The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-12-26

reeled back as If she had struck him,
*:My Uncles wife: You, SO young; so
beautiful, welded to him. H..
THE noblest, truest heart on EARTH"
she said warmly; think what I owe
him. My mothers prolonged life, her,
comfort for years, my own happy home,
Allies health and joyous childhood-all,
all that ami owe your Uncle. God
helping me, I will be to him a true:
faithful wife"
But not loving one. You did not
know your own heart when you promis-
ed. Does your Leart throb for him as
it dose for me? Does your cheek flush
at his step as at mine? Does your eye
light for him as for me? am cox
comb-a fool, if you will, to urge this,
out you love me, Meta. AS my heart
tells me it's own tale, it tells yours
you dare not be false to it, You love
| me, Meta?'
On, the yearning agony of the ques-
ton. Even my heart thrilled to it.
What wonder, then, that she faltered
and trembled-she, whose pure heart
was an unconscious traitor to it's VOWS
Yet strong and true, faithful even in
that hour, she put back the temptation,
and spoke, clearly: "You forget your
self strangely; go, I would be alone"
Yet once again he urged his suit,
kneel1ng to her, pressing his burning
lips to her hands, pleading-praying out
or his great love; but she stood firm
through all, still and white, with those
steady dark eyes looking reproof into
| his, defy1ng her own heart to rebel. till
madened by her cold firmness, he sud-
denly dashed from the room, past me,
into the air, rushing forward, blindly,
.recklessly. She stood for a. moment
where he left her; then, with a wailing
cry of Edgar, Edgar" she threw her
self on the floor sobbing out the whole
weight Of that hours agony.
And I, slowly, heavily, with 1aggard
footsteps and sick heart, I went my
lonely way homeward. All night I lay
heavily, wearing out the hours in bit
! terest agony Of heart, with no ray Of
comfort, no CLEAN of hope Morning
round me again looking forward This
was but boys love Of Edgar's, that
could be conquered by time, mine was
| the boarded passion of a long life-his
| was transient love of three months
growth, mine the well-founded attach
| ment of years. would send him away
again to forget, while she, she would
return again to me were he absent. A
fools dream, but I was loving fool.
so when, pale and haggard, my hand
some boy presented himself to ask for
! permission to return to Europe I gave
it gladly and promptly, and dropped no
comment on his plans or altered looks.
he took a sadly affectionate leave of
| me, left with sick smile his farewell
for his Aunt Meta" and left me-
said no word to Meta of our nup-
tlals. l saw by her pale face and added
tenderness of manner how she suffered
and how she blamed her own heart. but
only sought, by renewed kindness and
love, to win her back to the old peace
tul happines, and link her heart with
her hand to mine. All the long summer
months, [ saw her grow paler, but.
| marked too show she battled her love.
L knew she would be, as she had said,
my true. faithful wife, but never my
I loiXlng ne lis UGH love as a child gives
its parent; as a WARD her: guar ian, She
T gave me freely; such love as a. woman
owes her husband, as gave her. she
could never return to me-
Slowly, reluctantly, admitted this
truth to my heart, striving against it
| every inch Of the way. Was is not that
once before, in the heydey Of my youth,
1 had crushed my own heart to make
way for another, exiled myself from the
sunshine of my life that another might
find life in it's beams but now, when
Old age was creeping on me, I must
go down lonely and uncheered, that a
young heart might add my one hope to
its overlooking cup of life's treasures.
The struggle was bitter one Early
| winter found me still undecided, but
after one night of fierce temptation T
wrote to Edgar.
Again Christmas was coming with its
memories, and asked my child if she
would be welded. on Christmas eve.
She neither shuddered nor turned
pale, only lifted her large truthf,x eyes
to mine, and said, softly: II will be
your wife whenever you will"
MY heart felt ashamed for it's selfish
struggles, as it read the triumph this
young girl had achieved over, it's temp
tat!on, but. only kissed the broad
forehead and softly thanked her.
In the parlor of the little cottage, the
| pastor waited for the bridal party. 1t
was Christmas eve, and Molly and
Allie were the guests hidden to the
wedding. I waited below for my bride:
AS she came to my side in her pure
white raiment, the starry orange
blossoms browning her fair face the
long shadowy veil falling round he,
graceful figure, I put back my pas
s1onate yearning to clasp her close for
ever, and drew her from the parlor door
into the little room across the entry.
There in some words can not recall,
l told her of my unseen vigil on that
April evening, Of Edgar's constancy, Of
my own remuneration. I called him
from his watch outside to clasp their
hands together, to hear her sob Of new
nj a.