Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1855-07-18
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But, Gss ysasp ar got aiuass Lifetime.
True, Il VS. sncA 70 Tie qaiss, thonshsfal
Charlie Allen, wAns iafg-, Dark eyes had
stolen bfli;ssncy from bio books: snd III.
isuahiag little Bel Archer both were laid
IL sleep 10 the old church. yard, when the
n,xat stars shown on their graves. Others
we're sat 70 seek fortune IN the gay world,
and some grew into miniature mca and wo-
men by their own sweet Grssides, but Alice
| May was still = child. VT she was taller
ard bsr slight form more Eracefoiiy develop
ed, but there was tie same angel looking
through her eses as had watched there 10
oiden DAYS. Sic staid at home now, TO rs.
s.st her mother 10 sewing--;hcir chief sup
! port; bu; che was the same shy, sweet Alice
thrt Ben Bolt bad carried through the snow.
Ben Bolt had come back. How strange
that fye years should have pas SD 50 quickly,
and stranger still that shis tall, handsome
sailor should bs Ben Bolt. Kate Aashley
was not thinking Of the sweet sabbaih day
/ rest, az the chime Of the church bells doated
through the village: there she stood before
the mirror arranging her shining eurls ana
fastening ii"r dainty bonnet, with its white
ribbons n d dropping blue bella. thinking,
il she could mot fascinats Ben with her spark
ling eyes, it would he delightful to have his
chief attention durisg the stay.
lie ,haught she did look very beautiful, as
be SAT, before service, looking on the oiden
faces blu; there was fairer one than hers,
he sancisd, Ms he saw the sweet face Of Alice
My, with the half-closc1 eyes, and long
| gotden.edge lashcs; shadowing the pale
cheek. lie carried 10 his bosom curl like
TIE one nesting 50 softly by her temple, and
| il was tR!isnan, keeping him from the en-
ci,an.mcnt ofother eyes.
/ When the SERVES was closed, Ben WIS
thYongcd about by old familiar faces--they
had so much to say, 90 many things to speak
Of, 50 much TO express at hia safe return
that 1t we'll nigh beWiiderei him. 1t was
very pl.asantto be 40 warmly welcomSd by
friends, delightful 10 chat of by. cones, and
it was indeed Sabbath Of joy for Ben
Bolt.
Sweet Alice. All, how long and weary the
time had BEEN 10 her. Sometimes her heart
died within her, nss she. thought Of the broad
ocean; when she looked SO shily at Ben thu:
morning, and saw how handsome be had
grown, n heart sickness came over her, and
tho sunshine fell dmly at her feet. She
knew she had hidden away, in tn. depths of
her pure heart, wild earthly love, and she
s.rovs to put it from her; for, would he
think Of her now So, it was no wonder
that she should slip her slender hand in her
mothers and steal quietly from the joyous
throng.
|. was Sabbath eye--one Of those balmy,
moonlight evenings Of the young summer,
Mrs. May bad gone to visit a sick neighbor,
and Alice set by the window with the Bible
to the words, falling so unsteady from her
lips:
ssAnd there shall be no night there; and
they need no candle, neither light Of the sun;
for the Lord God giveth them light, and they
shall reign forever and ever"
She looked tremblingly up in the moon
light, for close behind her knelt tho manly
form Of Ben Bolt. There was told q sweet
story of love and hope, not the less sweet for
|, being the LANGUAGE Of every human heart;
as she said, very low and sweetly:
elf live, Ben, when FIVE years more have
passed, ard vou return a second time"
, She did not finish tit was never finish.
ed.
! So they plighted their troth that calm
holy Sabbath evening, and the buoyant hear
: Of Ben, in its gushing sunniness, picture,
, radiant hopes of the future. He WINS S,
. young and full Of vitali.y-every pulse o
y his heart wrs beating gladly. and the comm,
Ave years were more precious to him thar
4 all the past.
t '.If we both live, Ben, God will have us i,
. hi. holy keeping" She said in answer t
vulsivey to his beating heart, he replycd
T "God will be mercful to those who Low
SO dearly, Alice darling"
Sho Epar II Int she know also TINT CO.
: did not always hear the prayer falling tn
hopeful lips. Sweet Alice. Adown the fu
n ture Ben looked tremblingly, and, as he sa,
Q her fragile form and spiritual face, wit
II white lilies braided in the soft brown hair, hi
Is eyes grew dim with tears, for she knewnot
it was n bridal or a burial, for close besid
1t the altar was the graveyard.
They were not wanting who wondered a
It Ben Bolts choice, and thought it strange h
% should take Alice Nay in preference TO til
l. fairest and wealthiest. Some there wer
II who held their heads loftily when they passe
n her, but her heart was on the blue waters
&c and she needed it not
How she watched tho days in their pass
d ing. Sha noted how the summer waned-
n how the field of waving grain grew yello,
q in the sunlight-she heard tho glad voice
Z of the rcapers; and when the leaves wer
,, falling, tho children went nut gathering i
!, the woods; when the noiselcss snow fell, an
e lay on the hill sid, as in oldru days, unit
the genial spring tide sun melted it away
}, and the violets and harcbells dotted tn
(; fields. So passed year.
e She was growing fairer and more beauti
u ful-too brilliant for anything earthly
Once she knelt at the altar in the it'll
y church and listened to the words uniting he
:, with the Savior's redeemed on earth; but
o was only an outward form, for her heart ha
q long been in the keeping Of angels. Agai
q she watched the waning of the summer day.
:. and when the soft wind swept over the sill
q very rye folds, she thought Of the ocea
;. afar, with its broad waves. All through tn
!. winter day she grew more spiritual in he
% beauty, and the slender white hands were Of
J, ten folded on her breast, and she prayed fO
y she knew she was dying.
Ii did not startle her; she had felt lon
" ago that the far green earth would hold he
l. pulseless heart ere it had left the cloisser @
i. girlhood. Life was sweet and beautiful
q yet, in her sinlessness, death had no agony
10 save her sorrow for those left in LONELINESS.
g 1t was only very little way to the land G
rest and her feet had never grown weary "
y she longed to look once more upon the flow
70 ers and have them braided in her hair; an
70 80 she fingered till the voice Of spring wa
% heard on the hill-tnps.
One morning, when viewless hands wer
d gathering back the misty curtains of tn
a night, and the star. grew dim in the glory q
., early morn, sweet Alice stood on the tire,
q hold of Paradise, and the golden gates WEI
q opened TO the fair, meek girl. There tren
= bled on her lips . prayer and blessing fe
y Ben Belt, and her mother giving radiance
IS the fair dead face, and they braided sprin
1t flowers in her brown hair.
:. The church bell shimed softly to the fe
years earth ha claimed the stainless soul 1
& Alice May rs they brought the coffin in tn
ID little old church. How beautiful she locke
&c in her white burial robe-too fair and swe,
q for dea,h--too holy, had there not been
l. resurrection beyond. Close behind her stoo
.. the friends of her girlhood, gazing on tn;
4 young face as il they would fain call b,
y back to life and its sweet love. So they lai
4, sweet Alice to sleep in the old church var
ss and those who looked cody on r took |
:, g their borrowing hearts sweet memory {
Il the early dead.