The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-01-03

to the source, and so, perhaps, to some
thing like u cure, Of his poor listeners
sorTows?
III thought as you did once. Jane. rs
all mourners have ever thought, that
to brood inactive over 4 grave was less
bitter work than to let the grass grow
there naturally, and to come back to
the commonplace duties Of n bereft
life. Don't think I mean to reach to
you, childr' for Jane turned her face
away impatiently at the first whisper
reminding her of Miss Lynch and OF
admonition; Il don't think it is in your
power to feel differently 10 how you
feel. l only tell you that I once
thought the same, felt the same utter
repubnance to the very thought of
consolation OF forgetfulness, as you do
now, and rallied from it, Jane; that is
the real reason that l have been talking
to YOU so long. I recovered from the
mortal stroke that laid low every hope
and interest I possessed OH earth. VIII
you let me tell you how"
IF you please, sir. But remember
all constitutions are:not equally strong.
You strike me as being made of iron;
and II am very weak and she held
I'D before him two little, warm hands,
frail and transparent as porcelain.
"What would be Il blow to you would
be Just death to me. I have no rally
ing power, bodily Or mental. MISS
Lynch q y so; Mr.. Huntley said So
when he saw his tonics weren't going
to do Dle any good"
"Huntley is a fool" exclaimed Mr..
Follett, warmly. Il beg your pardon,
Jane; 1 mean Huntley talks about
things of which he is most profoundly
ignorant. No rallying powers! What
does he know about rallyinG powers
the struggle of life against death-ths
greatest of all the mysteries that lie
hid in us-When he doesn't rightly IN
derstand what spirit it is that moves
one muscle in this poor little hand .of
yours?"
He took her hand, and Jane long al
forward remembered that his own
tremblcd; then he dropped it suddenly,
and began-as one may return to the
treadinS of a book-at the exact point
in his own narration at which he had
left off. L think he found that drawing
any but all indirect parallel between
his case and Miss Grand's led him into
rather different roads to those he had
laid down for himself when he quilted
his yicarage gate an hour before!
MY wife's mother left my house,
Jane. and I kept up no further ac-
uuaintance with her or any person
connected with Margaret's family.
One or two female relations Of my own
kindly proposed, when they heard OF
my bereavement, to come and keep my
house for me, but I refused all their
offers. I should have s%huddered to see
another face save hers at my table;
utter silence was better than to hear
the sound of any other voice than hers
in my study. Besides what commun-
ity of interest could any alien life have
with mine? l had had one interest, one
happiness, one intense, passionate de-
light in living, and it was gone. All l
asked for or desired was to be left
alone, to hear, to see, to read nothing
reminding me of a world beyond this
narrow one that hemmed in mS eWn
existence and its misery.
II am telling ySG - whSs snppered
fifteen years ago-a yeai before came
to Chesterford, and first saw your little
face. child-yet every individual and
distinct torture, out Of the crowd OF
fortunes that made up my life then, is
as vivid to me as though I had gone
through them not a year ago.
For q great many days after the
first blow fell on me I remained as one
stupefed. The long summer days, the
short, bright midsummer nights
dragged over me-on dreary night
mare of dull pain-and I gave no cry
to HEAVIER. for+help.
Margaret had never loved me-Mar.
garet's lips had never given me one
kiss of true love; and she vas dead,
and my child was dead, and I was
alone. realized each fact thoroughly,
and repeated them again, and again,
and again, as the brain invoiuntarily
muItiplies one sickening image in bod
lily fever, but 1 felt nothing in the last
degree approaching to sorrow for my
self or for what I had lost.
This was the first natural stage, the
first stunned, condition to which mind
and body are alike subject, you know,
after any very violent blow. 1t passed
away in an hour, in a moment, as a
servant asked me for some direction
about a common domestic matter in no
way bearing on my afiiction-it passed
away, and 1 awoke 10 know real and
passionate and despairing grief.
Ito be Continued.)