Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-07-07

this grievance more than over her
home yearnings.
Then as Erances's words REQUIRED to
her, she returned to her tone Of ex-
posIulation.
How can it be all for the best? It
is what all the sermons say, and the
| hymns-it is what papa himself told
NE, but I can not, can not believe it!
When one sees and feels that things
are doing harm, how is one to believe
that they work together for good?' .
But, dear Esperance, don't want
to remind you of Soeur Therese; but
surely troubles are sent as discipline!
Ny aches and pains, for instance, to
teach me patience, and your loneli-
ness to teach you, perhaps, to love.
ITO loEet no, it is knocking ali the
love out Of ne; I loved before VIXEN
was happy, but this is making me
cold, hard, icy, just as they are
Frances had wished to steer clear Of
{
allusion, nor in truth was Esperance
herself, for she was too well-bred not
to feel that mention of her cousins
failings ought to be strictly guarded
against.
Il am getting rude and altogether
bad, and as Cornelia is always say
ing l have no self-control. Oh, dear.
if one could only understand things,
and learn the lessons they teach
quickly, and see the reasons, and be
happy"
You make me think Of one Of
Keble's hymns; if you will put up
with the English I will say TO you the
lines" And clearly and softly, SO
that even that much-abused language
sounded sweetly in Esperance's ears
Frances repeated:
Till Death the weary spirit free,
Thy God hath said, IT'S good for
thee
To walk by faith and not by sight"
Take it On trust little while;
Soon shalt thou read the mystery
right
In the full sunsine Of His smile :"
Esperance unused in silence for
few minutes, then said: Yes, that is
very beautiful, and it is just what I
wanted. It seems almost like talking
with papa. I remember he used 10
say, if We could believe that it would
make all life happy, and I Will in
deed try. And yet l have tried. and
always failed. 1t is easy to think so
now when I am happy, but by and
by
BY and by repeated Frances,
you will learn to take it On trust
and though the troubles will be trou-
bles still, you will try to learn the
lessons they are meant to teach. It
sounds rrite and easy enough, I
know, but, of course, all discipline is
grievous, and you must not expect to
be quite free from failures
But why did you say that I must
learn to lover" asked Esperance, with
a little reluctance.
why, is not that the beginning of
everything? Your father must have
thought of the love as well as of the
faith when he spoke of all life being
happy"
: cel;1 qUi aiment Dieu,' repeated
Esperance, under her breath; and
Herewith came before her that vivid
ly remembered scene, when, walking
together on the moss-grown terrace
of the chateau, her father, had pre-
pared her for coming troubles. And
now all his pain was over, and he had
read the mystery right" She dwelt
for minute or two on the happiness
Of the last thought before turning to
her own difficulties. She was to
learn to love, Frances had said. Did
she really love her uncle, or CoTnelia,
or Christabel, or Bella? and was not
her love for Bertha still very feeble?
The questions were more easily than
satisfactorily answered, and with a
great sigh she hurried back to make
the most of the present.
Il had forgotten your head; let me
stroke it again
Frances, fully understanding, al
lowed her to Go so Tor few minutes,
then drew her down to be fondled in
her turn, saying, half playfully, at
the same time, And never say again
to me that no one cares or I shall
take it as a personal insult"
What a luxury that little bit of
demonstration was! After all, Esper-
ance had good del Of what Cornelia
called the Spoiled baby" in her, and
it was the hunger for the tender ca
ressing love she had been used to,
which had been gnawing at her heart
for the last six months.
After time, eager footsteps were
heard outside, and with a hurried
knock little Kathie burst into the
room
To be continued.