The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-09

years of service, mas not that base,
mean. wicked boy. The sin was not
his 1t was a sin of youth: sin al
most of childhood. 1t meant nothing
to him now.
''It is nothing now" he insisted, pas
SiOnately Accustomed to weigh other
peoples actions and motives, he knew
that he was discriminating with al
most judicial impartiality when he
thus looked himself in the face. "A re-
pentant man has no more to do with
his sin, for which he has made repara-
tion, than a well man has to do with
the disease of which he has been
cured" He remembered that he had
used this illustration once to some one
+ else; he must apply now to himself
No; he was not deceiving Amy. He
was only sparing her; sparing her, to
be sure, from pain she might wish to
bear, but that had nothing to do with
the question If she knew, she would
suffer; not from a fact, but from an
illusion; for he would be confessing a
sin which was not his sin. Honor? The
word seemed artificial as he thus put
the situation before him.
No. it would be cowardly to tell her,
and it would be untrue. There was
nothing for him to do, but face the fact
that, to spare her, he must bear for the
rest of his life, the wretched burden of
realizing that he had a secret from her.
Sanely, truly, this good man believed
that his impulse to tell the woman he
loved was selfish and coWardly; it was
an impulse to make her share a burden
which he deserved to bear alone. Fur
thermore, it was the effect, not of rea-
son, not of religion, not of love: it was
the effect, first, of the selfish impulse
to seek relief by sharing a cruel knowl-
edge; secondly, of a traditional senti-
| mentality, the weak and dwelling out
come of that sense of justice which is
expressed in the willingness to bear
consequences.
Well, the boy who had sinned, had
| borne the consequences; he had suf-
| fered
For the man to suffer, now, twenty
| three years after, was unreasonable,
| but inevitable
For a woman, who had no part or lot
IN that young past, to suffer now
| tWenty-three years afterwards, was
| foolish and useless.
If the man permitted it, he was a
coward and a fool.
This, at least, was what William
| West told himself.
| The conclusion to which the Rev. Mr..
| West came was that, if his love for
| Amy was deep enough and unselfish
enough, he would hold his tongue. He
believed that confession, apart from
| reparation, was the refuge of the weak
| mind.
| Having thus decided to bear alone
the burden of his secret, he went early
IN the morning, and told the woman
he loved.
or course, there is no explanation of
thls Vacillation and Indifference to his
| own Judgment except the mere state
ment that he was in love-
Amy is trying on her dress" Mrs.
Iaul said, when he was ushered into
the library, so, if you want to see her,
you can go home at once. But perhaps
you may condescend to talk to me a
little while?"
Il must see Amy, please" he said. He
had a way of putting people aside SO
gently and peremtorily, that Mrs,
raul who was not a yielding person.
never dreamed of protesting.
III tell her. But she really can't
come down for ten minutes. DO you
mind waiting?"
Very much" he said, smiling. TEL
her to come down just as she is, and let
me see her frock."
Indeed, she shan't do anything OF
the sort" said Mrs. Paul, with indigna-
ton; but relented to the extent of let
ting him have the library to himself
and going upstairs to send the girl to
him.
Amy came floating in with a snowy
gleam and rustic, and stood before him
bidding him not to dare to touch her;
though, indeed, being a mere man. he
was far too uncomfortably awed to
think of taking this glorious white
creature into his poor human arms.
you are magnitcent,b but you are not