Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-07-22
Continued.

u
smile cleaned on her face.
Wherefore" no went on, II do ad-
lure you, as you desire grace and re-
deniption, to utterly cast from you the
vilo trinket, ! have,--Heaven knows
how reluctantly! - returned to
your keeping,--to trample upon 1t, and
renounce 1t as a device, OF Satan "
Ho stopped, surprised and Indignant,
as she raised the much-abused emblem
to her lips ah.. Used 1t reverently.
1T Is the sign of peace and saliva
tion," she said steadily Ito me, at
least. You waste your words, Mr.
nyceworthy; am Catholic"
"Oh, say not sol" exclaimed the
minister, now thoroughly reused to n
pitch of unct,ous enthusiasm. Say
not 80. Poor child! who knowest moi
the meaning Of tho word used. Catho-
Ollie signifies universal. God forbid n
universal Papacy. You arc not n
Roman--by which name we under
stand all that Ia most loathsome and
unpleaslng unto GOd But / will
wrestle for your soul yea, night and
day will | bend my spiritual snews to
taGk,-I will obtain tho victory,--I Will
exercise the tho flend! Alas! you are
OH the brink of hell-think of iii" and
Mr.. Dyceworthy stretched out his hand
with his favorite pulpit gesture.
"Thlnk of the roasting and burning
the scorching and whitening of souls!
Imagine, II you can, tho hopeless, bit
ter, eternal dumnation," and here he
smacked his lips as though he were
tasting something excellent, from
which there is no escare!' for
which there shall DO 10 remedy"
1T Ii Il gloomy picture" said
Thelma, with quiet sparkle IN her
eye. IL am sorry,-for you. But am
happler,-my faith teaches of purga-
tory--there Is always little hope!"
There Is none! there Is nore!" ex-
claimed the minister, rising In ex-
element from his seat, and swaying
ponderously to and fro as he gesticu-
lated with hands ard head you are
doomed doomed There is no middle
course between hell and beaver. 1t
must he one thing or the other, God
deals not In half-measures! Pause,
oh pause, ere you decide to fall! Even
nj the latest hour the Lord deSilcs to
save your soul.-the Lord yearns for
your redemption, and maketh mo to
ycarn also. Froken Thelma!" and Mr..
Dyceworthy's voice deopened In solom-
nifty, there Is n way which tho Lord
hath whispered In mine ears,--a way
that pointeth to the white robe and the
crown of glory,-a way by which you
shall possess the inner peace of the
heart with bliss on earth AZ tho fore
runner of bliss In heaven"
She looked ut him stoadiastly And
that way in--what?" she inquired
MI Dyccwolthy hesitated, and wish
ed with all his heart that this girl
was not so thoroughly solf-possessod
Any sign of timidity in her would
have given him an increase of hardi-
hood But her eyes were coldly bril-
liant. and glanced him over without
the smallest embarrassment. lilo took
refuge in his neverfailing remedy, his
benevolent smile-a smile that covered
multitude of hyprocrlsles
You ask u plain question. Broken,
he said sweetly. and should be 10th
not to give you II plain answer, That
way--that glorious way of salvation
for you Is through mel"
And his countenanco shcne with
snug sclf-sntisfacton rs he spoke, and
he repeated softly, Yes, yes; that way
Is through mel"
She moved with II slight gesture OF
Impotence. 1T Is II pity to talk any
more" she snid rather YEARLY. 1T is
all no use! Why do you wish to change
me In my religion? do not wish to
change You. | do not see why we
should speak of such things ut ALL"
"Of course!" replied Mr., nyceworthy
blandly, "Of course you do not see.
And why? Because you are blind"
Hcre he drew little nearer to her,
and looked GENEROUSLY ut the curve nf
Ter full, firm waist.
"Oh, why!" he res umed In sort of
rnpture--"why should we say 1t Is Il
pity to talk any more? Why should we
say II Is all no use? II Is of use. 1T Is
nohle, It Is edifying to converse of the
Lords good pleasure! And what is His
good pleasure ut this moment? TO
unite two souls In His service! Yea,
He hath turned my desire toward you,
Froken Thelma, even as Jacobs
desire was towards Rachael. Let me
see this hand" He made II furtive
Srat at the white taper fingers that
played listlessly with the jessamine
leaves on the porch, but the girl
deNtcrously withdrew them from his
clutch and moved little further back
her face flushing proudly, ooh, will
1t not come to me? Cruel hand!" and
he rolled his little eyes with an
absurdly sentimental air of reproach
1T is shy-it will not clasp the hand
of its protector! DO not be afraid,
Froken! - l, Charles Dyce-
worthy. am not the man to tritle with
your young affections! Let them rest
where they have flown! accept them,
Yea! - in spite of wrath