The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-08-11

ways lacking in my makeup. What
was it / asked and, as a lightning
flash is seen, so / saw that perfect
happiness is only attained when we
strive to make others happy. Thirty
years ago, for twelve brief months, |
bordered on this land of love and
just as | was about to Lift the cup to
my lips and taste the sweetness of
reciprocated love and affection the
same was dashed from my b a d.
These were the thoughts which my
present state of mind revealed to me
and | also saw plainly how | had
hardened my heart against God and
rebelled against the love which should
give me child for day and then
take from me both mother and baby.
AS | looked back over these vast
ed years of mine l now saw that had
my wife lived | should have drawn
her into the vortex Of society's whirl;
my child would have grown up s
this girl Marguerite" imperious,
petted and wilful until she also be-
came blighted flower to be culled
by another as mercenary and incap-
able of affection as [ was in the
earlier days of my marriage. Now,
l saw that a loving father had saved
them, in the days of their innocence,
from following a life which, at it s
best is vapid, empty, false and un-
satisfying. These may be considered
hard words with which to speak of
society, but they are nevertheless
true.
From t he thoughts, already ex-
pressed, I then turned my mind to-
wards Eloise and Louise and watch
ed the happy picture as they caress-
ed and waited upon their mother.
saw how already their characters had
been moulded Alright and how pos
sible it would be to take these chill.
dren and bring them up as a father
for others to follow. They had come
to this place for one days complete
happiness. / would. God helping
me, make that day extend over the
remainder of their lives. B IN g
comparatively speaking, an old man
it was easy for me to open up aeon
versation with them without arous
ing, in the mothers mind, any feal
of sinister designs. Step by step
drew from the children what tn
knew of their parents history.
found Fate had dealt harder with he
than even l had calculated. Th-e1
digging back into my memory l en-
listed their further confidence by re
counting some fairy tales which wer
new to them and finally / asked tn
elder of the two if she thought he
mother would be happy if she had t.
work no more and if they had hom
and playthings, such as they onl,
heard of in the stories / had toll
them?
oh" said Louise thinking, in he
unselfshness, only of her mother
how lovely it would be, but don
speak of things,Y she continued a
she wiped tears from her eyes, i
hurts me when | think how deal
dear mother sits up, night after nigh
sewing so, so hard so that she ca
pay the rent. Don't you think sh
is just beautiful she suddenly ask
ed me. I'VE do love her so 80 niue
and now that papa is in Heaven W
try so hard to help her, but it is sue
wee little bit that we can do for he
Mother" b e continued, worr--
more and more every day and
know she isgetting weaker and veal
, er because she is less able to wor
and is afraid God may take her an
leaye us alone, but | know He wo1
while Sissy and / ? :, him % d
so, though l know eth es nc
fear dying and WI like very muc
to see papa again, but then, if ST
cannot take us with her, she dot
not wish to die"
| heard these words and the
thrilled my heart. Memories q
r touched that / thought long n C
past recall. A Oh ,rd of love, Il
these children and their nc+her, WI
/. lou c b d and vibrated through n
e whole being, producing sensation
and view of future happiness whit
were foreign to nae.
/ spoke with Mime. Gibaud, Il
: such was her name. l told her tn
: / was an old man who many yea
: ago had lost both wife and hill
: This saw at once drew Fer sympatl
: towards me. / added that | was q
d Continued IN col,,mn 5 this pugs.)