News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-01-07

perience. She did not love the people
because all her life had been so far
devoted to love of the things that
had surrounded her social position.
mo, | do not think you are to blame.
But, oh, Lucia, could you not learn to
love them? Gould you not come with
me and let the future
Il could not pretend" she began,
with return of her proud attitude.
81 do not ask you to pretend. If
you love me. will not all the rest be
possible|
She was silent a moment. Then sud
denly she looked up and said frankly:
u would not be true to you If | kept
anything back. l not only do not love
the people as you do, but | do not see
why you should sacrifice your life to
them, as you plan to do. | cannot see
that you will accomplish anything"
"And is accomplishment the great
| and only thing? Is there nothing in
being or in striving regardless of ac-
complishment? But | cannot argue
the matter. If you love me enough,
Luella, all the rest will follow; if you
don't, it will all be useless to you"
She still looked at him with the I'M
certain, disturbed air that had marked
her manner when he first began to talk
to her, only the look had deepened in
to an expression of doubt and painful
unrest.
81 do not see the need of all you plan
TO do. l do not see the need" she said
slowly.
You would not have to see that if
you only loved me-" he replied in low
tone and there was a hopelessness in
it that had not been present before.
He stood looking at her, and suddenly
he added:
LET us be entirely frank, Luella,
that we may not misunderstood You
shrink from the thought of living in
place like Hope House; you hesitate to
commit your future to me because OF
the physical losses, the absence in our
future of these physical luXuries we
have both known, into which we have
been born-is that it? Your love for me
is not strong enough to make this loss
seem insigni1cant-is that trueY"
1t was Il blunt question, and he pur-
posely put it bluntly, perhaps more so
than was fair to her. over her face
the color deepened, and she evidently
felt the implied reproach in his sum
ming up of her hesitation.
THAT is not quite the truth"
"a part of it?'
you have no right to force such a
question upon me-"
Il have a right to know the whole
truth"
you would not understand"
81 would understand everything if
you loved me enough to go with me
without question"
Love does not mean being unrea-
sonable"
eyes, Luella, it does, at least this
far-that love will trust where it can
not always give reasons"
She was silent again.
He took a step nearer.
"Luella, one question only: If I de-
eide that l must go to live in Hope
House. will you go with me? Or
will you refuse on account of the phys
zeal and social loss?"
She looked at him steadily at first,
although her color deepened and her
lips trembled.
you have no right to ask such
question"
Il have-the right of a man who
loves you"
"Then | will say not go. not for the
reason you think, but
1T is not necessary to explain" John
Gordon answered sadly. "Luella, it is
plain to Me that you do not love me-"
You have no right to make any such
testw she exclaimed passonately.
She stood up and faced him proudly,
and he simply looked into her eyes
moment and then turned and walked
out of the room. This time he did not
look back AS he closed the door, Luel-
la Marsh fell upon her knees by the
side of the table eXclaiming:
'God pity me. God have mercy!'
John Gordon went out of the house
calmly enough, although his heart was
torn with passionate conflict. AS the
current of the city swept him Oh. there
surged up in his soul hot anger that
he had ever loved this woman WAC
could not have the test of faith in the
man who loved her. But it was at this
crisis that his real religious experience
rescued him from wreck. Had il MOI
been for that this story had never bee
told. But as he went his way that day
his anger fell, and in its place there
grew up tender memory that left Nc
room for harsh judgment.