River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-01-08


your long worship of him, your sac
rifices-all the unseen little ones every
day since he was born-will make him
act. Dear, ii breaks my heart for YOU,
but what you have to oppose now is
the history of your own selfiess and
perfect motherhood. / remember say
Ing once 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-
ship 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
how long your oI.n sweet will has
served that other. Are you strong
enough, Isabel? Can you make the
fight? l promise you that if you will
take heart for ii, you will find so quick
ly that 1t has all amounted to nothing.
You shall have happiness, and, in
little while, only happiness. You need
only to write me line-I can't come
to your house-and tell me where you
will meet me. We will come back in
month"; and the angel in your son
will bring him to you; / promise 1t.
What is good in him will grow so fine.
once you have beaten the turbulent
will-but it must be beaten!
hat ho frsn To-
waiting with such patience; 1 should
not keep him longer-and l am saying
too much for wisdom, l fear But, oh,
my dear, won't you be strong-such
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. "Yes, did"
"All Of it?" she asked gently, as she
rose.
'Certainlyp
She did not look at him, but kept her
eyes downcast upon the letter in her
hands, TREMENDOUSLY rearranging the
sheets in order as she spoke-and
though she smiled, her smile was as
tremulous as her hands. Nervousness
and an irresistible timidity possessed
her. Il wanted to say, George" she
faltered. II felt that Tiff some day
it should happen-I mean, if you came
to feel differently about it, and Eu-
gene and THAT is if we found that 1t
seemed the most sensible thing to do
l was afraid you might think it would
be little queer about-Lucy. mean
Tiff she were your step-sister. OF
course, she'd not be even legally re-
lated to you, and if you--if you cared
for her"
Thus far she got stumblingly with
what she wanted to say, while George
watched her with a gaze that grew
harder and hotter; but here he cut her
off. 81 have already given up all idea
of 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
daughter ever to speak to me again.
Isabel gave quick cry of compass
sion, but he allowed her no opportunity
to speak. "YOu needn't think I'm
making any particular sacrifice" he
said sharply, though would, quickly
enough. if thought it necessary in a
matter Of honor like this. / was inter-
ested in her, and could even say l
did care for her; but she proved pretty
satisfactorily that she cared little
enough about me! The truth is, we're
not congenial and we'd found that
much out, at least, before she left. We
should never have been happy; she
was superior all the time, and critical
Of me-nOt very pleasant, that! !
don't think she has the very deepest
nature in the world, and"
But Isabel put her hand timidly on
his arm. George. dear. this is only 4
an youhS pCoPhC thCAh
before they get adjusted, and you
mustn't let"
'If you please!" he said emphatical-
ly, moving back from her. 'This isn't
that kind. It's all over, and I don't
care to speak of 1t again. It's settled.
Don't you understand"
"But, dear"
'No. I want to talk to you about
this letter of her fathers"
ayes, dear, that's why"
"It's simply the most offensive piece
Of writing that I've ever held in my
hands!"
She stepped back from him, startled.
"But, dear, thought"
81 can't understand your even show
ing me such a thingi" he cried. "H0w
did you happen to bring 1t to met"
"Your uncle thought I'd better. He
thought it was the simplest thing to
do, and he said that he'd suggested 1t to