Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-06-18
VICTORY
BY BERTHA NJ. CLAY.
CHAPTER NXXV.

lINiildlA pdNNlDll, III llt IDlilHlff, AIt ltNfls
he poetry of her heart and soul were aroused.
Her love took her out Of herself, transform
ID and TRANSPORTED her, softened and beauti-
led her. She was not NJ those who could
owe moderately. and if one attachment was
lot satisfactory, take refuge in another. For
such as her there was but one love, and it
would make on mar her life.
Had Sir Nane st. Lawrence been merely n
handsome man she would never have cared
for him; but his soul and mind had mastered
her. He was a noble gentleman. princely in
his tastes and culture, generous, pure, gifted
with an intellect magnificent in itself, and
cultivated to the highest degree Of perfec-
ton. The innate nobility OF his character at
once influegced her. SAC acknowledged its
superiority; she bowed her heart and soul
before 1t, proud of the very chains that
bound her.
How small and insignificant everything
else now appeared! Even the loss Of Oar
rell Court seemed triiling 10 her. Life had
suddenly assumed another aspect. She was
In an unknown land she was happy beyond
everything that she had ever conceived or
imagined II possible TO be. 1t was a quiet,
subdued happiness, one that was dissolying
her pride rapidly as the sunshine dissOlves,
GhbN ilhIIlliNHo AldA Ndo lblllhAillE WI the
angles Of her character, that was taking
away scorn and defiance, and bringing sweet
and gracious humility, wOmanly grace and
tenderness In their stead.
While Sir Nanc was studying her Is the
most difficult problem he had ever met with
he heard from Miss Hastings the story Of her
life. He could understand how the innate
strength and truth Of the girls character
had rebelled against polite insinccIitlcs and
conventional untruths: he could understand
that a soul so gifted, pure, and eager. could
find no resting place and no delight; he
could understand, too, how the stately old
baronet, the gentleman OF the old school,
had been frightened at his niece's originality,
and scared by her mconpromising love OF
truth.
Miss Hastings, whose favOrite theme in
Paulinc's absence was praise of her, had
told both mother ami son the story OF Sir Os-
wald'S project and its failuTe-hOw Pauline
would have been mistress OF Darrell Court
and all her umcle'S immense wealth If she
would but have compromised matters and
have married Aubrey Langton.
~'Langton?' questioned Sir Vane. II
know him-that is | have heard Of him; but
cannot remember anything more than that
he is a great rolie, and a man whose word Is
never 10 be believed"
Then my pupil was right in her estimate
of his character said Hiss Hastings. "She
seemed to guess ii by instinct. She always
treated him with the utmost contempt and
scorn. ! have often spoken 10 her about It"
"You may rely upon il, Miss Hastings. that
the instinct OF a good woman, IN the opinion
she forms OF Llen, Is rcyer wrong" observed
Sir Nane, gra'H!y and then he turned to
Lady ST. Lawrence with the sweet smile his
face always wore for her.
Mother" he said, gently, 'after hearing
of such herOism as that, you must not be an
CRY about Lillith Davenant again"
THAT is "A very different matter" opposed
Lady ST. Lawrence; but it seemed to her son
very much the same kind of thing.
Before he had known Pauline long ne was
not ashamed 10 own TO himself that he loved
her far better than all the world beside-that
life for him, unless she would share IT. was
all blank and hopeless. She was to him as
part OF his Own soul, the center Of his eXis.
tence; he knew she was beautiful beyond
most women, he believed her noble and truer
than most of women had ever been. His
faith in her was implicit; he loved her as
only noble men are capable OF loving.
AS time passed on his influence over her
became unbounded. Quite -unconsciousiy to
herself she worshiped him; -unconscl0u;iy to
herself her thoughts, her ideas, all took their
~coloring from his. She who had delighted
in cynicisln, whose beautiful lips had uttered
such hard and cruel words, now took from
him a broader, clearer, kinder view of man
kind and human nature. III at times the old
habit was too strong for her, and some biting
sarcasm would fall from her, some cold Gym
zeal sheer, he would reprove her quite fear
lessly.
'You are wong, Miss Darrell quite
wrong" he would say. "The noblest men
have not been those who sneered at their fell
low-men, but those who have done their best
TO aid them. There is little nobility in a
deriding spirit"
And then her face would flush. her lips
culver, her eyes take the grieyed expression
of a child who has been hurt.
Can | help it," she would say, "when l
hear what is false?'
Your ridicule will not remedy it." no
would reply. You must take a broader,
more kindly view of matters. You think
Mrs. Leigh deceitful, Mrs. Vernon worldly;
but my dear Miss Darrell, do you remember
this, that in every woman and man there is
something good, something 10 be admired,
some grand or noble quality? Itmay be half
hidden by faults, but ii Is there, and for the
sake OF the good we must tolerate the bad.
No one is all bad. Men and women are, aft
er all, created by God; and there is some
trace of the Divine image left in every one"
This was a new and startling theory to the
girl who had looked down with contempt
not unmixed with scorn on her fellow-creat-
ures-judging them by a standard 10 which
few ever attain.
And you really believe there Is some
thing good in every one?'' she asked.
something not merely good, but noble.
My secret conviction Is that in every soul
there is the germ OF something noble, even
though circumstances may never call ii forth.
As You grow older and see more of the
world, you will know that | am right"
Il believe your she cried, eagerly. II
always believe every word you sayg'
Her face flushed at the warmth of her
words.
'You do me justice" he said. ~ nave
faults by the million, but want of sincerity Is
not among them"
So, little by little, love redeemed Pauline,
took away her faults, and placed virtues i'm
their stead. Ii was almost marvellous 10 note
how all sweet, womanly graces am TO her,
how the proud face cleared and grew tender,
how pride died from the dark eyes, and a
glorious loye-lIght came in its stead, how she
became patient and gentle, cOnsiderate and
thoughtful, always nxiou TO avoid giving
pain to others. Ii would have been difficult
for any one to recognize the brilliant. willful
Pauline Darrell In the loving, quiet, thought
full girl whom love had transformed into
something unlike her.sif.
There came q new world TO her, a new
life. Instead OF problems difficult 10 solve,
life became full of sweet and gracious har-
monies, full OF the very warmth and light Of
Heaven, full OF unuttenble beauty and hap
piness; her soul reveled in il, her heart was
filled with II.
All the poetry, the romance, had com true
may, more than true. Her girlish dreams
had not shown her such happiness as that