FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100  
101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>  
gard to this matter at least." Relieved in mind, Marston commenced looking over some papers in reference to matters of business then on hand, and was soon so much absorbed in them, that the subject which had lately filled his thoughts faded entirely therefrom. Some one opened the door, and he turned to see who was entering. In an instant he was on his feet. It was Arnest. The face of the latter was pale and agitated, and his lips quivered. He came forward hurriedly, extending his hand, not to grasp that of his old friend, but to hold up his own letter that had been just returned to him. "Marston," he said, huskily, "did I send you _this_ note?" "You did," was the firm but mild answer. "Thus I cancel it!" And he tore it into shreds, and scattered them on the floor. "Would that its contents could be as easily obliterated from your memory!" he added, in a most earnest voice. "They are no longer there, my friend," returned Marston, with visible emotion, now grasping the hand of Arnest. "You have wiped them out." Arnest returned the pressure with both hands, his eyes fixed on those of Marston, until they grew so dim that he could no longer read the old familiar lines and forgiving look. "Let us forgive and forget," said Marston, speaking in a broken voice. "We have wronged each other and ourselves. We have let evil passions rule instead of good affections." "From my heart do I say 'Amen,'" replied Arnest. "Yes, let us forgive and forget. Would that we had been as wise as we now are, years ago!" Thus were they reconciled. And now the question is, What did either gain by his indignation against the other? Did Arnest rise higher in his self-esteem, or Marston gain additional self-respect? We think not. Alas! how blinding is selfish passion! How it opens in the mind the door for the influx of multitudes of evil and false suggestions! How it hides the good in others, and magnifies, weakness into crimes! Let us beware of it. "Reconciled at last," said old Mr. Wellford, when he next saw Arnest and heard the fact from his lips. "Yes," replied the latter. "I can now forget as well as forgive." "Rather say you can forget, _because_ you forgive. If you had forgiven truly, you could have ceased to think of what was wrong in your friend long ago. People talk of forgiving and not forgetting, but it isn't so: they do not forget because they do not forgive." "I believe you are right," said Arnest. "I think, no
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100  
101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>  



Top keywords:

Arnest

 
Marston
 

forget

 

forgive

 

returned

 

friend

 

longer

 

replied

 
forgiving
 

indignation


speaking

 

broken

 

matter

 

wronged

 

reconciled

 
affections
 

question

 

passions

 
additional
 

Rather


forgiven

 

Wellford

 

ceased

 

forgetting

 
People
 

Reconciled

 

blinding

 

selfish

 

passion

 

esteem


respect

 

magnifies

 
weakness
 
crimes
 

beware

 

influx

 

multitudes

 

suggestions

 

higher

 

absorbed


extending

 
hurriedly
 

quivered

 

forward

 

business

 

matters

 

huskily

 

letter

 
agitated
 
opened