St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-10-09

Edward Fearing made on me that
night. 1 had listened heretofore to SER
mona from sense Of duty. but of his
every word fell straight upon my soul
and planted there q seed. Il was as
though he were talking to xc. and I
listened spellbound. He was net in tie
strict sense handsome man, but when
carried away by his eloquence his eyes
would light up with wonderful bright.
ness and his face almost grow radiant.
he seemed possessed Of beauty source
~ earthlike.
The noise OF the people rising from
their seats As his voice died away re-
called me to the present, but it was with
IN effort I reused myself. I reached
home feeling that while such living
words could reach my ear life could mt
b barren.
I entered my fathers study, trea5ling
softly lest should disturb the slumber
into which he seemed to have fallen.
Drawing near. softly laid my hand on
his. II was icy cold. 1 stopped to kiss
his brow, but its marble whiteness re
vealed to me the awful truth. The dcso-
lation which had lowered Der my spirit
all day Ind been no idle precursor Of i'll.
Death had entered my home and
snatched from me the ono beinx left
mo 70 love An awful calm fell upon
mo. No tears came to relieve my burn
ing lids-not even when I heard the
dull thud which gave back to mother
earth its own.
Il was then that Edward Fearing
came to comfort me. It was long ere
even his words penetrateti the outer
crust o1 rebellious discootent; but he
prubed ks way % shillfully, % tender
", that ere I knew It thehenling waxers
Of comfort ruzhed in. and found their
vent In outward tears.
do mot know when I learned to love
my teacher. Docs one ever measure
the hour, the moment, when love en-
tiers their hves7 could see by this pas
sion which awakened in me the mean
ing Of true love end 1aase. No world
" glitter, no Ackle allurements were
here. The life we must lcad together
would be one devoted to the Masters
service, but felt nothing could be
sacriAce / shared with him. had told
him all my past one afternoon. when he
had just left me, and the echo Of his
words still was ringing in my ear. when
an impatient tread acroes the hall, .
shadow dar31ened the door Of the room
In which I sat.
looked up. wondering il Edward
hod returned, with come forgotten word
Of fondness ON his lips. when. stand
ing with pale face saw what in that
first aRonised moment I believed my
husbands ghost.
I started with Wild cry. and would
have fallen but that his arms caught
and held me, and then knew that it
was no spirit, but living flesh which
bourd me.
Oh, the agony of thst awakening, the
torture Of the thought which slowly
burned itself upon my brain, that my
love for Edward now was sin, that /
who had - lightly talked of sacrifice
shared with him must meet . greater
sacrifice than any he had pictured. and
UnAek Il RlnGnel
An th;. : .,,,rr-a ~h,,. hx .erm-
;,.,1v = ont-,.-,l c.lm .na ,;stened Ia
NV hu.&.nd,s story. how he had been
l.H :. -. fr;ende n,vunosed. dad upon
II. need. hut no. Me Indians. strange.
" moved to pity, bound up the wounds
fhev thooseives had caused, and held
him for eix months captive. Then, pro
curing his release, and learning l
thought him dead. be determined to
leave me in that belief, but how his life
had grown purposeless. and he grew
70 feel . vain yenxu6ng for home and
wife.
Had I found you married, MadGe,"
he ended. II would have gone away and
mel3e mo- sim. but Instead you still
wear the outward badge Of widowhood,
and xaxuurA I litxae dreamed, my dar-
linx. that you should have mourned
INV loss. may not by that aign plead
for pardon? win you not give me the
hope Of casting some sunshine on the
fife I have % cruelty darkened1"
Tha4 night Edward and parted for
ever. sent for him and told him all,
and w,tehed his face blench while sat
outwart3y calm and unmoved.
..r,oa,. -.~. - MT o,,r wavs. - he
..,d 81 ~ aye -. shown i. how
,r,roeele.e were Tia s,criAees We had
rl.nned- nd he had greater ends in
view. Nav He rive 10 strength to bear"
w--..,.-s,.. ..,,....,r
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