The record-union., 1898-05-01
NSs} ~ Swift's Specific.

living, but one day the news came that
he was married and the dream was put
away with the bunch of withered aza-
leas; and the joy of life was hers
never again.
Never a kiss from husbands lips,
Nor the clasp of Il childS sweet finger
would be hers; for hers was one of
those natures that once to love is al
ways to love. None but her Maker
ever knew how deeply that love, which
she had, by her own act, put out OF
her life, had grown into her being.
twisting and twining around every
fiber of her nature. None but He ever
ever knew of the sleepless nights, and
the bitter, hopeless tears shed over its
ashes. Although she mourned over her
lost love. she never regretted her action
in the matter, nor rallied at destiny over
her fate; for with her the watchword
of life was duty. But even when the
spirit is willing the flesh is often, oh! !
how often, so weak The hardest fought
battles of life are between self and
desire. From the dawn of reason till
the close of life the contest is waged.
For a while things went on as usual.
boys, never a very strong child. fel
sick. The doctor said the air was too
light for hirn.s Without loss of time
she gave up her school and went to
| San Francisco, where we find her still
at the telling of this story. She was
fortunate in getting the position of
bookkeeper in a large firm; then She
moved the family down. but the change
ca lat fA hor 4
he was soon laid to rest beside his
mother and father.
To the woman sitting there in her
loneliness, with tear-dimmed eyes
came the thought if he had lived. would
he have done as the others had? Her
heart answered, no, for of all the chill
dren he was the most like her. If he
had lived things might have been diff
| ferent. They might, and they might
! not. The crucible of experience is the
only certain test of love or friendship
Then, besides, the one that is gone we
too often endow with qualities that he
never possessed, and invest with virtues
that never were his. Dwelling on a
sorrow increases its magnitude, and
mourning over lost loved one We soon
lead ourselves to believe. what we have
so often heard. that when death comes
among us he always takes for his own
the flower of the flock.
The woman sorrowed for her brother
as mother would for her child. The
maternal instinct that grievously for
the lamb is fast dying out of the boz
SONS ofsour women, was strong in her
and found its outlet in the love and
care she gave her brothers and sisters
Thank God, there are a few like her
among u.s. and some of them are moth
ers.
The year after her brothers death
the sister went teaching; the next she
was married. 1t was almost as much
of shock to the woman as her broth
er's death had been. For she never
dreamed but what after educating her
that she would in turn help with the
younger ones; but doing as she had been
done by, had no part or plan in her
nature. She got. a. good chance. and
she took It,. One has to look ont for
herself in this world or get left" was
the answer she gave, when some one
asked her why she did not wait awhile ;.
that II was her place now to help take
care of the children; and share the
burden with her sister Her nature
was ike a sponge that will readily alb
sorb all 1t can, but will yield nothing
except under pressure.
she neither advised nor consulted
With the sister. who had given to her
with the others the most precious
thlngs OF life-a love and her youth
besides all else
The sisters home was in Oregon Only
once had she seen her since. The wo-
man had standing invitation from
her to come and make her a long visit
sometime. and that was all
The sister felt fully the dignity that