New-York tribune., 1895-02-17

I have always thought never should love; and
1t seemed greatly best that should not"
'Jf YOU know person loves you. that fact
,nclines you to love that person. There Is moth
ing new in that assertion; and like other trite
things. ii is very true.
But II is so very SOON.
"Oh | am not advising you"
The woman spoke more lightly than she felt.
She added with serious emphasis;
Temple Crawford is rather Of a mystery to
me- She actually thinks she has cold tempera-
ment"
Here the speaker did not restrain a slight
laugh
And what do you think?
81? Oh. / know better It's not a matter Of
opinion with me- She is warm the tropics.
but she has a dash OF thing. / know not
what, in her. Still. firmly to believe yourself
cold may be just good, bad, to be So.
There's something in her makeup which enables
her to contemplate marrying a man whom she
does not love. II her judgment seems to approve.
And that makes a puzzle Of her. because she
seems superlativey sensitive and innately re-
fined. Why not approve Of the man you love-
and not marry the man OF whom you simply
approve, and whom YOU Cont love? She's got
a lot Of stuff IN her head; but perhaps life will
teach her better: only she'll have TO suffer first
She has an indefinabe and powerful personal
charm Perhaps it's magnetism Don't think L
don't feel ii, simply because I'm another woman
That would be too common and too stupid
Her father was an attractive selfish scamp.
He could hardly help making love II woman
just passabc. She doesn't respect hihi'
but perhaps II is natural for her to judge men
by him in some ways. And this letter-Rlchard'
I'm going to let you read this letter. You Will see
what an influence 1t would have. Perhaps she
thinks she has a cold temperament because her
mother prayed that she should have It, And the
child has come up in the oldest way, exactly as
she pleased
Mercer took the letter He rose and stood
moment with 1t in his hand.
FINALLY he smoke. his voice deepening with his
resolution.
81 shall marry her il she'll consent whether
she loves me or not"
"Oh Richard you are blind Blind.
Laura gazed up al him as she spoke. She
added:
"I think she will say yes. She wants to be an
evangelist"
flash Of light came over the mans face
He left the room with Mrs. Crawford's letter
in his hand.
Mrs. Ammidown was telling herself that he
ought to read it,
The door opened again directly and Mercer
came back He laid the letter on a table say
ing
Il can't read 1t; she has not asked me to read
IT,"
But am sure she would be willing And 1t
would explain much, perhaps. But then.
Mrs Ammdown hesitated nothing can be eX
planned
She moved quickly toward her brother and put
an arm over his neck as she had done when they
were children.
Dear little Dick" she exclaimed, cant
make you what you are doing? I'm sure she
doesn't love you. Don't trust your life with her..
But Mercer only smiled he kissed his sister
and left the
Mrs. Ammidown sat down. as one who gives up.
Then she rose and hurried into the corridor. She
called her brother back.
i've told you. but want to say it again; tell
that girl how you love her DO you think cold
ness will win her? Richard. be reasonable be
human. Let your heart speak. Remember. |
know what I'm talking about"
She pushed him away from her and left
alone.
Now. II were like Temple I should pray" she
said aloud.
But she did not pray. She presently went to
the window and threw up the sash. She leaned
out inhaling the fresh. sweet air and looking off
toward the mountains. But just now there were
no mountains. AS II in 4 freak. they had veed
themselves in a thick mist. The great peaks were
obliterated.
But as she looked. a portion Of the cloud lifted.
as IL it were upheld by some gigantic hand. and
the woman saw the top OF Busbee and the sort Of
rift which. from this distance hinted at the lower
elevations where were the farms among which she
had often ridden. and where the Crawford house
was. She knew just where the Swanannoa went
on beneath It's graceful trees and by It's high
banked curves. Just for one moment. then the
mist was let down again, and there was only
level Of cloud to be seen.
Mercer rode out Of Asheville an hour later. lie
took the road to the junction. bu, he turned off
and went up through the woods to visit a man
who had begged him to come and see "hs
'oman" She was tied down to her bed with
rheumatism. but she longed TO see thur new
preacher and have him pray with her.
And Mercer prayed with her. and sat by her
bed hour, telling her OF the Lords love, and OF
the promises of the Gospel
He sat there because he made himself do it.
although 1t seemed as II his will could hardly
keep his body from flying off toward that log
house which he believed held his destiny.
A man often has the belief at one time or an
other In his life that woman has in her
hand the very threads OF his existence. And gen.
orally lives 10 smile at that epoch in his
Journey through the world, and TO be convinced
that if 1t had not been that woman it would have
been another, that it was phase Of his life that
was ruling him. more than that particular femin-
Inc individuality.
Mercer stayed in the mountain hut until the
wretched rheumatic seemed comforted He prom
ised to come again the next day, and he went
away leaving a substantial as well as a spiritual
token of his presence.
The husband walked along by his horse. thank
ing him ferventy in the midst Of his complaints
about the hard luck it TO have his oman
sick. and planting time going on and he didn't
know how he should make "er crap noways; on'y