The west shore., March 01, 1889, Page 121, Image 7

THE WE8T SHORE.
121
yourself the punishments with which the Lord smites
those who heed him not"
" I'll never be a plural wife," she repeated, hope
lessly. The bishop walked up and down the room a few
times. " We might as well sit down and talk this
over." He sat down near her, his priestly manner
quite gone, his tone confidential.
" I rather expected you wouldn't say yes in a min
ute," he began, with an admiring glance, "and I'm
willing to admit that a woman like you is worth tho
undivided love of any man, and I promise you that
if you will marry me I will never take another wife,"
He paused to note the effect of his promise, Clar
issy winced at his words, for she remembered that
Tom had said the same thing.
" I'll give you a beautiful home in the city," ho
continued. " You can travel if you like; I expect to
have to go to Washington soon, and will take you.
Surely you're not jealous of those other women? I
didn't marry them for love."
" I'll never marry you," she said coldly, " I'd die
first."
The bishop changed front again. " Oh, wo don't
want you to die," he sneered, " wo don't intend you
shall, but you may bring death, or worse, to that boy
you think so much of. If you married him you would
both be lost to all eternity. Do you think your father
and I will stand by and see you go to destruction?
If the young man is wise he will submit, but if not,
if he is so foolish as to defy tho will of the Lord, let
him look to it lest he perish in his stubbornness.
Better that one be lost than two."
Clarissy was frightened. Sho remembered vaguo
stories of terrible punishments inflicted on apostates.
There had been such dreadful things hinted at, and
whispered about as something not to bo spoken aloud.
She thought of Tom, ber bright-faced lover. Ob,
could she do this, even for his dear sake?
"You see," said her tormentor, triumphantly,
" you had better calm down a little."
" Oh, I will be quiet, only give me time to think,"
she almost sobbed.
" Too much thinking isn't good for pretty girls.
Come, now, to show you mean to bo reasonable, give
me a kiss."
M I hate you," she cried, turning palo with anger.
If sho could have killed him, she would have done so
in tho strong emotion that took possession of her.
She faced him fiercely. M Don't think you can
make mo give in as they made poor Sarah Macton ,"
she said slowly, " I'm not a weak, sickly girl, and
your talk about saving my soul don't scare me. I
don't believe in plural marriage. What do yoo want
to spoil my life for? I novcr dono nothin' to hurt
you."
The bishop called her father in. Brother Dean"
ho said, solemnly, "you have been very derelict io
your duty. You havo allowed this precious soul to
wander ofT after tho devices of her own imagination,
but the Lord is merciful to the erring, I will redeem
her from the wrath to come, Let us imploro Him to
soften her hard heart, which rebels against both her
earthly and Heavenly l ather." With sanctimonious
lips ho prayed for her submission, and Silas said
amen.
During the weary days that followed, ClarUiy was
constantly under tho watch of condemning eyes.
Martha and Serena, being plural wives, regarded her
conduct as an insult to themselves.
" The truth is," proclaimed Martha, M Clarissy's
allers sot 'erself up cs beta' a heap better'u tho rest
uv us. Sho needs a good t&kia down. It's too good
luck fer her to bo tho bishop's wife. I can't see for
tho life uv me why tho men run after her so; but law,
they'ro all fools."
Clarissy was kept in her own room and watched
constantly lest sho escape. Her sisters were kept
away from her. Sho was cut o(T from all human
sympathy. Tho little gleam of happiness she had
known was darkened by hojelea despair, and sho
lapsed into a sad and silent state, which her friends
assured her was but another evidence of her almost
hopeless depravity. Only once she cried out for help.
Sitting alono with Serena one evening, and remem
bering that this woman bad not always been unkind
to her, sho broko tho silence in a last appeal for bu.
man help.
"Sereny," sho whispered, imploringly, "when
your baby gits to be a woman, don't you wish she
could be bappier'n you be? You won't want ber to
bo a plural wife, will you?"
Serena started. M You don't orter ak quettions
like that," she said in a frightened wbUr.
Clarissy fell on ber kne ami put ber arms about
the thin, lathy form. " Oh, help mo to gut away,"
she begged. " 1 don't want to die, Sereny, but rs
sure es they's a (lod in heaven, Ml kill myself be
fore I'll marry that man, an' you'll be one of my mur
dews."
M I dawent, oh Ird, they'd kill me," solM Bo
reas, weakly.
ClaUsy's eager bands dropped helpleuly down;
in that moment ber lut hope dieiL
It's no use to humor ber any longer the bUhop
decided when be came again. MSbo is like a chill
that does cot know what is good for il We have
been taild, cow we tatut be firm. You bad Utter
bricg ber to Igaa to-morrow wl have it over. Hen