Julia Farr

“ Anna took the letter and read:
"Dearest Venna:
"I'm in a strange mood tonight. I feel as though life had ended for me. I don't know why I should write to you since you have cast me off as worthless. But somehow I'm not myself. I'm weak stuff to write to one who despises me. But love makes a fool of a man anyway. The counterfeit of love ruins a man's youth, and then when the real thing comes along, it's just about as bad. No satisfaction in any of it! I'd be glad to finish myself tonight—but I love you too much to create a scandal. Are you so hard that you can't even write me a friendly word? ”

“ It seemed an impossible joy laid at Emily Hastings' feet.
"If only your dear father could know!" she exclaimed, looking young in her new happiness.
"He does," returned Venna softly. "He knows all that happens to us," she added with a sudden pang at the thought of her own trouble.
"But, dearie. Dr. Hansom wishes us to marry very soon—of course, it will be a very quiet wedding. Do you think it is too soon?"
"No," returned Venna, lovingly patting her aunt's cheek. "The sooner you are made happy the better. I shall certainly hurry you off!" ”

“ Didn't our lecture satisfy you concerning them?"
"No man's lecture satisfies me concerning any sect," returned Hastings quietly.
"But it is not one man's opinion, Hastings. All Christendom is against them," urged Dr. Hansom.
Venna looked from one to the other, intently listening.
Her aunt flushed with mild annoyance. Surely John was spoiling Dr. Hansom's influence over Venna.
Hastings leaned back in his chair with an air of boredom.
"How all the sects do enjoy biting and snapping at any new thing in their midst. Why doesn't each one live and let live?" he asked quietly. ”

“ Will you refuse God's?"
"But Anna tried faith?" returned Venna.
"Sometimes faith is so strong that it works even in error. But it is not God's way. God's commands are sure. If you do not believe we have His divine authority to heal, will you let us have permission to try?"
Venna looked into Brother Hallock's earnest gray eyes and felt the power of his convictions. ”

“ VENNA HASTINGS. —
CHAPTER I. There is that in youth, untarnished by the world's experience, that invites the whisperings of diviner things.
"Very fine! Very fine!" exclaimed Professor Strausbey as the last note of the girl's violin died away in its tender pianissimo.
Little Venna drew a long breath of satisfaction, shook her curls as if freeing herself from some unseen power and looked up smiling. ”

“ Should I not be as patriotic as you? Women are needed badly. I am quite a Red Cross nurse now, you know."
"Yes, you're right," he answered seriously. "But I had never thought of you going. What a world of sacrifice we are now living in!"
"Let us try to hold our heads high and smile at adversity," she replied, smiling back at him.
"For God and America!" he added, taking her tenderly in his arms. "O Venna," he said, passionately, "what have I done to deserve such a woman as you! ”

“ Never did she play better. Her music expressed her mixed feelings—now sad, now questioning, now joyously triumphant. Brother Hallock watched her with a wrapt expression, entirely lost to his surroundings.
At last her notes died away in a gentle trembling pianissimo. No one spoke as she laid down her violin. For a few moments each one enjoyed the spell of her genius.
Venna seated herself by the window and, drawing the shade aside, looked out. Suddenly she started. Coming down the hill, she saw a large group of about forty villagers, led by Mr. Allworth and Miss Harriet. ”

“ The servants are so delighted you're coming. They're hustling all day to make the home fit to receive their queen!"
When they reached the Fifth Avenue home, Venna entered with a strange, trembling fear. A new life was before her—a happy life, but one of sacrifice—and sacrifice was a new experience!
As they entered the door, the fragrance of roses greeted her. Everywhere flowers! Hadly had spared no expense to have the home filled with nature's best. ”

“ That is why all the Churches differ. They don't really accept the Bible as God's word. They often say they do, but if they really did, beliefs would be founded on the fullness of its teachings and not on man's opinions. Not only this, but when I have been in my greatest sorrows, I have longed for a personal God who understands. Religion wouldn't mean anything to me without the Personality of a Divine Father."
"I think you'd better take my pulpit, Mrs. Hadly," said Mr. Soffy smiling. "You have more decision of thought than myself."
"Oh, don't say that!" replied Venna. ”

“ But deeper than this light attraction was the real human throb of the great city's throng, hurrying to and fro, some laughing, some anxious, some with a self-important strut of achieved success, others with the dogged defiance of failure and chagrin.
"The Great White Way! Was there ever anything so interesting?" thought Venna, appreciating with her bright mind the appealing contrasts. As yet she was too young to be saddened by the undercurrent of human longing and unrest.
Suddenly Venna exclaimed, "Listen, Daddy! There's a bunch singing hymns on the next comer. How great that sounds!" ”

“ As he spoke, Venna trembled with a fearful premonition of the world's future sorrows, but when he finished, she looked her love into his soul, smiling bravely.
"How better can a woman show her love than when a man needs her most? You know a Mormon girl marries for eternity, not just for the few years of this life—and if you come back from the war afflicted, who could better care for you than I? As for money, I've been thinking a great deal about my wealth to-day. It seems wicked to be rich, when so many are starving. ”

“ Soffy, glancing at Venna, who was drinking in the beauty of the scene with a rapt expression. "How beautiful she is!"
"If human hearts were only as peaceful as nature!" remarked Venna quietly.
"You forget, Mrs. Hadly. To-night is wonderfully serene, to-morrow may bring a storm that will transform nature into wildness."
"That is very true," returned Venna. "After all, there is a great analogy between the spiritual and the material. I can see how the Christian Scientists can stretch the point and believe one is but the expression of the other. I wish I could accept all their doctrines. ”

“ You resent my love from duty, don't you? You think I'll think less of you if you love me? No, dear, love is love's excuse. The world wouldn't understand, but the world needn't know. You and I can love ideally without the aid of the law, can't we?"
Venna listened to this man, and watched his fine eloquent eyes convey his devotion to her while speaking. There was no doubting his sincerity.
What a paradox! A Christian minister asking love of a married woman without a twinge of conscience! Surely the world was whirling around and morality was simply a question mark! ”

“ The girls listened with wonder, not understanding everything perfectly but feeling the power of the speakers.
Mr. Soffy watched them in pleased surprise, appreciating their personalities, but scarcely considering their beliefs.
"The Spirit of God is with them," Venna said within her heart. She was the only one who was searching the truth of their words. But with this eagerness for truth, came the powerful testimony to her soul, that here at last she was to find it.
God works in mysterious ways. The searcher for truth may follow Reason until he is lost in a maze of doctrines. ”

“ Maddon laughed one of her joyous little ripples.
"Now, look here, Venna dear, I didn't persuade you to come out to-day just because your health needed it. It isn't only much needed fresh air that has paled you lately. You mustn't mind a mother like me getting interested in your great love for Walter, and his great love for you. You don't mind me speaking frankly, dear?" ”

“ We Mormon women can't understand how some Eastern women marry these worn-out sports. I wouldn't want one for the father of my children. My darlings are my whole ambition in life. I believe I was created for that ambition and its attainment."
"Don't any of your girls ever long for a career?" asked Venna.
"Oh, yes, many of them. And Mormon parents always try to develop every talent a girl has. But even our ambitious women finally marry and have large families. They have to be in the world a few years to realize that the highest womanly ambition is to be a mother." ”

“ Everything worth while in this home spoke of Venna. So thought Mr. Soffy. His admiration for her had developed into a strong passion. Two months ago Ashfield had seemed a monotonous hole. Now it was a rose garden, filled with love's anticipations. Everytime he left that rose garden, he knew it was but to come again into the presence of this exceptional woman. What if she were married? She was unhappy and had never known what love really meant. Why should a woman go through life unloved? Such "old fogy" ideas belonged to "Miss Mary" and "Miss Harriet" but not to broad-minded, up-to-date people. ”

“ Looking around the old familiar room her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
"Every rose has its thorn, but let's forget the sting and think only of the joy of it all," replied Venna, bravely choking back a sob.
There is a time in every girl's life when she finds herself suddenly a woman. The time of this change from girlhood to womanhood is not marked by the marriage ceremony. ”

“ Hadly is my name," said Venna with simple dignity. "And yours?" she asked as they followed her upstairs.
"My name is Hallock. My companion is Brother Johnson," returned the older one.
Venna led them to the open door of a large airy room, the guest room, furnished daintily in blue and white.
The young men peered in. "Surely not for us?" said the younger. "We wouldn't like to disturb such daintiness."
"Go right in and make yourself at home. Daintiness is always refreshing when one is tired. I will give you just ten minutes to reappear!" and with her most winning smile, she left them. ”

“ He paused for a moment, but Venna made no remark. She was earnestly listening to his every word.
"Now, my dear," he continued more confidently, "you have, of course, always been sheltered so by your father, that you are ignorant of life in many respects. Please don't think your husband a monstrosity. I'm no better than the next man—no worse, either. I've lived in the world, seen all sides of it, too, but that is why I am all the more able to appreciate a girl like you—by contrast, you know, dear." ”

“ Soffy eyed Venna keenly as if to read her very soul.
"Are you a Christian Scientist?" he asked.
"Not exactly," replied Venna. "Mrs. Halloway is trying to make me one. I live by many of their principles. There is so much beauty in some of their ideas. But I must believe in the Personality of God. I can't see how they do away with it. When Stephen was being stoned to death, the heavens opened before him, and he saw the Christ sitting on the right hand of God. Now, if we believe in the inspiration of the Bible, how can we accept this vision without the belief in God's personality? ”

“ One part must be cut at a time or the patient would lose his life from shock."
"I can't agree with you," returned Venna earnestly. "Why should you preach error and intensify the disease?"
"Well—no—maybe not," returned Mr. Soffy with hesitation. "I never thought of it in just that light. It's very hard to know how to handle a congregation of church-goers today. They are full of prejudice, 'mother told me so' doctrines, and unless something new is startlingly attractive, out goes the preacher if he dares to introduce it. What would you do?" he asked with a look of open admiration. ”