The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-07-20

of NalmerS place the other day! Val
mer was out in front of his saloon, |
and he said % one of his customers: i
don't care for all the other prohibition |
cranks in Conrad except that preacher |
Kirk. He has a way Of getting his |
church members to believe as he does
and if they begin to vote that way ]
didn't hear any more, but that bit of
speech ought to be encouraging. We
will never give UP this fight, will we
Mr.. Kirk p
'No; we will never give it up," re.
piled Malcom, with the same feeling
at heart that he had when he said to
Mrs. Barton, mo; l will never give
him [Philipl up."
He walked slowly, and Dorothy
knew the moment he entered the room
that something unusual had happened.
Malcom could never conceal his emo
tionS.
He took out the letter that Carver
had given back to him and held it out
to Dorothy.
'It has not been mailed. l doubt If
it ever ought to be-" he said simply,
but his face was pale, and his lip quiv-
cred under his intense excitement, for
he was stirred deeply by the events of
the day.
what does it mean? Dorothy asked
as she took the letter, looking at Nal
com and letting the letter fall from
her hand upon the table near which
she had been sitting.
'It means-I think-yes, l am sure
it means that l must stay here. Nei-
ther my heart nor my mind has any
real joy in the thought of leaving my
work here. Dorothy, l cannot leave
without seeming to myself, to my
church, to the citizens, to all my
friends here, to be guilty of running
away from my duty because of hard
ship. l cannot persuade myself that
the Lord wants me to preach with my
pen. l know as well as if he spoke to
me with an audible voice that he
wants me to speak to living men in
close contact with them, to bear their
burdens near by, to be one Of the multi
tude in the struggle for better world.
Especially l do not dare to silence the
conviction within me that l ought to
| stay by the temperance fight in Kansas
! just now. The Lord has seen fit to use
me to his glory in this great crisis for
| the cause of home and native land.
| Dorothy, if were only rich! If only
had the means to give you what you
ought to haver'
The last two sentences were sudden
ly wrung from him as he sat there
watching Dorothy, who had listened in
silence, her hands clasped in her lap
and her face, Malcom fancied, cold and
hard.
For the first and last time in his life
he was deceived in Dorothy.
She suddenly lifted her head and
smiled, while her eyes filed with tears
do you think, do you think, Malcom
that l could ever be proud Of you
again, ever feel satisfied if you acted a
part that was not true to your convic
tions? Do you think married you fol
your money!
81 always knew you never married
me for my good looks" replied Nal
com, with smile that revealed inward
joy, ''and you certainly did not marry
me for my money, for told you at the
time that l hadn't any. But, oh, Doro
thy, you know how long to do and bt
everything to you, don't your
Eyes, l know it very WELL" Dorothy
answered. She had come over to he
husband and the anxious look on hi
face had given way to one Of relief.
She had the letter to the Boston edi
tor in her hand. Malcom took it from
her.
j, eff we are not going to mail this
what do you think we ought to do will
. it?' he asked, looking at the stove sig
nificantly.
, Save the stamp, Malcom," said Dor
othy. You may need it If we are no
going to live in Boston"
, He tore off the corner Of the envelop
, where the stamp was and opened tn
stove door and threw the letter into tn
, fire.
$50 that settles it, said Malcon
gravely. There was pause in the Lii
, tie room. Il feel better" he added
looking steadily at his wife.
DO you?" said Dorothy gently. Sh
, kissed him. and they both seemed t
, remember their promise made In tn
little church. Dorothy knew wei
!, enough that for a man like Malcom t
, do anything that in the smallest dc
gree contradicted his conviction
meant for him continual torture o
mind. The minute she saw that b.
action in leaving Conrad meant tha
+ sort Of moral conflict she knew ther
q was only one course open to them, an
+ that was to stay in Conrad and battl
n out the life that duty called them t
;. live there.
}. In all this nothing but the great an
trustful love they felt for each othe
+ made possible such complete and vi
4 questioning change of plans that al
q fected their whole future. Malcor
would not have been the man he wa
a If he had not felt constrained to sta
in Conrad. Dorothy would not hav
q been the woman she was If, once set
:. Ing that her husbands moral strengt
+ depended on this decision, she had a
v tempted to argue him out Of 1t or ha
4 failed to accept the situation cheerful
and once for all.
:. So, then, these two children Of tt
r All Father, having settled thus simpl
I but decidedly this question, faced IL
Il life before them bravely and silentl
II and no one in Conrad knew until yea
f afterward how near they had come
l. losing two of the greatest souls tn;
d ever came into the place. Malcom ne
i. er told his church people. He simp
q picked up the thread Of his affectic