Year: 1867

such as mine comes to her, I said, "John
can't you bear a sorrow that will never
Tighten, patiently, quietly, with will of
iron, in life where the sunlight has be-
| come hated, and live trying to forget the
pain, ard be cheerful because Tod Wills,
and one knows the pain is best ?"


When [ spoke, God knows how bitter
the pain [ held, how far from being calm
or reconcied felt.


But how can | forget her ? or now can
l live patiently with nothing to live for "


felt pain so keen at his words that |
could hardly reply.


ou must forget her What can you
ever hope to do to win her proud fathers
/ consent, even if you win hers? Besides,
you will have other things to do. Men
must not break their hearts The world
needs strong arms Think With your
strong will, your hatred of being bound,
coald you enter that life of fashion and
wuldliness, and not feel out of place Z? g"


John hung his head like bashfu boy
Il know it we'll enough She does not
love me or dream of my love for her |
could not be sneered at by her father"
The time had come to speak when his
pride was touched. John, live a noble
life One can wear out these troubles.
No, do not 20 away. Stay here, and make
your heart forget its folly, if you can. Be
a man, and do a mans work, leaving the
rest to God


Il will, Jenny God bless you !" and
John had gone.


The next day she came TO take leave of
me. 1t rained dsmally


just think, Jenny-you little brown
wren-of me. am actually going abroad
Five years; il is a long time. But you
look dismally sober-as sober as girl over
her frst love letter Maybe it is lover
Jenny" She said playfully. "Oh, well,
| ike John, he is worthy of you. | will
bring you wedding present from Paris" ;"


She looked daintier than ever in the
plain little room and her hair clinging
about her soft. white brow, fitted for the
luxury and beauty She lived IN.


Louie Irvingham, did You know that
afternoon how the rain, sobbing outside my
little window. walled as my own heart help
lessly did. as | thought how little the love
that YOU had would have been to you, how
to me-life itself?


W Hcn Iit SOIL. Niiit IdCt, III KS pretty
framework of curlS, faded away in the
rain | looked at the hard lines coming on
my face, and the pain in my set mouth
and for an instant the great difference be.
tween Us was 50 keen that-God forgive
the tears kept time to the rain without!


There l. little in the SIX years after to
tell John bought vessel. and was gone
long whiles ! knew he was patient he
never spoke her name All the good that
life seemed to bring him to do, | know he
did. Sometimes | longed TO speak Of his
sorrow, hut never did,


Once Miss Louie had played me sad
plaintive melody of some great German
composer. My life seemed like the sad
dest part Of that little tune. | remember
the harmony rose and fell till the whole
ended in a triumphal burst of sound and
| used to wonder if my life would come to
the JOY notes, too.


One day John came to me with a paper.
cor. Of smile on his quiet lips. His
finger pointed me to paragraph as he un-
folded the paper. and | read-Louies
marriage


y rich, great man" John said simply.
Jenny, | have overcome it. 1t was a
boyish thing. | know how vain, how fool
ish it would have been"


This was all he said, folding up the pa
per and going away.


The six years We're nearly over. Charlie
and Joe had been on a longer cruise than
usual, and were coming back. 1t seemed
as though my lite-work was pretty clear.
| thought, As | spread the linen to air, and
kindled fire in the little room The
damp chill Of evening came against my
check as | stood at the gate On the
beach knot of men had gathered. Per
haps the vessel was already in-and here
came John to tell He kept his face from
me as he came nearer; and look, such
as | had seen ON it when his mother died,
was there when he came to me.


lie led me in away from the salt smell
and the chill air, to the little parlor lighted
and warmed


Jenny am in trouble again. have
come to you"


looked quickly up at him.


I've lost some dear friends, and need
you to tell me that God knows best, and
that ii is right"


thought of Louie and the Irvinghams
but Il second look III Johns face made me
say


1t is Joe and Charlie? They will
never come home ,"


Johns face had fallen between his
hands.


One thing more and this little story is
ended. It's no more than what YOU who
read have known.


l.. -.
came back. | heard camly the little he
could tell Inc of the wreck He lay on the
grass plot for 1t was summer again. his
hand across his face.


Jenny, ii : long time since | told you
my first real trouble I've another, deep
er, now; for with it all, however L can
bear pain and toll. [ think a woman can
bear heart pain better than a man. l
loved Louie lrvingham foolishly, blindly,
and | grew to see it Looking back to
that day | have not forgotten some words
you said. Jenny, tell me, whatever the
boys heart was, can you trust the man ="


| did trust it, and the victory notes
came at last into my life.


He was to sail early on the morrow, and
in three months | was to be his wife
What was the parting then? did not
think about the pain in my fullness of JOY.


I've an idea you may call the ending of
this story sad, but it isn't Though the
night that Johns vessel set in for the har-
Dor, there was storm, and she went on
the rocks, and-well, in the morning they
drew him in out of the surf, and brought
him up to Nancy Bell and me. | think if
I had had the old rebellious cry in my
heart against God that had the night be-
fora whom 7 haard tha ciopal ounc cton I