doarcs, boy and
the bcst--so s'anch, 10 truc-.l hail mover
worry about ynu. sc least not 20 fur a.
John Is concerned
II scc. laughed Laura You're
afraid chat III long for the floshpot- ~
Egypt, upn't youY And that IN be the
one to grow ilrcdi When I'm the most
constant person on Garth. too, mammal
"Solld ~ ucenn iuain." quoted Mra.
Clayton. smiling md ighinR - little.
"tnura. dearest child, ! don't want 20
cronk, but urr you auro you know your
own hcartS Tho Clhytons-wcll'-shc
sighed ngain--"tho Cllytons nru not ca.
out ~ granite. And you're thorough
Clayton. dear
81 itwns that oven their own households
had doubts hbou, tho engagement NJ tho
young people Evury ono knew that John
Baxter stood Tor Puritan high mindcincs7
and singlcncss u aim and heart, and uy.
cry ono know TINT Laura Clayton with all
her charm WIS r. dancing sunbcam-noy.
or long Illl-thnt H. every ono except
John. Laura knew ". She felt her ugn
unwurthinrss kccnly enough without ho.
ing told Of II ~ frequently ns she wns
sho humhlcd herself In her praying and
asked daily 10 be mndo steadfnst and good
"likc him, her petitions ran. Meantime
thoru wrrr those who were willing 10 wa.
ger on tho breaking " Encouragement be-.
20 10 his first parish IN small town In
another state aud tho skopticnl smiled nt
tho thought u i.aum Cluytons remaining
of tho same mind Tor q year
Al first tho young woman behaved al.
mlrably She oschrwcd Rnycty, aud nl.
most her only designations were afternoon
musicnles and teas. She wrUtotn John py-
cry day. and sho slept with biz latest let.
ter beneath her pillow every night She
continued to pray for sicndfnHtncss aud
goodness like his " Then. ~ the cnd uf
two months, Laura suddenly plunged 10.
90 rnyciy again.
"My dearest mother. she said 10 her ~.
munstratlng parent, ~ am not u llinduO
widow. am not even married. When |
am, I shall do exactly o. John wishes.
Meantime l shall not drive myself to sui,
eide by never having any fun. You know
i never sec n mani
mo" said Mrs. Clayton swrctly, "Ar.
thur llolhrnoko i rather boy"
"Iyc known him since was baby"
"With the exception " tho last four
year,, during which he has been away
do you mean 10 say you think I'm
flrtingi Doesn't Arthur know NJ my On
Rngomcnti Doesn't John know every tim,
go Arthur You nrc hurrid to me- mann
ina"
My dear" sighed poor Mr.. Clayton
II beg your pardon for acming To inter
forc. only want you 10 do nothing thai
you'll rcgrt
whervupon Miss Laura ilounccd out o
the room and wopt over Johns fortunate
" glass incascd photograph for awhile
Then shc went TO walk with Arthur Ilol
brooke and told him her theories concern
ing friendship between mon aud women.
Meantime Mrs. Baxter wrote letters,
Tho more Laura found cumpaniun,hil
Of one sort aud another essential 10 hc
happiness tho more she dospiscd tho ligh
nature she had always been credited will
aud the more urlrntly she desired thus
severe, spartan virtues which her love
possessed, She grrw morbid In the dr,ir
10 be like him. Shc dlstrustcd her mo.
ilectlng interests, hcr most cursory iuucics
She stroyr with all the force NJ her undis
olpllned nature to make herself pcrsoi
Of one idea. and failing hgnnlly she con
domncd herself Her letters tn John wor
strange, self eoousatory affairs which, add
ed 10 his mothers cpistlcs destroyed th
young mans peace Of mind most oiicotu
ally, Relying ON his own strength q
character never doubling for nu in-tnn
the unsuitable nature NJ his WRard fu
Laura, hc began going for temporary con
fort 90 onu Miss Dorothcn CRANKY, u men
Der Of his altar guild, and Rirl rattle
given 10 wearing silver crosses and 9th,
ecclesiastical jowclry.
"why doesn't Arthur Holhrool,c con
hero any lonVcri" demanded Mr.. Clnyto
OF her daughter ono day
Laura looked up strangely white an
weary.
II sent him away, sho said lndifcrrn
iy.
"My dearl Then II cauo TO thaty'
ayes"
"Arc you rcgrc,tIng it, Laura, dear!
asked her mother gently.
"No."
"You didn't care for hlmf"
ono"
81 anu 80 glad. Poor hcyi" rcunrEt
Mr.. Clayton. "nua darling you Inu
not send him Gway ont Of mistak,