The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-03
CONTINUED from Last Sundays News.)
CHAPTER XVIII
UNDERGRADUATES

UNDERCU RHENIS.
That evening the View. Arthur Ham
merly sat by his study table trying
TO fix his mind upon the sermon he
was writing, but it would wander in
spite of himself to the scene in court,
peculiarly trying to one of his sensi-
bilities; for he could but pity the pale,
shrinking woman whose trials were
laid bare to the public gaze, and he
could but pity the one who had lost
TIE suit. whether guilty or innocent,
FOR his heart was a merciful one. So
wnen a timid knock came to his ears
he welcomed it as a diversion from
troublesome thought, and wheeled from
the table just as a lady entered in re-
Spouse to his invitation. 1t was Mrs.
Hamilton.
The minister arose and bowed has
tily and in some confusion.
This is an unexpected pleasure" he
was about to say, but changed it to
visit when he saw her anguish-stricken
face.
Can 1 do anything for your" he said
earnestly II will if can.
"Oh. 1 don't know, 1 don't know"
she cried. Il came to you, for I have
no one else to go to. L want some one
good, and I know of no one but you"
II am not very wise nor good" he
said gently, but 1 will do my best to
aid you in any way that I can"
II cont know that you can aid me,
or anyone can. l don't know what to
shocked the past week have
heard such dreadful things said
about my conduct, and you may think
me very wicked. But indeed l am
not. I have tried to do just right,
and she looked up piteously as child
might into the minister's face. Never
before had he seen her stirred from
her usual queenly bearing, and the
sight moved him as nothing else
could.
at know it," he said, soothingly; "you
have tried to do just right. But may
you not have been mistaken"
mo. 1 am not mistaken. 1 am
more firmly convinced than ever. 1
know he is not my husband, and
nothing shall induce me to say other
wise
How can you be so sure?"
How can 1 be so sure? You never
loved, or you would know. But take
the dearest person you know, and
think whether if he went away and
returned ever so much changed, you
would not know him, or whether an
other person could impose upon you
in place of this one. Why, 1 think
souls call to each other at times. [
should know my husbands soul in any
body If he claimed me. l did not know
at first because he did not recognize
me, but when he did I was sure. l
tried not to be precipitate, but all the
time l knew-knew."
"Ah, but the other man looks more
like your husband"
"Ah, but his soul is stranger to
my SOUL" and she looked up in an
earnest. almost wild manner, that
touched him greatly.
DO you mean to appeal for another
trial?"
NO" 1t would do no good"
Then what can be done?'
II don't know, unless you appeal to
him"
II appeal to him."
Yes, to the man who has fraudulent
ly got possession of our home. You
are good man, and might know of
some way to touch his heart. You are
very persuasive, very eloquent"
But if he is such a man as you
think him?"
still, there is some vulnerable place
In his soul. There is in every one, ]
think. To doubt it would be to doubt
the good Father. Would He, do you
think, allow any of His creatures to
be so depraved that they could not BE-
redeemed from sin? This man must
be the twin brother of my husband,
and he must have good in his nature
still; for his parents were good people,
and wicked environment cannot quite
change, quite pervert, a noble nature,
can it?"
Perhaps not. Still you cannot con-
ceive of the difference between good
bringing up and the reverse. Before 1
came here was engaged in missionary
work that brought me into contact
he cd
actually had no conception of good
ness, no belief in a better life If
people seemed good they deemed it
hypocrisy. They would laugh to scorn
any appeals to conscience, for they
literally seemed to have none Such
people deserve the profoundest pity"
But he is not like that He is edu-
Gated, he is capable of affection; my
children love him. and he appears to
love them. He has noble impulses
Such a man can be appealed to. When
you consider that he was stolen by
wicked people, as, of course, they must
have been, and subjected to evil teach
ing; when you consider that he be-
came engaged in criminal acts that
brought him into antagonstic relations
to the public laws, that he might have
been driven here for refuge,-you may
be able to conceive that where an out
let offered him he might accept it."
Mrs. Hamilton. you are the one to
make the appeal"
oh l cannot There is a reserve
between us that no words of mine can
bridge When in his presence
| forget everything but that
he has robbed me of happi-
ness. At other times 1 can think of
him as unfortunate and to be pitied."
II will talk with him, then, for you,
and do what I cam" said the minis
ter.
oh, thank you, thank you!" she
said gratefully. II sometimes think
there was never so unhappy a woman
as l. Torn from my husband. and for
hidden to mourn, because the belief
Is general that he is not my husband.
And to be called unfaithful-I, the
most faithful of wivesl"
1t is, indeed. hard" said the min
lister. Whether right or wrong in
your belief. l know your heart is
true"
Your faith in me is a great COM
tort" she said, lifting her eyes earn
estly to his face. You will see him