Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-01-24

three times week 1t was different
with her. She knew that her station in
life was far above his, that such thing
as possible union with him must never
be considered until he had lifted himself
far above his present sphere, ana YET
the more she heard his voice the more
! ehe became aware that the one hope OF
| future happiness lay in just such a
union. TO be lifted out of this condition
of things ontailed on his part Chris
| ian spirit and positive belief III all mat
| the term impli s, added to a relinquish-
ment of his iniquitOus trade. But the
| more Jack studied the Biblc-and he
was now conversant with every chapter
of 1.-THE further away did he appear to
he drawn from the goal to which she
would have led him if she only dared.
No student of Holy Writ ever toiled
/ over it moro faithfully than he, and yet
his mind could not separate parable from
narrative, prophecy from history. he
tried to accept it all literally and found
: himself moro and more confused the
! further he progr5 ssed. Two or three
times he visited Mr.. Sampson, with a
view to-as he characteristically ex-
nressed it-"getting some OF the kinks
SmCOthed Out.
Rut that narrow-mindcd. gentle-na
tured bigot met with indignant rebuke
any attempt on the part of the searcher
after truth to question the absolute and
unimpeachable authority of every line in
the Bible. 1t was the word of God he
said. and must be accepted without ar5u-
ment
This Jack could not find it in his
/ lo io1 To
out the kinks himself, for Helen S sake.
One word from her. the slightest intima-
tion that he could win her by embracing
Christianity, and he would have de-
clared himself an UnprciudicCd believer
and ioined the church without delay,
But the intimat.On nCv1r came; so the
organ lessons went on as usual, he
happy, she wretohCd
Little Helen in her new life was o
perfect dream of golden sunshine. She
conquered the hearts OF all who came III
contact with her. The "HOpkinscs,
who dcmurrcd at first a. the thought OF
accepting the ward of Jack Bowdoin as
, member of their household. grew SO
deeply attached TO her that their affcc.
ton plunged more than one jealous
shaft into the heart of Helen Charles,
who. aside from the love that grew Out
of sympathy layishcd upon her all tho
force of a girls first pass on, which she
could not betray to the man she loved.
The child attended hOOl regularly,
and teachers and pupils alike regarded
her as vertable prodigy. Even the fact
that that her guardian was gambler dld
not initiate against her in the least, 50
captiva.ing was her manner, so inde'
siribablc her baby magnetism.
On her way to and from school it was
! always her custom 10 pause on the Lit
tie Casino" corner long enough to kiss
Jack. and never once had lie failed to
be there. No matter how busily he
might be employed at the time, even
when in the midst of an exciting game
of cards, he knew the precise moment
she would be waiting for him, and was
, q wavs there to meet her and receive hcI
, kiss and caress.
' one morning, after she had kissed
} him, instead Of the usual Gooi-py'
+ para, she said:
[ Papa, want you to give up gam
t blinG!' .,
J who told you to ask me that, baby?'
" Miss Charles.
| what did she say, eh?"
r "She said she'd love YOU ever so mucf
more if you would.
T "She did? She said that? Then, by
thunder. I'll do it! Run along now, and
when YOU come back from school we !
A 90 Eomc together and tell hcrthe news.
/ She KISSED him again and todIied OF
I to scho-l. He watched her ont Of slgh
> and entered hi; saloon foF-as h. ha(
: but moment before resoNed-the las
f time.
Boys he said, "Tm goin' to qui
" yer. ,,.
There were a few incrcdulous laughs
but he was not in the least disconnected
and continued:
7 lisa fact. I'm gon' to leave of gam
= blin', for good, and all. I've felt
comm for some time. and just now m.
. little girl decided me.
4 What you amt go religion 10
q surc:"
4 well, I've been on still hunt afte
" it for three months, aud though ain
; bitched onto it yet, SO TO speak, that's
. comm, too. guess. rcan' find wor