The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-07-24
for these two, to whom love meant so

Tor these two, TO whom love meant so
much. Some people take this sort Of
thing easily and some not so easily,
but love for woman like this comes
once only to a man. and then he car
ries ii with him through the length of
his life and warns his heart with it in
death. And when man smiles or
snecrs Mt such love rs this pity him
and say no word. for my speech would
be in an unknown tongue. SO my
heart was sore as | So a91oEing up at
this woman who stoad before me, over
flowing with the jcF of hor new love.
and duly conscious of the coming
pain. But soon found it was vain to
ur"e my opinion that she should re-
main and share the work and life of
the man she loved. She only answer
ed:
You will help him MI you can, for 1t
will hurt him TO have me go"
The quivcr in her voice took out all
the anger from my heart, and before l
knew had pledged myself to do all l
could to help him.
But wien | came upon him that
night. sitting in the light of his fire, l.
saw he must be let alone. Some bat
ties we fight side 10y side. with COM
radcs cheering us and being chcered to
victory, but there are fights we may
not share, and these are deadly fights,
where lives are lost and won. So |
could only lay my hand upon his shoul-
der without Il word. He looked up
quickly, read my face and said, with a
groan:
You know?"
Il could not help it. But why
groan?'
"She will think it right to CO." he
said desperately.
"Then you must think for her. You
must bring some common sense to bear
upon the question"
Il cannot see clearly yet" he said.
"The light will come"
May | show you how l see it?" l
asked.
Go on" he said.
For an hour talked. eloquently. even
vehcmently, urging the reason and
right of my opinion. She would be do
ing no more than every woman does, no
more than she did before. Her moth
er-in-law had a comfortable home, all
that wealth could procure good scrv-
ants and friends. The estates could be
managed without her personal super
vision. After a few years work here
they would go east for little Marjorie's
education. Why should two lives be
broken? And so | went on.
He listened carefully, even eagerly.
You make Il good case" he said,
with a slight smile. Il will take time.
Perhaps you are right. The light will
come. Surely it will come. But" and
here lie sprang up and stretched his
arms to full length above his head, Il
am not sorry. Whatever comes | am
not sorry. 1t is great to have her love,
but greater to love her rs DO. Thank
God, nothing can take that away. | am
willing, glad, TO suffer for the joy Of
loving her"
Next morning before l was awake be
was gone, leaving note for me:
Ny Dear C0uuor-T am due at the Land
Ing. When / see You again, l think M
way will Doe C.! ..r. Now all is dark. 1T
times ! an a coward and 0"au, as YOU
sometimes kindly inform me. ass. but
hope | may move" become q NE.
l am willing 10 g.. led. or W.T. to be at
any rate. l iaust 10 the best. not second
best. for her for me. The best only is
Gods will. What else would you have?
Ee good to her these days. dear old fellow.
Yours. CRAIG.
How often those words have braccd
me he will never know, but am bet
ter man for them: The best only is
Gods will. What else would you
have" | resolved | would rage and
fret no more and that | would worry
Mrs. MayOr with no more argument or
eXpoStulation, but, as my friend had
asked, "be good to her"
To BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.