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ce。　Ah；　how　like　his　father　he　was！　Several　times　when　the　father's　name　was　mentioned；　he　quite　choked　up　with　tears。

At　an　early　hour　he　sought　rest　from　the　fatigue　of　travel。　She　was　left　alone。　The　house　was　quiet。　She　summoned　the　negro　girl　who　slept　on　the　floor　in　her　room　and　who　was　always　with　her　of　evenings：

〃You　can　go　to　the　cabin　till　bedtime。　And　when　you　come　in；　don't　make　any　noise。　And　don't　speak　to　me。　I　shall　be　asleep。〃

Then　seating　herself　beside　the　little　candle　stand　which　mercifully　for　her　had　had　shed　its　light　on　so　many　books　in　the　great　lonely　bedchamber；　she　re…read　those　last　words：

〃And　now　I　am　going　to　open　to　you　what　no　other　eye　has　ever　seen；　must　ever　seeone　page　in　the　book　of　my　life：

〃Can　you　remember　the　summer　I　left　Kentucky？　On　reaching　Philadelphia　I　called　on　a　certain　family　consisting；　as　I　afterwards　ascertained；　of　father；　mother；　and　daughter；　and　being　in　search　of　lodgings；　I　was　asked　to　become　a　member　of　their　household。　This　offer　was　embraced　the　more　eagerly　because　I　was　sick　for　a　home　that　summer　and　in　need　of　some　kind　soul　to　lean　on　in　my　weakness。　I　had　indeed　been　led　for　these　reasons　to　seek　their　acquaintancethe　father　and　mother　having　known　my　own　parents　even　before　I　met　them。　You　will　thus　understand　how　natural　a　haven　with　my　loneliness　and　amid　such　memories　this　house　became　to　me；　and　upon　what　grounds　I　stood　in　my　association　with　its　members　from　the　beginning。

〃When　the　lawsuit　went　against　me　and　I　was　wrongfully　thrown　into　jail　for　debt；　their　faithful　interest　only　deepened。　Very　poor　themselves；　they　would　yet　have　make　any　sacrifice　in　my　behalf。　During　the　months　of　my　imprisonment　they　were　often　with　me；　bringing　every　comfort　and　brightening　the　dulness　of　many　an　hour。

〃Upon　my　release　I　returned　gladly　to　their　joyous　household；　welcomed　I　could　not　say　with　what　joyous　affection。　Soon　afterwards　I　found　a　position　in　the　office　of　a　law　firm　and　got　my　start　in　life。

〃And　now　I　cross　the　path　of　some　things　that　cannot　be　written。　But　you　who　know　what　my　life　and　character　had　been　will　nobly　understand：　remember　your　last　words　to　me。

〃One　day　I　offered　my　hand　to　the　daughter。　I　told　her　the　whole　truth：　that　there　was　some　one　elsenot　free；　that　no　one　could　take　the　place　of　this　other　was　filling　at　the　moment；　and　would　always　fill。　Nevertheless；　if　she　would　accept　me　on　these　conditions；　everything　that　it　was　in　my　power　to　promise　she　could　have。

〃She　said　that　in　time　she　would　win　the　rest。

〃A　few　weeks　later　that　letter　came　from　you；　bringing　the　intelligence　that　changed　everything。　（Do　you　remember　my　reply？　I　seem　only　this　moment　to　have　dropped　the　pen。）　As　soon　as　I　could　control　myself；　I　told　her　that　now　you　were　free；　that　it　was　but　justice　and　kindness　alike　to　her　and　to　me　that　I　should　give　here　the　chance　to　reconsider　the　engagement。　A　week　passed；　I　went　again。　I　warned　her　how　different　the　situation　had　become。　I　could　promise　less　than　beforeI　could　not　say　how　little。　A　month　later　I　went　again。

〃Ah；　wellthat　is　all！

〃The　summer　after　my　marriage　I　travelled　to　Virginia　regarding　a　landsuit。　One　day　I　rode　far　out　of　my　course　into　the　path　of　the　country　where　you　lived。　I　remained　some　days　strolling　over　the　silent　woods　and　fields；　noting　the　bushes　on　the　lawn；　such　as　you　had　carried　over　into　Kentucky；　hunting　out　the　quiet　nooks　where　you　were　used　to　read　in　your　girlhood。　Those　long；　sweet；　sacred　summer　days　alone　with　you　there　before　you　were　married！　O　Jessica！　Jessica！　Jessica！　Jessica！　And　to　this　day　the　sight　of　peach　blossoms　in　the　springthe　rustle　of　autumn　leaves　under　my　feet！　Can　you　recall　the　lines　of　Malory？　'Men　and　women　could　love　together　seven　years；　and　then　was　love　truth　and　faithfulness。'　How　many　more　than　seven　have　I　loved　you！you　who　never　gave　me　anything　but　friendship；　but　who　would　in　time；　I　hope；　have　given　me　everything　if　I　had　come　back。　Ah；　I　did　come　back！　Many　a　time　even　now　as　soon　as　I　have　hurried　through　the　joyous　gateways　of　sleep；　I　come　back　over　the　mountains　to　you　as　naturally　as　though　there　had　been　no　years　to　separate　and　to　age。　Let　me　tell　you　all　this！　My　very　life　would　be　incomplete　without　it！　I　owed　something　to　you　long　before　I　owed　anything　to　another：　a　duty　can　never　set　aside　a　duty。　And　as　to　what　I　have　owed　you　since；　it　becomes　more　and　more　the　noblest　earthly　that　I　shall　ever　leave　unpaid。　I　did　not　know　you　perfectly　when　we　parted：　I　was　too　young；　too　ignorant　of　the　world；　too　ignorant　of　many　women。　A　man　must　have　touched　their　coarseness　in　order　to　appreciate　their　refinement；　have　been　wounded　by　untruthfulness　to　understand　their　delicate　honour；　he　must　have　been　driven　to　turn　his　eyes　mercifully　away　from　their　stain　before　he　can　ever　look　with　all　the　reverence　and　gratitude　of　his　heart　and　soul　upon　their　brows　of　chastity。

〃But　of　my　life　otherwise。　I　take　it　fir　granted　that　you　would　know　where　I　stand；　what　I　have　become；　whether　I　have　kept　faith　with　the　ideals　of　my　youth。

〃I　have　succeeded；　perhaps　reached　now　what　men　call　the　highest　point　of　their　worldly　prosperity；　made　good　my　resolve　that　no　human　power　should　defeat　me。　All　that　Macbeth　had　not　I　have：　a　quiet　throne　of　my　own；　children；　wife；　troops　of　friends；　duties；　honours；　ease。　There　have　been　times　when　with　natural　misgiving　lest　I　had　wandered　too　far　these　many　summers　on　a　sea　of　glory；　I　have　prepared　for　myself　the　lament　of　Wolsey　on　his　fall：　yet　ill　fortune　had　not　overwhelmed　me　or　mine。

〃All　this　prosperity；　as　the　mere　fruit　of　my　toil；　has　been　less　easy　than　for　many。　I　may　not　boast　the　Apostle　that　I　have　fought　a　good　fight；　but　I　can　say　that　I　fought　a　hard　one。　The　fight　will　always　be　hard　for　any　man　who　undertakes　to　conquer　life　with　the　few　simple　weapons　I　have　used　and　who　will　accept　victory　only　upon　such　terms　as　I　have　demanded。　For　be　my　success　small　or　great；　it　has　been　won　without　inner　compromise　or　other　form　of　self…abasement。　No　man　can　look　me　in　the　eyes　and　say　I　ever　wronged　him　for　my　own　profit；　none　may　charge　that　I　have　smiled　on　him　in　order　to　use　him；　or　call　him　my　friend　that　I　might　make　him　do　for　me　the　work　of　a　servant。

〃Do　not　imagine　I　fail　to　realize　that　I　have　added　my　full　share　to　the　general　evil　of　the　world：　in　part　unconsciously；　in　part　against　my　conscious　will。　It　is　the　knowledge　of　this　influence　of　imperfection　forever　flowing　from　myself　to　all　others　that　has　taught　me　charity　with　all　the　wrongs　that　flow　from　others　toward　me。　As　I　have　clung　to　myself　despite　the　evil；　so　I　have　clung　to　the　world　despite　all　the　evil　that　is　in　the　world。　To　lose　faith　in　men；　not　humanity；　to　see　justice　go　down　and　not　believe　in　the　triumph　of　injustice；　for　every　wrong　that　you　weakly　deal　another　or　another　deals　you　to　love　more　and　more　the　fairness　and　beauty　of　what　is　right；　and　so　to　turn　with　ever…increasing　love　from　the　imperfection　that　is　in　us　all　to　the　Perfection　that　is　above　us　allthe　perfection　that　is　God：　this　is　one　of　the　ideals　of　actual　duty　that　you　once　said　were　to　be　as　candles　in　my　hand。　Many　a　time　this　candle　has　gone　out；　but　as　quickly　as　I　could　snatch　any　torchwith　your　sacred　name　on　my　lipsit　has　been　relighted。

〃My　candles　are　all　beginning　to　burn　low　now。　For　as　we　advance　far　on　into　life；　one　by　one　our　duties　end；　one　by　one　the　lights　go　out。　Not　much　ahead　of　me　now　must　lurk　the　great　mortal　changes；　coming　always　nearer；　always　faster。　As　they　approach；　I　look　less　to　my　candles；　more　toward　my　candles；　more　toward　my　lighthousesthose　distant　unfailing　beacons　that　cast　their　rays　over　the　stormy　sea　of　this　life　from　the　calm　ocean　of　the　Infinate。　I　know　this：　that　if　I　should　live　to　be　an　old　man；　my　duties　ended　and　my　candles　gone；　it　is　these　that　will　shine　in　upon　me　in　that　vacant　darkness。　And　I　have　this　belief：　that　if　we　did　but　recognize　them　aright；　these　ideals　at　the　close　of　life　would　become　one　with　the　ideals　of　youth。　We　lost　them　as　we　left　mortal　youth　behind；　we　regain　them　as　we　enter　upon　youth　immortal。

〃If　I　have　kept　unbroken　faith　with　any　of　mine；　thank　you。　And　thank　God！〃





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