Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1909-01-07
A CONQUERED GRIEF.
A Word in season that Proved to
He of Great Benefit.


he of Great Benent.
If Edith Rodney bore her head brave
ly abroad it drooped at home. for gos-
sip, in little college town, centers so
persistently on girl whose engage
ment has been broken. At 10, too, one
can suffer in tortured pride and humil-
iation far beyond the actual worth OF
the grief itself.
What shall 1 do, Claudla?" Mrs.
Rodney asked her closest friend, Il
woman brilliant, sympathetic, attuned
to the worlds best harmonies. ~It
worries me so. l hate to send her
away. It's such a confession of fail
ure. Yet she is miserable here. Every
thing reminds her, and will so on re-
minding her, of John. l think that
there must be something horribly wrong
with me when l, her own mother, can
do nothing to comfort her."
Il want to speak to her IL you will
let me-" said Miss Trenholm, after a
moments thoughtful silence. believe
l can help her, because" Sudden
ly her voice broke. MAY l go in to
her nowg' she asked, quickly.
Edith was sitting at the library wiz
dow, looking listlessly over to where
the woods met the sky; wonderful
CorCt world, more wonderful still. for
being painted just by nature herself
Miss Trenholm sat down beside her,
aid took the girls hands In both her
own.
May / talk to your she asked
"Nill you let me tell you that | know
what has happened? May l speak to
you about it?"
"Oh, 1t doesn't matter" said Edith,
with almost weary resentment. "Ev-
erybody knows now, and the world
always despises the girl who's been
Tilted, of course"
1T does not" replied Miss Tren-
holm. firmly. ut is for you to indi-
cate to the world how 1t is to think
of you, to talk about you, to Judge
you. To let others pity you now-to
pity yourself-is to submit to spiritual
poverty Believe me! | know, be-
cause twenty years ago I suffered all
that you are suffering, worried as you
are worrying over the worlds whis-
pers perhaps as much as over the loss
itself"
Your cried the girl, breathlessly.
Claudia Trenholm had always been
her Ideal; radiant, shining In the
praise of all men and women, seeming
ly untouched by time or grief. II
seemed impossible that such a thing
could have happened to her!
1T is just the frequent little tragedy
OF the college town, my dear" said the
older woman, somewhat sadly. 81 was
very unhappy over my broken engage-
inent, and | made my family suffer
with me; burdened them with my sor-
row, until, by some heaven-sent chance.
| read book that helped me. 1t was
Jane Austen's Sense and Senslblity.'
You have read 1t, | know. Don't you
remember how Elinor Dashwood tells
her sister why she has never spoken to
her fanny of Edwards faithlessuess?
See, even now | can say it by heart.
But did not love only him. and, while
the comfort Of others was dear to me.
/ was glad to spare them from know
ing how much / felt. would not have
you suffer on my account Her splen-
did candor, her sincerity made me feel
how ungenerous / had been, and made
me know, too, that ! could be spirit
ually stronger than my own grief and
pride"
For a while neither spoke. Then
Edith turned to her friend impulslyeIy.
II believe you have helped metz she
cried. II had forgotten that the 9th
ers must suffer with me. / do not love
only him, and ! want-just as you are
Ito be beyond spiritual poverty
Already the glowing rose OF the sus-
set outside had flushed her face, and
lent 1t look Of Youths Com.
panion.