Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 46: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“GOOD-BY, BEST AND KINDEST SISTER.” 37 listen to you. The suffering I have just endured and am enduring has changed all my ideas. I do not believe in the mercy of a Being who punishes His innocent creatures without cause. How havel deserved this? Have I neglected any of my duties toward the church? Have I failed in my | devotion toward her? You know my whole life has been wrapped up in her and yet 1 am visited with a sorrow like this. Oh, it is cruel—too horribly unjust, and I cannot, cannot endure it!”’ And she broke into a flood of passionate tears which caused the priest to gaze at her in consternation. | ‘“‘My daughter remember the teachings of your child- hood. Are you about to undo the good of all these years?”’ he uttered, with grave reproof. ‘‘Remember!’’ she echoed. ‘*What else have I done but remember during the long days and nights she has been gone? Father, I have thought it all out, believe me, and tried to reason with myself, but I feel as though every im- pulse within me, for good or evil, was frozen up.”’ ‘¢¢Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth,’’’ murmured the old man, solemnly. ‘¢<Chasteneth,’ yes, that is not beyond my comprehen- sion,’’ she responded, with bitter emphasis. ‘*But, Father, my heart is broken as truly as ever a human being’s was, and I have nothing left to live for. I could have borne any- thing, everything but this.”’ ‘May you not be making too serious a matter of it?”’ sug- gested Father Moore, hopefully. ‘‘She may return.”’ ‘‘Never, or she would not have gone. You do not, cannot understand the affection that existed between us. The strain which made her snap the bond must have been severe indeed. My poor, innocent lamb, what does she EGoOmichbooks (Cc)