The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-02-06

"That's nothing; il I wasn't SO nearly
done for little walking wouldn't put
me down." ~
"Iou mustn't get discouraged. Think
Of what you have to live for, and just
make up>your'mind you won't give up"
us there so mnch?"
isn't there ar,vays?-while there 10
good to be, done and evil to be pre-
vented? You found one thing yester-
day"
eyes, If l can only live long enough to
set it right" 49,.
She caught at the hope]essness in hts
voice, apd answered 1t out OF heart
full of pity. lyon oughtn't to look at
1t in that way Why cant you turn Mr..
,Kilg-row's trouble. and everything else,
into SO many stepping stones to carry
Iycu across to where yon can feel the
solid ground under your feet again?"
There WIS IL swift un6ertow OF in
ference in her question that carried
him quickly out into tho sea OF I'm
pulse. ,"Do you really mean tllatf Do
IVou think should be justified in taking
the help need wherever find it?"
"lVhy not? Isn't it right and neces-
eary that you should? Father says il
I'VE will look around US we'll always find
Aometbing 10 make bridges out Of. no
matter how deep or how wide the
stream is"
and You think there Is hope for me,
I don't mean for Il mere existence
that ulone isn't worth fighting for-but
that I could win some Of the better
things if should grid myself for tho
b<.ttle?"
Surely you could. What is there
that you couldn't win, with health and
strength and The will to win it?-notl,-
ing that is worth having"
The fervor Of her own appeal carried
Elsie out Of herself, and, remember
ing only that Il man before her needed
help, She answered out Of the depths
of compassion which was as profound
and comprehensive as it was imper-
sonal. She saw, as only woman can
sec, the bcSctnWnts that were drag
ging Philip down into the quagmire
of despair; and the passionate desire
to rescue, speaking in her voice and
eyes, gave Tlo17,dyke his first glimpse
of that scxie&s shrine hidden deep in
the heart ofalI womanhood, upon whose
! altar burns the light Of pity and compass
sion for all the world-a Light which Is
not divine only because it is human.
10 the woman who first reveals her,
self to amy man in her true character
of ministering angel is given tho power
to bind and loose, and the opportunity
which Elsie had unconsciously grasped
had never been offered to Helen save
at the moment Of parting, when Philips
abrupt nnese had fol,sstalled it. twas
Inevitable, therefore, with Elsie's words
Ringing III his ears, and with the con-
soiousness that he had been permitted
to see the light OF that sanctuary which
is closed to all but the suffering end
despairing, that Philip should be swept
far beyond the bounds of his allegiance
to Helen; and since he was man, il
was equally inevitable that he should
be unable TO dissociate the offer OF help
from tha personality Of the woman who
rendered it. Raising himself among
the pillows, he answered her with the
fire of q new ambition beginning to
quicken his pulses.
IL can win-or, if not, can at least
die in harness. If try, will you helE
me in the heat of the battle as you have
helped me just now? Think we'll before
you answer; it's q graver responsibility
to save life than to take It,"
Elsie saw that she had raised thu
~ .:,,4. 0,or ~
warned her that she also troubled the
depths of an unknown and unfathomee
pool. but she responded without heslta
ton.
Didn't I promise, yesterday, that
would he1p@you? We will all do that
cheerfully and gladly"
mo, but that is not what meant
You know what mean, Elsie. Lool
Mt me- Will you be to me all the way
through what you are just now, thu
enc person in the world who know:
my weakness and my need Of inspira
tion-who will hold up before me the
crown Of reward when I am down ul1
der the hcofs of the horses?
There was no mistaking him now
and in a twinkling Elsie the pricstes'
became Elsie the supplemented maid
en-, blushing painfully under the ruth
less questioning of his eyes. What sht
might have said in reply Philip was moi
to know. for in the moment of e1nbar
rassed silence Mrs. Duncan called hel
to the kitchen. When she was gone
Philip was left to compound as best h
might with the throng Of merciless &C
cusers rising up in tho name of justice
and honor to demand satisfaction
Through all the desperate assault hi
chung obstinately to the thought tina
he was fighting for his life.
"Do what you will and say what yo'
will" he said to himself, when the battle
with his aroused conscience ragged thu
fercest, "my life is my own, and NEAR
to live if can. SO far, I have beer
nothing better than a child in leading
strings, but from this day shall live
what is left ofny life in my own way
and II this. girl had 10 be raised up t.
help me, why. SO much the worse fol
those whose opportunities were great
err
:Aa1d with such reckless shifting of thu
responsibilities, Philip made the frs
entry in the book Of self-retiance, re
fusing to. have his dinner brought *
him, and insisting perversely on joining
the family at table.