Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-07-14

right or wrong, these were his fee
ings, and he could not alter them j
order to fit in with the ideas Of tn
religious world.
An. yet, wit out direct disObedienc
/ to his orders he must choose the har
course and refuse the easy one Tosi
ing miserably to and fro he wondere
whether his whole life was 10 be Xix
this; wondered whether every one ha
this hard wrestling with temptation
wondered how it was that most me
seemed to drift along so comfortably
Did they all the time wage an unseei
warfare like this? Or was he natU
rally more selfish and incident? o
h,L TIE dsvil a special spite agains
him?
Then, in ;he midst Of his question
ings. :here foated back 10 him the ia
miliar words, Men are not more will
ing to live the life Of the Crucified."
Willing 10 i've the life. indeed
Why he had forgotten all about it
Had been thinking of a life of cas-,
and glory and pleasure, had had bis
own interests in view, not the inter
ests OF other people; had consulted hi.
own viii, not he will of the All
Father Slowly the ruling power oil
his life resumed its sway over him;
and then, tired out with all he had
gone through. he fell asleep for very
exhaustion.
When he woke the night was over
the sun was shining the thrushes and
blackbirdss were singing. the rocks
We're cawiug. and by the light of the
early morning he could see the famil.
lar picture of the Constant Shepherd
The night of temptation was over, too
the Darkness had passed. and what he
had 10 do was as clear as day to him I;
moreover. he knew that he could do it.
He must definitely decline the Lon
don offer He must not. as he was
half tempted to do, mention it to Mer-
limo. by way of inducing him to renew
his engagement at once or TO raise his
salary. II he did this. Merlino's sus-
picions might be reused: his brother
in-law would certainly wonder what
prompted him to refuse so good an o.
fer. Then. when Piale came over
that day, he must beg him TO mention
COmerio to the London manager; he
must move heaven and earth to pro-
cure for his rival the offer which he
had declined To say that he liked do
ing this would be untrue. II was un.
deniably bitter to him, but he saw
that 1t would safely dispose of Generic
during the summer; and, moreover he
wished to be just even to his enemy,
and since he had been the means of
ending one engagement for Generic,
II seemed but fair that he should do
his best to help him when opportunity
offered
He found. however that Piale
hardly understood this view of the
case. and his interview with the
wcs stormy. In the end, how
ever. Piale had to submit 30 the iGeyi-
table; and with a sigh and shrug
Of the shoulders. owned that he could
not stand against the folly of man
who had no eye to his own interests,
and who deliberately threw away the
very ticket which would have brought
him a prize in the worlds lottery.
He stayed to lunch at Merlebank,
and diverted the Brittons very much
by the mingled fondness and ferocity
with which he seemed TO regard his
pupil He tried to win them over to
with hts disappointment:
and il transpired that The instant he
had heard OF Metasti's illness. he had
hurried to London to see if he could
not obtain the engagement for his
pupil
But, you see. he Is bent on his own
destruction" concluded the old man,
with q gesture OF Impotence "One
might as well try 10 argue with a
mule! However my son since YOU
are set on gong to Ameri a let me
give yon one piece OF advice--beware /
If damp beds take my sdYice. and al !
says steep between the blankets"
carlo made gesture of horror
Now dear maestro, YOU really ex
rect me 10 be too sc'fdcnying,
"Seitdenyiug. indeed why, yes. the /
life OF an opera,snger IS one eternal |
practice OF se'fdenid," said Piale. /
With his knife and fork. (
Carlo 'aughed lightly.
And do my hess to be your very /
food pupil hut at hotel blankets / /
icaw The line"
Francesca and Glare did all they /
'ould to talk the old man into a good /
luinor and to console him under his .
disappointment; aud when Carlo .
'arJed with him at the Ashboroush
ia ion, he was not AT all sure that it
vas not emotion which made his an.
.wers SO curt and his voice so gruY
Nou VII not forget about Come
10" he pleaded Al the very last mo
mont,
Piaie replied only 10y sruut Put
here was nothing but affection in his
PARTING glance and apparently he
mast have couyil.ated The London
manager aa2 spoken in high terms or,
'omcrio Tor in three day time Carlo
"c',vcl The ioAovnl letter from
;arGoui.