Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-24

father and his mother. And mine-mine!
You tell me nought 1 didn't know in my
heart, for from his own lips twas spoken
to me that he'd not done it or dreamed OF
1t, but now the world can know. Nought
will be hidden any more. All living men,
as have ever heard my Daniels name,
shall hear it's an honorable name-a name
that I'll go down to my grave proud Of.
Twill make my life easier to live-easier
to bear; twill sweeten 1t till my own
short years be run an 1 go back to him
forever"
Titus Sim listened and said nothing. but
he felt the scene sharply. His brows were
down-drawn and her words made him
suffer
At last, with an effort, he spoke to Park
inson.
I'VE must leave you now. Your strength
has been taxed enough. This is a good day
for all of us-a day to make man trust
surer in his God and in the power of right.
Say no more of this to any soul, XIX
Parkinson. You've done your duty, and
twill weigh for you in heaven and lift you
up at the end
You'll let me die in peace?' asked the
sick man. But he spoke to Minnie; from
the first moment of their entry he turned
to her, and only her.
BE sure of that What avails to
trauble your last hours now? Nothing
shall be said till you'm asleep"
Don't be gentle to me-bant In human
nature. 1 don't ak that. 1 don't ak you
to forgive or to forget what an everlasting
of the news, to let me go quiet"
81 do forgive you," she said.
why, then Dan will, an God will! Be
He behind His own men and women IN
love an kindness? Now l can die laugh
ing. To think twas in human power Of a
wife to forgive me!'
Come" said Sim. I'VE will leave him
now
Titus rose and turned to get his hat. He
was only removed from them moment.
but in that space the sufferer beckoned
Minnie with his eyes, and she leant her
head toward him.
Don't marry that man. he whispered
under his breath: then continued aloud. to
mask his message, "GoOd-by-say good-by
to sinner, who can go fearless now-aye,
an thankful, too. Fearless an thankful.
because you could forgive him. It's your
goodness. Widow Sweetland, that has lifted
me to trust the goodness of God; tbs your
pardon hath made me trust in His. III go
to my punishment without fiinching or fear
ing, for / know He'll forgive me at the
end"
Mrs. Prowse entered with food for the
sick man, and Minnie and Sim took their
eternal leave of him.
Within half an hour Parkinson was again
sleeping peacefully, and while Titus ran
home without stopping, for he was late,
Minnie walked slowly to the Moor. Her
sad face shone with this blessed news.
She longed to cry it from the housetops;
she thirsted to tell each passer-by that her
husband was innocent of the evil linked
with his name She thought of his mother
first and then his father; she even felt more
tenderly toward Titus Sim for the deep
joy he had expressed on hearing the truth;
but presently the living faded from her
memory and she was in thought alone with
her husband. At Benefits Cross, hard by
Warren Inn," an impulse moved her from
the lonely road to the lonely stone. And
she passed over the heath and knelt by the
ancient granite carved into the symbol of
her faith. She knelt and prayed and SO
passed on, much uplifted by the blessing of
the day. She moved forward thankful,
grateful for this unutterable good, strong
to endure her life without him, fortified to
face an existence which, like the faded yet
lovely passage of an Indian summer, should
not lack for some subdued goodness, should
not be void of beauty and content. The
power to do good remained with her; she
repined no more; her native bravery rose
in her heart. She looked cut fearless and
patient upon the loneliness to come, and
in that survey she intended that memory
would be her beacon, not a man. The dy-
ing drunkard need have felt fear for
Daniels widow. 1t was not in her nature
to marry again.