“No; go now. This is just the time for you. You need his counsel and sympathy most, now. Come,” and she led her like a child into his presence.
He did not meet her with formality, but took her hand, and led her to a seat, then sat beside her. Dawn left, and soon found her mental poise.
Words grew into sentences, thought leaped after thought, and newly perceived truths came to the mind of Hugh with strange and wonderful rapidity, as he sought to calm and console the tempest-tossed mind. A blessing descended on the communion, and when they parted, one could not tell which face shone the brightest.
Mrs. Dalton laid down that night with stronger purposes of life, and a deeper conviction that the step which she had taken was the right one, though all before her was dark and unknown.
“Give all to her that she calls forth, and inspires in you, for that is her right,” said Mrs. Wyman, when her husband told her of his interview with Mrs. Dalton.
How many wives of the present day are deep and strong enough to utter such sentiments? It was no lip phrase, for it came from her heart-a true heart, which pulsated to human needs.
“Noblest of women!” her husband was about to exclaim, but instead of speech, he pressed her to his heart, and then turned and wept.
Why had woman so blest his life, and showered so many gifts upon it, when thousands were dying for one blessing? It was an orison which rose to heaven from his heart that night, and when he laid his head upon his pillow, a rich resolve stirred his being to its depths, that then and ever, his best self should be dedicated to the service of humanity. Pastors sounded the name of God, and proclaimed what they called, “his word,” far and near over the land, and were paid in gold for their speech, but few men lived, acted and spoke like Hugh Wyman. Few reached the human heart so closely, or breathed more consolation into it than he. Old and young, rich and poor, received blessings from his hand and from his cultured mind, each according to his needs. He placed in the hands of those who groped in darkened ways, a light which guided them to the temple of truth, and going out into the highways and hedges of life, invited all to the feast which his heavenly father had spread out for every child of humanity.