The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-11-07

Then 1t daWned upon MIN tnat tnlS
was Just the help-meet he needed,
that Sarah Irving was a woman
among thousand, and in short, that
he loved her and had for long time,
though he had not realized 1t.
One night they were out riding In
the soft summer starlight. No word
was spoken until DR.. Bryant turned
to his companion and said, impress
sively:
Miss Irving, have always admired
and respected you. | have found that
you are my other self, the very wom-
an | need for a wife. | say to you
now what never said to any woman
BEFORE love you with all my heart
and soul. Darling"
And before she could recover from
the surprise of this announcement he
had drawn her to him and pressed
kiss upon her lips, the first and last
lovers kiss she ever received.
Oh! sweetest moment of all her ex-
istence No starving mortal ever
tasted food, no parched lips ever
uuaffed water so delicious as were
those words to Sarah's soul, spoken
in the fondest, tenderest accents The
music of that last word of endear
ment, the very tone in which it was
spoken, rang in her ears to the last
day of her life Who shall blame her
II for one moment she yielded to the
proffered caress? The next instant
her strong, pure love for him had
triumphed, and drawing herself erect
she replied:
DIR. Bryant, you must know | am
astonished beyond measure at what
you have said, as | had no reason to
expect such words from you. | esteem
you very highly, and appreciate the
honor you do me In asking me to
be your wife, but it can never be-"
"And why not?" he asked.
Look at the unsuitableness of the
thing" she replied with a calmness
that astonished herself while her
heart was beating as if it would
burst its way out and speak in its
own behalf. Il am Is years older
than you. Such a marriage would be
absurd"
Not if you loved me as l love YOU
he replied earnestly.
How little he dreams it," thought
poor Sarah.
Sarah shook her head sadly.
1T would not be wise nor kind
Think for one moment; look for
ward 20 years. You would be
haired old woman. You will live to
see the time when you will thank
me for my decision tonight. although
1t may seem cruel to you now"
But DR.. Bryant would not listen to
reason. Manlike, he chung to the
idea that he must have her, and all
considerations to the contrary were
of no avail. But so skillfully did she
disguise her feelings that he never
once thought to ask her the question
she feared to hear: do you love
me?" A question she could not have
parted.
Only God and the plying angels
knew the warfare that went on in
Sarah Irving's soul that night her
heart pleading SO strongly for the
acceptance of that dear love, while
her better judgment and the very
intensity OF her love for him forbade
It
1t was no wonder that breakfast
time fnunI he. ~, =.
If Sarah Irving ever prayed for
anything, she prayed that day for
strength to bear her cross. Never
once did she waver in the decision
she had made, never for an instant
admit the thought that she might do
otherwise. For his dear sake | must
suffer- she said to herself, over and
over and over again.
When In late afternoon she had
gained strength to dress and come
downstairs, looking like the very
ghost of herself, she found a cousin
there calling, Mrs. Greenfield.
You know how much we have
talked OF going to California together
Sarah" she said, and now is your
opportunity. My husband and | are
going next week; 80 put On your
bonnet and go with u.s."
i Will said Sarah. quietly. 1t
seemed to her as though God had
opened that very door Of relief for
her
She had been gone but few weeks
when Alice Irving, the oldest daugh-
ter of the family, came home after
three years at popular boarding
school. DR.. Bryant had never seen
her. as she had returned for her last
year OF school just before he came
to Cloverdale. Ever after Sarah left
the one household theme had been
When Alice comes home" but he
had rather dreaded her coming.
Somehow he had pictured her as one
OF the regulation bread and butter
misses. too impractical for LIES re-
aliues. Certainly he had no expec-
tation OF meeting one who could have
any interest for him. Life seemed
somehow fiat, stale and improbable"
since the night OF that starlight ride,
and he could not fancy that any won.
an but Sarah Irving would ever make
1t seem otherwise
When at last he found himself con-