The west shore., April 01, 1889, Page 201, Image 32

v
There had whispered a voice,
'Twasthe voice of her (iod,
I love thee, I love thee,
Pass under the rod.
THE WE8T SHORE.
201
Chet would be sorry if I gave up to idleness and
despair, when there is bo much to be done in the
world," she had said, and bravely strove to do for
others, hoping that in thus doing she might find a
panacea for her own bleeding heart Homesick and
heartsick oftentimes, she remained in Utah until late
in the winter, when hostilities became so open that her
gentile friends urged her to go at once. Bab and her
mother felt sure that most of the trouble had origi
nated with J alia, who was jealous because the " fine
lady," as she called her, was so friendly with them;
and deep was their grief at the parting.
" You will write to me, Bab?" Nellie said.
" If I can; but I doubt their letting my letters go
out or yours reach me."
More than a year elapsed after the departure of
Miss Swinton before the death of Mrs. Leslie, and
not one word had Bab received from the former.
Several times had she written, but in vain. They
wore suspected and watched, evidently.
" Six weeks to-night since my poor mother died,"
mused Bab, one evening as she sat by the window of
her little room, watching the last rays of sunlight on
the mountain peaks beyond the beautiful Salt lake.
She was fond of being alone now, and spent many
hours watching those same mountains upon which for
years her mother had gazed, oftentimes throngh
blinding tears,
" Where are you, my own sweet mamma? And
can you see your lonely Bab? "
Then she thought of her friend, somewhere out in
the world, in the world of which she had scarcely a
more definite idea than she had of heaven. How she
longed to get away, to be free, Despito her father's
promise, she felt insecure. She knew he had already
received several offers for her hand, and that if an
advantageous one presented itself Julia would urge
him to sacrifice her. Money was needed in the fam
ily; her father had ever been a poor fiuancier. Shu
knew her beauty would command a high price. No
wonder the future looked dark and threatming. Of
two things, however, she felt certain. The one, tlmt
tor father would try to compel her to marry; th
other, that she would die rather than break her prom
ise to her mother. She had been taught from iufaucy
to hate the accursed system that had b)ight"d her
Cher's life; yet, at the same time, she had learned
to bo oniot .n,1 j;a..mM lor feeling. IYrlm
J v UMV4 UiOOUUiWIV v, - 1
to of her father's craftiness was hern by nu r.;-
ance. It was the one thing for which he was noted.
The trial came sooner than she had expected.
" Barbara, my child, you aro lonesome hero, and
ought to havo a homo of your own," ho began ono
evoning in his nioHt penuaaive manner. " You aro
old enough to marry. Let mo see, you mutt bo soy.
entoen, and I have had a number of good offers; but
yesterday I got one entirely too good to Ignore, You
may feel yourself highly favored to bo chooen at last
by an elder, and one so wealthy and influential as
Brother Dunham."
" Brother Dunham! Good heavens! " Tho words
burst from the quivering lips with passionate, iur.
prised emphasis.
" Yes, to bo sure, and it it something for a poor
girl like you to be thankful for, to bo sealed to one so
high in the church as he."
" But you promised mother that I need not marry
unless I wished, and I do not wish."
" Now see here, Barbara, you are a sensible girl
too sensible, I am sure, to havo any nonaenao alxtut
this. To be sure, I promised Klenor some such thing,
just to relievo her mind and help her die easy. I
could not well do otherwise; but a promise made un
der such circumstances can not, of course, lx consid
ered binding. She was not herself when she repeat
od it It was a mere whim."
Bab had risen during tho foregoing harangue, and
stood with white face and eyes full of horror and
dread. This, then, was the eud. Klin kuew him so
well; and then, a man who could thus set aaldo a vow
he had called on Heaven to witness -what hail she to
hope or expect from such an one? Hho did not, could
not, sjieak; but with unsteady step left tho room. It
was several days Ix fore the lul'ject was again referred
to, and meanwhile the girl had done some deep think-
" Barbara, Brother Dunham Is coming hern to
night to see you; and you understand that it Is my
will that you treat him well ami make no trouble."
" Father, if I must li sold to this creature, you
will at least let ino havo my way in one thing? "
Delighted with what seemed an eay victory, ho
kindly bld her that any reasonable wish would bo
granted.
" Thn, I arn not to bo scaled until Christmas, ami
i mottill'tiillt 111) 11 not to oomo beie.
" I'retty hard lines for so ardent a lover, but I will
b. him, and if he agrwo, all right"
" H 'W many wi-?" but she oould not uk tho
.potion, and burst into hysterical weeping.
" ,,.t Vr riuall; it 'II do her gjod," said Julia,
coariM'ly.
Vainly Clara tril to comfort her. IWt cry so,
;,,!,; I wouldn't M bad You'll lire In s lino botue,
and have servants and a curing, an 1 bo tha f arorlto.