The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-02-21

words. A for her right, we must re-
member every minute in the day that
God has given her that right as-as
Gervis' wife,"
Bravely the words came, but they
wrung the heart of the gentle speaker.
"And. Syb, can't you take it in, once
and for all, that we are not sent into
the world to snatch at as much hap
piness and s~elf-pleasing as we can? In
order to copy Il dear Lord. even
family, we must each give up some
thing, and go on giving up until the
end comes. If Gervis had not given
up his-his wishes, the old home would
have been wrecked, his parents would
have been beggars. IL think it a
great thing to sacrifice all yourself for
those dear and near. syb, 1 could give
up anything for you"
Fore me? Could you, Leila? Such
a miserable, humpy. crooked little
thing as II"
Syb's lips quivered.
What matters it whether our bodies
are straight Or crooked? It is our
souls that will live by and by in Para
disc, If they are straight and true, the
homes of pure thoughts and gentle
deeds. Oh, Syb, try and cast out that
passionate nature of yours. And when
Gervis brings home his bride, let us
be loving and kind to her, a stranger
amid us all-think of it,"
But shall you, Leila?" Syb stared.
Shall you really. welcome her and be
nice to her-you?" she demanded,
wonderstruck at such a possibility.
God helping me, I SHALL" gravely
sad Leila, and she meant it.
1t was not that her old love for
Gervis had died a sudden death: but
because he was now the husband of
another woman, bound to love and
care for her until death them did
part" that Leila could put him out
of her life, save Is the man who had
saved his old home and his parents
from earthly ruin.
1t Gervis could attain to such a sac
rif1ce as he had made. could she her.
self not initiate his self-abnegation in
her life? And the passion-distraught
little sister must be brought round
somehow, and taught to welcome the
new conner into the family.
1t was a difficult task to persuade the
untamable spirit. Though Syb was but
thirteen years of age, she had a grown
up mind and n as distorted as her
poor little body.
Il should like to see her lying dead
that American grill" said the deformed
girl when Leila's persuasive voice
ceased. You see,'' went on Syb. eff
she were dead, Gervis would have all
her money, of course, and he could
marry you"
Leila groaned. This horrible, in
human wish was the only result Of her
efforts to soften the ungoverned heart.
That's why I keep on wishing
something would happen to them!"
vehemently insisted Syb.
Happen to whom?" Lady James
voice startled the sisters, and Syb slip
ped off Leila's knee. 1--we just had a
wire from Gervis They are in London
and will be here today" she went on
hurriedly. And they are bringing a
friend with them, a Mr.. Ansdell. l
fancy it is the same man who saved
the whole train, you remember, from
a terrible fire in the midst of the prai-
ries."
Eyes. 'Ansdell' was that mans name,
dear aunty," said Leila, "a %well-known
scientist, Geryis said he was"
Leila spoke the name of her lover
she had lost i'll a controlled, calm voice.
The help she had sought was vouch-
safed her abundantly.
well we must be good to him in
that case. But our house has been
filling up this week until there's hard
ly a decent room left for this stranger.
And, Leila, my dear, I want your help
again. Our arrangements are not
quite finished"
Lady Jane rushed off as rapidly as
she had come.
There was to be a large party of old
and young on Christmas night at Tenn
ple-Dene. For years there had been
almost no entertaining in the partially
ruined home. The Christmas gather
ing was, therefore, looked forward to
by the neighborhood with keen expec-
tation.
ut is to be quite an old-fashioned
Christmas party, with a tree and blind
mans buf and romps-neither more
nor less" Lady Jane warned them.
1T should have been, properly speak
ing, on Christmas eve; but our dear
young people will not arrive until that
day, SO our merry-making must be on
the twenty-ffth."
It was late afternoon when the fam
lily carriage, newly furnished, came up
the sleeps from the roadside station,
and reached the Temple-Dene avenue
of tall frs, whose stately trunks were
redding in the suns dying glare.
We're at home now, GLADLY! We're
on u own land at last. Welcome,
dear wife, to Temgle-D ene!"
Gervis bent forward and lifted in his
the little hands lying listlessly on
Gladys lap. Perhaps, II they two
had been alone. he would have kissed
his welcome as we'll as said it; but they
were not alone. From a corner Of the
roomy old carriage a pair Of dark rest
less eyes roved over the snow-covered
landscape. @
GLADLY. at her husbands words, lift
ed her head to look out also, and II
was startling to note how she. had al.
tered. There was a peculiarly wasted
appearance and an unutterable ~listless.
ness not natural in n SO young. II