Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-11-03
two beWildered heads that turned
restIessIy even in sleep.
~hArrD M


the spell of her fathers teaching she
had the same shrinking, the same
feeling of horror that sensitive child
has OF the darkness. Her father and
his friends spoke Of history; they
talked of the rights OF the people;
they approved Of secret societies;
they saw nothing wrong in Fenianism,
in Nihilism, or any other ism which
displaced authority and gave power
into the hands of the mob. Martin
Ray had spoken of his plans to his
cOntederateS. They all agreed with
him. 1t was novelty to have a
beautiful young girl to lecture for
them, one on whose lips the very
honey of eloquence fingered. She was
brought into her fathers study where
several of his most intimate friends
assembled. 1t was trying ordeal for
SO young girl; one less sensible
would have been fiattered into com
pliance with their wishes. Leah
shuddered with dread. They were
grim-looking men, with determined
faces; in many instances with them
history meant murder, and the
rights of the people" assassination.
She could not understand half that
passed. Her fathers friends flattered
her, and told her that she would have
greater and wider influence than a
queen, and that she would live in the
hearts and memories of the people
forever. But she was frightened.
hos I'D sHrooY
strange words.
More than one man cried "Hush!"
when he saw the girls pale face; but
Martin Ray said that no one need fear
his daughter-she was one of them,
and would be stanch until death. So
they spoke freely before her, and she,
pale, proud, and reserved, wondered
that they did not see the difference
between what she was and what they
wanted.
There was no nobility in their aims,
no loftiness of purpose. The girls
heart grew sick and faint as she lis
tened, but her pale proud face gave
no indication of her thoughts
81 may soon die" said Martin Ray,
as he laid his hand upon his daugh-
ter's beautiful head, "and I have spent
my life for the people; but my spirit
will live in this girl, who has received
my doctrines from my own lips, and
who will add the splendor of her own
genius to my experience. l may live,
however, to see my daughter the
peoples idol-the peoples queen"
They asked Leah to give them a
specimen of her powers. She turned
to her father, with an appealing look
which he understood. 1t would have
been easier for her to die than to
speak before those stern, cold men.
mot yet, said Martin Ray, looking
proudly at his daughter Consider
ing the magnitude Of the interests
that will be committed to her charge,
it is only right that you should hear
her before she makes her first ap-
pearance in public. But she has much
to learn before then. She is not
ready yet"
Leah Ray had plenty of spirit-she
inherited it from the Hattons; but
with all her courage, she dared not
tell her father what was in her heart
She had been Indifferent at first as to
what she had to do; now she hated
and loathed it.
When, after midnight, her father
gave her permission to leave the
conclave, she went to Hettie. to seek
comfort and consolation.
II can never attempt it, my darl-
ing!" she sobbed. 90, Hettie! what
must do? 1t hate it all so. What
shall I do? My father will be so
angry when I tell him."
Her sister looked at her in helpless
compassion.
'It seems almost a pity that you
are so beautiful and so gifted, Leah"
said Hettie.
Leah stood by the window, her face
raised to the sky, where the golden
stars were shining.
"Do you remember Hettie," she
said, chow the three Hebrews prayed
in the fiery furnace. 1 am in
furnace of fire now. 1 stand between
my own hatred of what my father
wants me to do and my fathers anger
if I do not do it. Who will deliver
me from it? Who will take pity on
me? I am so helpless. l have no
friend. o, Hettie, Hettie! l feel l
must pray to Heaven to save me from
this furnace of fret"
my darling Leah, do not cry" re-
turned Hettie. eff you tell our father
taht you do not like the plans that he
has laid down for you, he will not
force you to follow them
But Leah had had a revelation of
her fathers character that evening
which had opened her eyes. She
knew that he would not spare her
that he would force her to comply
with his wishes; and, if she refused,
she had dim idea that he would
make her suffer.
81 wish mamma had lived, Hettie,"
she said; "she would have taken care
of us. She would never have allowed
father to force me to do anything
against nv will We should have