The Republican journal., 1901-03-14

spirit OF Jezabel. The excitement was
100 much, and resulted in partial para
iysls, although she regained her mental
Iacuitles she fingered for months a
helpiess invalid. Then it was that her
proud and stubborn will became crush
eo ana broken, for she was now depend.
ent. on Myrtle who proved to her what a
i9vng, unseltish spirit can do and bear.
Had she been to Myrtle all that a kind
uev0Ied mother could have been. MYRTLE
eoulu nave done no more for her COM
aorI ana relief. She was ministering
anger 10 one who had wronged and mis-.
Juogea ner. Had she, like Jane, been
seeKlng TOT revenge, she could not more
luny nave accomplished it, yet her
neaft held not single thoughtof that.
ner mlnd was OF too high grade. She
oniy longed TOT love, Or, at least, appre-
IlaIlon. Io the observer, who knew
Sane good work as neighbor and
lrlend, ~ seemed hard that so good a
women should suffer so,'' Are there
any who at times when witnessing smf,
Ierlng do not doubt the existence of
GOD? Was it not planned by infinite
wisdom that James physical suffering
was to bring out the good there was in
her? 'io ""' al
just as Myrtle needed the mental
trials to reveal the hidden genius all
the mental torture in the world could
not have developed it in Jane. She
would not have borne it meekly and
| Sllently, and there was no genius to need
that KIND OF suffering. No more would
the dlvlne Physician prescribe the same
treatment for every heart and mind
than would an earthly physician treat
| all patients alike. How strange that no
great thing can be accomplished with
out suffering, either mental or physical:
and who that has passed night of men
tai agony when the memory of wrong
and oppression could not be banished
from the heart and brain, would not
nave gladly exchanged it for the keen
est physical suffering, for from the lat
Ter there is a respite, and when it is
past rest is so sweet and we can for
get 1t all. Not so with mental suffering.
TOR when the silence of night has hush
ed all harsh voices and unkind words
memory with her fiery wand seems
burning them into heart and BRAIN
November, with gloomy skies, had
come. The bowling, moaning wind and
beating rain, like restless, tortured
souls, seemed seeking for entrance
where the freight sparkled and glowed
oPoll UllO uGdItll. Jane 11du
ley, like the outside elements Though
disturbed. Harold and Myrtle were
seated ON opposite sides of the couch
watching for the coming of the death
| angel, for each felt that he was lowering
| near As the day neared it's close, the
wind ceased, the horizon cleared, and
| the last golden rays of sunset not only
shed their glory over the outside world,
| but lovingly sought the invalids couch,
softly bathed her brow and careSsed her
restless hands. Under its soothing in
f1uence the perturbed spirit of the dying
woman (ere with the last sunset ray it
| faded from visible view returned to
earth, shining like the Illuminated sky,
| brighter, purer in the few brief mo-
| ments of parting than had ever been
manifested in all her earth life. ''Har-
old, Myrtle" she whispered, Il have
made my peace with heaven. Can you,
too, forgive the wrong and injustice
that my selfishness prompted? You,
Harold, was all | had, and | could not
yield you to another. In envy and jeal-
ousy determined to separate you and
Myrtle. God punished me. and in my
affiiction and helplessness led me to see
myself with shame and loathing. ] saw
| my life in comparison with that of your
| innocent, sinless Myrtle, who in return
for wrong and unkindness has with pa
! tience ard untiring devotion ministered
to my every need, thus revealing the
true Christian martyrs spirit. Can
you not, Harold, in some degree, atone
| for my sins by making her life bright
and happy. In my blindness to your
own good | taught you in childhood to
think first of self; now with my dying
breath l beseech you to place Myrtle's
| happiness before your own; no sacrifice
that you can make for her can ever
equal what in heart and soul she has
sacrificed that our home might not be
broken and lives separated
To Myrtle, those last words from the
once proud, tyrannical woman-now so
humble and meek-seemed to blot out
forever all the cruel past. She saw
only the patient loving friend leaving
her never tY return, and in a voice
broken by sobs whispered, as she kissed
nothing to forgive Do not leave us
alone. Ask the Father to let you some
times come to us, that we may feel and
know that you are with us. Come, as
you seemed to come from death tonight
at the sunset hour; stay with us through
the twilight, and when Gods hand
places in the heavens his evening lamps
; let us read your message in the evening
star" Il will come" she family whis.
pered, Il know that God will let me dc
anything | ask for you" Then after
one convulsive clasp, the hands that each
had held relaxed their pressure the
last ray of sunset had faded-and all
was still. The impression left on the
mind of each was one never to be effac-
ed. 1t awakened in Harold thoughts
and feelings new and strange. He now
saw the past as Jane had seen it, at the
closing of life's portals, and thanked
the Father that to him the revelation
had come sooner, and silently prayed
that his life might be spared to, as fa1
as possible, atone for the past. With a
cOnvulsive sob he released the lifeless
hand, closed the sightless eyes, and
arose from the kneeling posture which
he had kept during the closing scene,
that he might not lose one whispered
word. Trembling with emotion, he
passed his arm around Myrtle and led
her from the room. Myrtle realized, in
that moment, depth of love and ten
| derness in Harold that she had never
| before known-no, not even when he
| first told his love to her by those sacred
mounds at Riverside cemetery. 1t
| bridged over the chasm that had been
Cln rlyr lint