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INTO MARVELOUS LIQHT
SYNOPSIS.
Julian Deveaux, a New York actor of bad character,
goes South for rest and recreation. He falls deeply in
love with a young Southern girl who gives him only
cordial friendship in return, but consents to marry him
at the sudden death of her father, who also wishes the
union. John Marsden, a young preacher to whom De
veaux had become attracted in New York, comes South
to perform the ceremony. The couple go at once abroad
and in Paris, Christiania, the wife, gets the first glimpse
of the husband’s unfortunate disposition. Later, a
woman connected with Deveaux’s past, meets and fol
lows the couple, returning on the steamer with them to
America. She takes occasion to warn Deveaux that his
wife does not love him. But the man determines to rid
himself of this woman by police aid, and devotes him
self to his wife. He has planned a surprise for her in a
handsome home in New York, and he calls on John
Marsden to urge him to visit Christiania in her new
home. The girl herself remembers Marsden and is anx
ious for another meeting. The preacher, hoping to help
and guide her, consents to make the visit which he has
shunned as long as permissible.
(Continued from last week.)
At last she said: “Forgive me. You bring it all
back as if it were but yesterday. Part of my very
self seemed to have left me when my father died.
Life can never be the same again. No one knows
but my dear, aunt what father and I were to each
other. I have never been able even to speak of
him, but I should like to open my heart to you.
You do not seem a stranger to me. There is some
thing about you that reminds me of father.”
“Let me be your friend at all times and in ev
ery way that lies in my power.”
In her impulsive, girlish manner, she laid her
hand upon his arm, exclaiming, “How good of you.
You don’t know, of course, and I scarcely have time
to think of it myself, in the whirl of all my social
duties, but I sometimes feel that I am drifting
away from all the influences of the sw T eet old home
life, the life that father loved so much. Dou you
think he would wish it to be so?”
“If he could speak to you I know he would tell
you that, with your youth and beauty, and almost
limitless wealth, you might become an angel of mer
cy in this great city of poverty and misery and sin.
Even with all the temptations that are before you,
if you would seek God’s guidance at all times and
rely upon his strength in your moments of tempta
tion, you would find in Him a Friend closer even
than a father.”
“Julian has told me about the great work you
do. I am so interested, and wish you would tell
me about it, and show me what I may do. With all
my heart I wish to be guided by God in all things.
You inspire me to all that is best and noblest.
Help me.”
Mr. Deveaux entered, saying, “Why, hello, John.
At last? I hope you and the madame have already
become good friends. Annie, have you shown John
over our house ? ”
“What a question. Did yon expect the moment
he came, I should, like a child, say, ‘come, let me
show you my play-house?”
“To be sure. Come at once, John.”
Christiana did not join them, for she did not rel
ish showing John the ball-room, nor the room for
private theatricals, nor the billiard and card
room.
“Come, Annie, are you not going with us?”
“No, if you will pardon me, I am sure you are
quite capable of doing the honors of the house
without me.”
Left alone she had a combat with herself. Why
was it she so feared John Marsden’s disapproval
of these things, when she had worried so little
about whether God would approve of them or not?
Perhaps he had awakened her to her relation to
God in a different light. Her soliloquy ended with
the consoling thought that it was all her husband’s
planning, that she was not responsible for it, nei
ther could she help it if she were to try. It had
been impossible for her to do otherwise than marry
him because he had loved her go, and because it
The Golden Age for April 26, 1906.
By LLEWELYN ST EP HE NS.
was her idolized father’s dying request. She could
not ask for a more devoted husband. But now she
did something she had never before done, she com
pared her husband with another man. It had never
occurred to her that her husband always looked on
the dark side of all questions, that he saw only
the world’s wickedness, and never said or did any
thing which inspired her to be that which was good
and noble, while the very presence of John Mars
den was enobling and inspiring toward all that was
den was ennobling and inspiring toward all that was
husband so critically, as she did when the two men
returned.
When John Marsden reached his study, he fell
upon his knees and implored God to remove the
cup from him if possible, but if it were his will
for him to continue under such torture, to give him
strength sufficient for his needs.
CHAPTER XVII.
“The ■world is a bride superbly dressed:—
Who weds her for dowry must pay his soul.”
—Hafiz.
The Deveauxs were giving a great ball. Christi
ana was all in white and fairly ablaze with dia
monds. Her husband said, “Perfect, simply per
fect. I am willing for all New York to see my
beautiful wife just as she is tonight. I wish John
could see you now. What a pity we could not have
induced him to come. It seems to me he gets more
prudish every day.”
Christiana blushed. She was uncertain whether
she would wish John Marsden to see her as she was
dresstd for her first ball.
The decorations made the house appear as in a
fairy land. The music of the orchestra was en
chanting. The punch bowl was intoxicating. The
silent walls were witnesses to many comedies and
tragedies that night among the thousand assembled
guests. The usual topics were discussed, the theat
rical attractions of the season, the approaching
horse show, the last divorce in high life and the
debutantes who were just out; but nothing was so
commented on as this marriage of Julian Devaux’s.
The excitement of this, her first social function,
kept up Christiana’s strength, vivacity and gracious
manner, all through the long night till the cool gray
dawn of morning, when the last carriage rolled
away. She was not so shocked by many scenes she
witnessed as the sweet village maiden would have
been. Mr. Deveaux had impressed his wife with
the idea that upon her success or failure that night
depended his future happiness. After it was over,
he assured her he was the proudest husband in the
world, so she persuaded herself that she was quite
content for the time. Thus, by degrees, she began
to look at the world through her husband’s eyes
and see many things as he saw them.
But -when, during this same week, her aunt, Mrs.
Wayland, came to visit her, her whole being w*as
again rent with conflicting emotions.
The next Sunday found her and her aunt driving
to John Marsden’s church. It was the first time
she had gone out without her husband by her side.
Her heart was heavy. He gave, as his reason for
not accompanying her, an engagement at his club.
She made everv effort to prevent her aunt from
thinking she felt it. She had ready excuses for
evprvthinqf he did.
John Marsden’s text was taken from Luke 16:25,
“But. Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in
thv lifetime received the "nod things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and
thou art tormented.” He seemed, during the ser
mon. to be insnired. and his face was glorified.
When he had said “Amen,” he paused a moment,
then becran sing-ins’.
“Nearer mv God to Thee.”
.As one by one the con "re"ation took im the hvmn,
its nrnises ran" from almost everv lin. till the verv
air thrilled with its "lorv. and the walls echoed with
Rs "randeur. God himself was so near, everyone
felt the touch of His presence. Homely faces may
have been in the audience at the beginning of the
service, but at its close every face was beautiful
with the halo of His Spirit. It was a wonderful
service, a veritable pentecostal blessing.
Was Christiana’s heart touched? Yes, but she
did not open her heart so much to God as she was
drawn to the man sent from God. She sat as one
spellbound until that ■wonderful voice, she had
heard by the mound of flowers which covered her
idolized father’s body, began singing. With a start
she thought of herself as Christiana Devaux. Her
eyes filled with tears. More and more was she over
come. As the congregation arose, she leaned her
head upon the back of the pew in front of
her and almost sobbed aloud. John Marsden saw
it, his tones became more exultant in praise to God
for using him as the instrument to touch her heart.
At the close of the service, Mrs. Wayland raised
her up, remarking, “We shall wait to speak to Mr.
Marsden. May I invite him home to dinner with
us ? ”
“Certainly, auntie, I should be delighted to have
him and I am sure Julian would, too.”
They did not have to wait long until John Mars
den joined them. He had little to say, and Chris
tiana had nothing. She seemed satisfied with look
ing into his face.
He agreed to dine with them, but they could not
persuade him to drive home with them. He pre
ferred to take a car, and to join them at their
home.
Mr. Devaux arrived home just in time for dinner,
bringing a friend with him. Christiana saw that
in some way he was not himself. After introducing
Horace Bradmore, he began in a most teasing man
ner, “Annie, did John give you enough religion this
morning to make up for last time? If I had had
the least idea that you could have induced him to
take dinner with us, Horace and I would not have
remained to finish that last game of cards, but we
had up pretty good stakes, enough to make it lively,
so we did not notice how late it was.”
Christiana’s face crimsoned. She tried to change
the subject, but each time she did so, it lead to
something equally embarrassing. Horace Brad
more asked Mr. Devaux when he expected to return
to the stage?
“Oh, Bradmore, don’t talk shop. Just take it
for granted that I have withdrawn from public life.
Annie might object to my taking up the stage again.
That’s a secret I have kept from her, and now
you’ve let it out. If you don’t mind, you’ll make
yourself my worst enemy.”
(Continued next week.)
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