The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-02-06

way"
"Do you want me to tell you it was
mastery effort, and believe you
thoroughly in earnest7 If you do,
there, you have it. Come in" as they
stopped at Ross cottage, and Sdna
turned and looked curiously at Mr.
Lorne.
Thank you, will; and you muet
tell me why you spoke as you did
just now"
In the warm, genial atmosphere of
the little cottage parlor Mr.. Lorne,
divesting himself of the outside coat
and his hat, sat down and waited for
Sidna to speak. She took off her
gloves, coat and hat, and carrying
them to the hall rack, hung them up
with methodical precision. She came
back and taking an opposite rocker,
looked across at her visitor with the
remark:
Are you going into the ministry
Mr.. Lorne7"
"Yes, no, that is l am not decided;
but there is no occasion for your call
ing me Mr.. Lorne,"
''No; perhaps not" with quiet
thoughtfulness. 81 was impressed
during the sermon, that perhaps you
meant to make it your life work."
"It would do as we'll as anything,
perhaps: but you see couldn't give
up writing, reading, impersonating,
my desire to practice medicine and
law, and l like to report now and then
for our best papers. Still, I think l
shall accept call if I get one. I can
easily keep up with all. Don't you
think so?"
II do not think so"
why? if l may ask. Ever since l
haveknown you, Sidna, you have writ
ten piles of manuscripts, read, sung,
and played for church and societies,
taught music and school, superin
tended the Sabbath school and
taught a class, played in church,
made your own dresses, painted
numberless pictures, embroidered,
and I don't know what else, besides
preparing addresses and reading them
whenever called up, and wherever,
upon temperance, religious and other
topics, and now you think l can't
succeed with so many undertakings"
eff you will carry your mind back
for time, you will see that l was
not a decided success in any, only l
did everything we'll that attempted.
l derived no particular income, and
was known only as, Miss Ross, who
can do anything you know Was it
not so?"
II am sure, Sidna, you are, today,
achieving very marked success as an
writer"
Granted. But am l doing much
of anything else?"
"Well, perhaps not. And am
sorry to hear you SO firmly refuse to
take up the old occupations"
"You ought, rather, to rejoice to
think l had foresight enough to
drop them. | tell you, Trevor, no
man or woman can succeed in any one
thing, when he obstinately clings to
several"
81 don't agree with you, Sidna, and
l mean to go into the church, and
still pursue my other occupations. l
am not willing to make any one sub
ordinate" Mr.. Lorne continued, a lit
tie obstinately, it must be confessed.
And as Sidna made no reply he went
on:
eff you would unite your fortune
to mine, Sidna, and give me the ben
eft of your earnest counsel, we might
both succeed better"
Again Sidna Ross looked across at
her visitor, and sighed:
"What you ask is not now possible,
Trevor"
"Why not, now?"
"You have no settled occupation.
According to your own statement,
you like one thing as we'll as another.
Everything is make-shift, and you
are nearly thirty years old"
"What them"
at is time you knew what you are
going to do"
"If | only had little more money,
you would not be so merciless," Mr..
Lorne said, looking the nearest angry
that Miss Ross had every seen him.
81 can tell you what is better than
money" Sidna returned calmly. SAT
least | have found it So"
"Well9"
at is concentration of purpose.
You will never succeed in the church,
with your eyes fixed upon an authors
pen, your ears leaning to a lawyers
brief, and your mind dwelling upon
the surgeons scalpel, Ii Won are or /