Demoine courier., 1855-08-02

to chat OF by gone, and it was indeed a
Sabbath OF Joy for Ben Bolt,
Sweet Allcei All, how long and wea.
~ The lime had been to her. Sometimes
her hear! died within her, as she though,
uf the broad oceanj when she booked so
shily at Ben tina, morning, and saw how
handsome he had grown, a heart sick
ness came over her, and the sunshine fell
cim)y al her feet. She knew she had
hidden away, in the depths OF her pure
heart, a wild earthly love, and she s,rove
to put II from her; for, would he think
of her now? So, j! was no wonder that
she should slip her slender hand in her
mothers and steal quietly from the joy
Gus lhrong,
1t was Sabbath eve-one OF those bal.
my, moonlight esenngs Of the young
summer, Mrs. May ffad gone to visit q
sick n~eighbor, and Alice set by the win.
dow with the Bible open, and her slender
white fingers pointing to the words, Gal.
ling so unsteady from her lips:
"And there shall be no night there;
and they need no candle, neither light OF
the sun; for the Lord God givelh them
light, and they reign forever and ever"
She looked iremblingly up in the
moonlight, for close behind her knelt
the manly form Of BeE Bolt. There
was told a sweet story Of love hope. no,
the less sweet for being language ofevery
hunan heart; and the tny hands of A.
lice were folded in his as she said, very
low and sweetIy:
Ill live. Ben, when FIVE wears more
have passed, and yos return a second
time"
She did not finish lit wac never
finished. ~
So they pliahted their ,roth tha: calm,
holy Sabbath evening, and the ~bouyant
heart Of Ben in its gushing suniness, pict
ured radiant hopes of the future. lie
was so young and full Of vi.ality-eyery
pulse. Of his. hear, was beating gladly,
and coming five years were more preci
Gus to him than all The Fast.
''li we both live, Ben. God will have
US IN his holy keeping" She said in
answer to his parting word; but. as he
pressed her convulsively TO his beating
heart, he replied:
"God will be mercifns TO those who
love so dearly, Alice darling
She knew it, but she knew, also, that
God did not always hear the pray Ell fall
ling from hopeful lips. Sweet Alice
Acown the future Ben looked trembling
~, and, as he saw her fragile form and
spiritual face, with white lilies braided
IN her soft brown hair, his eyes grew dim
with tears, for she knew not if il was a
bridal or a burial, for close beside the
altar was the graveyard.
they were not wanting who wonder
ed at Ben Bolts choice, and thought il
strange he should take Alice Nay in pre-
ference 10 the fairest and weallhiest.--
Some there were who held their heads
Ioftily when they passed her, but her
hear, was on the blue waters and she
Needed it not. gg ssz a
How she watched the days in their
passing. She noted how the summer
waned-how the field of waving grain
grew yellow in the sunlight-she hsard
The glad voices Of The reapers; and when
the leaves were falling, the children wen,
nu, gathering in the woods; when the
n~oisless snow fell, and lay on the hill
side as in olden days, until The genial
spring tide sun melted it away, and the
%viole,s and harebells dotted the fields
So passed a year.
She was growing fairer and more beau
iiiul--,oo brilliant for anything earthly,
Once she knelt at the altar in the Iitle
Church and listened TO The words uniting
her with the Savior's redeemed on earth;
but it was only an outward form, for hel
hear, had long been in the keeping oil
angels. Again she watched the waning
of The ssmme days, and when the sofl
wind swept over the silvery rye fields,
she thought of the ocean afar, with its
bread waves. All through the winter
day she grew more spiritual in her beau.
IS, and the slender white hands were Of.
ten folded on her breast, and she prayed
for those who would soon be left desola,e
for she knew she was dying.
IL did not star,le her, she had felt long
ago that taefair green earth would hol1
her pulseless heart ere i, had left the
~cloister o girlhood. Life was sweet and
beautiful, yet, ia her sinlessness, death
had no agony, save her sorrow for those
left in loneliness. 1t was only q very
little way to the lasd of res. and her fee
had never grown weary; yet she longet
o look once more upon the flowers ant
have them braided in her hair; and SC
she fingered till the voice OF spring wa.
heard on the hill tops.
One morning, when yiewless hand.
were gathering back the misty curtain.
Of night. and the stars grew dim in the
glory of early morn, Sweet Alice stood
on the threshold Of Paradise. and III.
golden gates were opened TO the fair
meek girl. There trsmbled on her lip.
a prayer and blessing for Ben Boil, ane
her m o,he.. giving radiance to the fail
dead face, and braided spring flowers il
her brown hair.
The Church bell chimed softly to The
few years earth had claimed the stain.
less soul Of Alice May as ,hev brough
the coffin in the little old Church. How
ha,n,;fal sho IooloJ IN he, r,h;,o bn.;,