Weaker than a Woman — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN, 129 “The last, if I ean, Eve,” he said, slowly. He looked at the light on her fair face. “Believe me,” she went on, earnestly, “we shall not know, until we come to die, what great sorrows do for US, and then we shall thank Heaven for them. There is something weak and cowardly in the idea of being beaten by any trouble. This world is a battle-field, and we must fight nobly; the temptation to yield weakly to a great grief is one of the hardest that comes to us. It would be so much easier for you, Felix, to lie down and die than to © do battle day by day, and so have to live your sorrow down.” “Yes, it would, Eve,” he replied. “A soul that has never suffered is but a puny soul,” she said; “the strong and noble soulis the one that passes through the furnace of fire and comes out pure gold—not base metal or gold with an alloy—but pure, refined, true gold. The mystery is why men and women must all suffer ; but that we shall never fathom; we only know that ‘God sends pain—even to his best beloved He sends pain.’ ” Something in the brave face and the brave, patient voice touched him. He looked up at her suddenly. “Surely, Eve,” he said, “you have had no sorrow that you should speak in such a fashion ?” She smiled, and he thought how like her face was to that of pictured angels. “Yes,” she said, “I have a great sorrow; but it is dumb —it will never find a voice—it will die with me, and be buried in my grave.”’ “What has your sorrow done for you, Eve?” he asked, after a time. Again came the beautiful light on the sweet face. “It has opened my heart,” she replied, “it has killed all self-love, it has made me love and pity every one who has suffered, it has taught me that life is but short, and that heaven is my true home.” “It shall teach me the same,” he said, “if you will help me, Eve. I loved herso dearly that my loss has almost killed me.” Na pride and self-control gave way—he sobbed like a chi “My dear old friend !” said Eve, and, as simply as a child might have done it, she drew his head upon her arm, and the first tears he shed over the great sorrow of his life fell on her kindly ministering hands. Comichbooks Eco mn