Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-07-22

an angel had touched her standing
there, and life's suffering had passed
from her. life's struggles and pain. and
left only the touch Of heavenly fingers
upon the eyes and mouth.
One Of her slow. radiant smiles
broke the sadness Of her face as She
laid her hand upon the hand on her
arm as she said softly. a new intona-
ton even In the low voice:
You mustn't be so good to me.
Charlie; / ought to suffer alone some
times. You cannot realize how much
deserve It,"
He laid his other hand warmly over
this soft hand on his arm, a new light
on his face. and in his eyes that
caused sudden dropping of the face
in the light Of the sunset.
You deserve to suffer-" there was
an intensity in his voice born from
watching the suffering on her face.
and from the suffering in his own soul
You deserve to suffer. Dolores John
son. II there is need for your suffer
ing how much more should I suffer
who was equal with you in thinking
the unkind thoughts7 Come away
from this terrible place. Dolores
leave all these old bitter memories
here in the weird shadows and mists
TO my keeping, tell me you love me as
1 love you-give me the answer to the
question l asked so long ago, Loire.
under the light of your heavens, I'M
der the tender light Of your stars ere
you left me for your new life and pos
sible forgetfulness."
She met his eyes gravely and square
ly, though the new light of tenderness
was still In them as she said, slowly,
with almost her old slovness:
THE happiness of mans life does
not altogether depend on the love OF
a woman. Charlie"
ITO a great extent, darling"
But even If I should TELL you no.
you would be happy after a while,
Charlie. Time heals everything"
Not everything, Lorie"
Yes, everything" she said, decid-
edly- You know that time heals ev-
erything. Charlie-even the old pain
of unforgiyeness-"
"Hushl" he said, swiftly, and his
hands on both her arms as he held
her facing him. were trembling with
the wish to hold her free from pain.
You. are never to say such things
again, dearest Let those things pass.
You have suffered enough for them,
and God will lay His great tenderness
over them"
She was silent moment, as though
reading his Utmost thought, the lifted
eyes grave and searching and tender.
Then she turned from the gruesome
chasm buried at her feet in its treach-
erous shroud OF mist, and said, softly,
with a tenderness that touched him
deeply:
God is very good. Charlie. I can
not doubt his tenderness. All my life
will leave in his hands as you say
all my life, past as well as future"
Then presently she added:
LET US go, Charlie. l leave here
buried in the heart of His mountains
the bitterness that has Swallowed not
only my life but the lives of those
who love me- The mountains are His
and my life is His
But as they paused for an instant
on the rotten bridge with the waters
sobbing at their feet, black with the
slime and smoke Of the town. she laid
her hand earnestly upon his arm. and
lifting her grave face to his. flushing
with its new tenderness, she added.
softly:
you have been so good to me al
ways. Charliel Are you sure-sure
you dc want nobody but that girl of
Johnsor's2 I come with empty hands.
you know"
He smiled into the quivering face
and wide, searching eyes and he an
swered her, taking her two hands in
his closely as though he would never
again let them go from him:
II am sure, sure that l want you.
Dolores Johnson. more than any wom-
an in Gods beautiful world Your
hands may be empty hands. but they
are beautiful in the work they do and
have done for others, for even these
cruel people here who would have
ruined your sweet life. and the woman
who, now your uncle's wife, would
have stained her hands forever for the
darkening of your heart"
And what could she say? And the
lights of the sunset were very tender
over them as they crossed the bridge
and passed up along the road through
the settlement where the changes Of
her working had given an air of neat
ness and home life and widening of
view. with it's school and church and
kindly touch OF neighborliness: and as