The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-02-05

lowed he trus me, ana nXeu III tnat
We're goin' ter pick berries, and Jim
was goin ter peddle 'em i'm town fer me,
an l war goin' ter pay fer it that way.
After you sent me home and lef7 the
place, an see how you looked at it, |
fetched the dress back to the sto' an
the man TUX it back agin. Won't you
let me stay with you now, 'Lige? 1t
don't look like ter me that was such a
awfully wicked thing"
"Ef that was all yer had done, Lu-
ella" answered the man sternly, re-
lapsing into the rude speech from which
he only escaped in his moments of reii
gious communing, 81 could er forgiven
yer; for while | don't hold with vanity
an sinful bedizinen' of yerself in fine
apparel-you that was preachers wife,
an was boun' ter be pattern-I low |
ought ter remember you was like that
when married yer. If man catches
butterfly er 'fiutterin' roun' the gar
den, he amt got no right ter expect
that by putin it in er cage it's goin'
ter be anything but er butterfly. Even
as it was, when | found out yer crime,
don't you 'spose was tempted ter over
look it an make excuse fer you, until |
saw that it was the devil ofIerin' me
you, that | loved, for my own immor-
tai soul? Don't you know that | wras-
tied with the powers of Satan fer hours
before l got the strength ter come away
an leave yer? Don't you know that
thar amt ben day since | lef but I've
seed your eyes er hauntin' me an be-
seechin' me ter come back, till | have
mos give it up? But the Lord said,
If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out
and He give me the strength to hold
out.n
"Why Elijah" she exclaimed, in
puzzled surprise, al amt committed no
crime. | don't know what you mean"
''Thar amt no good in denyin' it,
returned the man sternly. THAT don't
make matters no better fer anybody.
You know, and l know, that you took
the ten dollars that was collected at
meetin' ter help Mother Hawkins pay
her mortgage, thinkin' ter pay fer yer
gewgaws with it. / knowed, Luella,
yer was triflin' an full er vanity, but |
never lowed yer love fer the sinful
pleasures er the world would er tuck
''Before the Almighty God, Elijah, |
knowed no more than a babe unborn
bout the money. | never, s'help me
God, even knowed yer had it. Do you
low ter tell me thet was why yer went
off an lef' me?"
The man gazed at her with sorrowful
displeasure. The fixed belief of
months was not to be shaken by a sim
pie denial. "Elijah, Elijah. don't yer
believe me ~ she exclaimed, pitiful
break i'm her voice, her childish face
whitening with despair. "Oh, Lord
God Almighty, what shall | say to
make him believe me >" she question
ed, shifting her hands together in help
less dismay.
'There amt nothin' yer can say,
Luella. You know yer done it, an eff
yer was ter talk tel jedgment you
couldn't make me believe nothin' else.
Circumstances is too strong agin yer.
fetched that money home after get
tin il turned into one bill, an il war
the very day Abraham Skinner fell
often the house, an was so bad hurt.
had ter go right of ter him, an not
wantin' ter carry that money with me,
put it behind the box what we KEEP
the baby's things in, thet same box"
he said, following her eyes which had
quickly turned toward the corner.
"When | come back from Abraham's
was thet forgitful l never thought
ter take the money an put it away tel
next day, an then see it was gone.
You lowed yourself, when | aske d
you, that thar hadn't ben nary a soul
bout the place whilst was gone, an
that very day foun' yer had bought a
dress ter the sto', an | knowed then
that Satan had led yer captive, through
yer vanity. / amt Il goin' ter tell yer
how wrastled them next tive days,
'tain't no use," he said drearily, "but
it didn't seem no good tellin' yer fer
knowed you'd deny it, jest like yer
have, addin' the sinfulness er lyin' ter
the burden yer was already carryin'-
so / come away without sayin' nothin'
and you ought not ter have followed
me; faint no USE"
With no look of appeal, only blank
despair, which almost dignified the
weak little face, the woman accepted
/ har cantanaa Sha haI too nffap haat