The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-11-08


a little further. because il would be
ia'a! not Ia he wholly frank now
u George will net toward you only rs
% YOUR long worship Of him. Your sac
rihceS-all the unseen little ones every
e day since he was horn-will make him
: act. Dear, il breaks my heart for you,
2 hut what yen have In oppose now is
. The history If your own selfleSS and
perfect motherhood remember say
laCFonce that what you wOrshiped in
your son was the angel you saw in him
and | still believe that is true of
every mother. But in mothers wOr-
snip She may not see that the will in
her son should not always be offered in
cenSe along with the angel | grow sick
with fear for yOu-fOr both YOU and
me-when / think how the will against
us two has grown strong through the
love you have given the angel-and
now long your own sweet will has
served that other. Are you strong
enough, Isabel? Can you make the
tight? | promise you that if you will
take heart for ii, you will figd so quick
ly that it has all amounted To nothing.
You shall have happiness, and. i'm
little while, only happiness. You need
only To write me a llne-I can't come
! To your hOuSc-and tell me where YOU
will meet me. We will come back in
Il month, and the angel i'm your son
! VIII bring him To you: | promise it. |
! What is good in him will grow 50 fine,
| once you have beaten the turbulent
will-hut it must be beatenl
Your brother, that good friend. is |
waiting with such patience; | should |
not keep him longer-and | am saving |
too much for wisdom. | fear. But, oh. |
my dear, won't you be strong-Such a
little short strength it would need! |
Don't strike my life down twice, dear
this time I've not deserved it.
EUGENE"
Concluding this missive, George
tossed it abruptly from him so one
sheet fell upon his bed and the others
upon the floor; and at the faint noise
OF their falling Isabel came, and, kneel-
ing, began to gather them up.
Did you read it, dear?"
Georges face was pale no longer.
but pink with fury. Eyes, did"
"All of it?' she asked gently, as she
rose.
Certainly"
She did not look at him. but kept her
eyes downcaSt upon the letter in her
hands, TREMENDOUSLY rearranging the
SheetS IN order rs she SDoke-and
though she smiled, her smile was as
tremulouS as her hands. Nervousness
and an irresistible timidity possessed ,
her. II wanted to say, George" she ,
battered. II felt that Tiff some day
IL should happen-I mean, if you came ,
10 feel differently about it. and Eu-
gene and THAT is if we found that if
seemed the most sensible thing TO do
l was afraid yOu might think it would 4,
he little queer abOut-Lucy. / mean :
lt-if she were your step-sister. OF ;
course, shed not be even legally re-
lated to you, and if yOu-if you cared /
for her"
mus far she got stumblingly with n
what she wanted to say, while George =
her with gaze that grew =
harder and hotter; but here he cut her ;,
OIL i have already given up all idea .
Dt Lucy he said. Naturally. ;.
couldn't have treated her father as I :,
deliberately did treat him-I could =
hardly have done that and expected his ;,
laughter ever to speak to me again" g
Isabel gave Il quick cry of COMPASS y
non, but he allowed her no opportunity u
q speak. You needn't think I'm ;,
making any particular sacrifice" he =
aid sharply, Though | would. quickly -,
nough. if | thought it necessary in a ,,
natter of honor like this. | was inter -.
Sted in her, and | could even say | >,
M care for her; but she proved pretty =,
satisfactorily that she cared LITTLE :,
nough about me! The truth is. we're II
ot congenial and we'd found that :.
much out, mt least, before she left. We =,
hould never have been happy: she II
'as superior all the time, and critical \,
I me-not very pleasant, that! \,
ont think she has the very deepest =,
allure In the world, and"
III
But Isabel Put her hand timidly on ,r
is arm. George dear, this is ONLY
uarrel; all young people have them nc
efore they get adjusted, and YOU On
lustn't let" ~
IF you please!" he said emphatical- m,
:, moving back from her. This isn't
nat kind. It's all over, and | don't no
ire to speak of it again. It's settled. In,
ont you understand ~.
but, dear" ~
mo. | want to talk to you about 10,
rs letter of her fathers" an
Yes, dear, that's why" no
TITS simply the most offensive piece th,
writing that I've ever held in nv so,
lnds!"
She stepped back from him. startled.
But, dear, | thought" ma
II can't understand your even show ma
me such thing!" he cried. How .
d you happen to bring 1t to me?" mn,
Your uncle thought I'd better. He "
ought II was the simplest thing 70 4.
and he said that he'd suggested II 70 oo,
lgene, and Eugene had agreed. They :.
ought"
Yes! George said bitterly. 81 did
ould like to hearwhat they thought" hen
They thought il would be the most M,
n ipl,f I'll $500