Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-02

al, for beside the altar was the grave
yard.
They were not wanting who wonder
ed at Ben Bolts choice, and thought it
strange he should take Alice May in
preference to the fairest anil wealthiest.
Some there were who held their heads
lofty when they passed her, but her heart
was on the blue waters and she needed
it not.
How she watched the summer DAYS
in their passing. She noted how the
summer waned-how the fields of wav-
ing grain grew yellow in the sunlight
she heard the voices of the reapers-
and when the leaves were falling the
children went out gathering in the woods;
when the noiseless snow fell, and Law on
the bill side, as in olden days, until the
genial spring tide sun melted it away and
the.violets and hare-bellS dotted the fields.
So passed the year. She was growing
fairer and more beauIiiul,-too brilliant
for anything earthly. Once she knelt at
the altar in the little church, and listen
ed to the words uniting her with the Sa.
vior'S redeemed on earth ; but it was only
an outward form, for heart had long
been in the keeping of angels. Again
She watched the waning of the summer
days, and when the soft wind swept over
the silvery rye fields, she thought of the
ocean afar with its broad waves. All
through the winter she grew more spirit,
ual in her beauty, and the slender white
hands were often folded on her breast.
and she prayed for those who she knew
would soon be left destitute, for she knew
she was dying.
II did not startle her; for she had felt
long ago that the fair, green earth would
hold her pulseless heart, ere it had lef!
the clOister of girlhood. Life was sweet
and beautiful, and in her sinlessness.
death had no agony, saved her sorrow
for those left in loneliness. 1t was only
a very little way to the land of rest, and
her feet, had never grown weary yet
she longed to look once more upon the
flowers and have them braided in her
hair; and so she fingered till the voice
Of spring was heard upon the hill tops.
One morning when viewless hands
were gathering back the misty curtains
OF the night and the stars grew dim in
the glory of early morn, Alice stood on
the Threshold OF Paradise, and the gold.
en- gates were opened TO the fair, meek
girl. There trembled on her lips pray
er and blessing for Ben Bolt and her
mother, giving radiance to her fair dead
face, and they braided spring fl overs in
her brown hair.
The church bell chimed softly to the
years Garth had claimed the stainless soul
of Alice May as they brought the coffin
in the little old church. How beautiful
she looked in her white burial too fair
and sweet for death-too holy, had there
not been resurrection beyond. Close
behind her stood the friends of her girl
hood, gazing on that young face as if
they would fain call her back to life and
its sweet love. So they laid sweetAlice
to sleep in the old church yard, and those
who looked coldly on her, t-ok 10 their
sorrowing hearts a sweet memory of the
early dead.
There was agony too deep far utter.
ance, when the strong, ardent hearted
man whose guiding star had been the
love of that sweet girl, came back to find
the cottage home desolate, and Alice
sleeping beneath the gray stone in the
old church yard.
But God and time are merciful; and
as years passed away, he came to think
of her as garlanded in the golden fruit
age of England.
This was the memory that his friend
sang of, as they sat in the summer twi
light, years alterward, and talked of the
faces that had glimmered and faded in
their early pathway Now, of all the
glad hearts childhood had clustered to-
gether, only they two were left. Some
slept I'M Jungle depths ;others in the forest
shade, and beneath the waving prairie
grass. Some there wee VINO slept
peacefully in the old church yard. among
these, the fairest and the best was sweet
Alice All, he could never have for
gotten that.
He had heard from the lips of that de-
solate mother, ere she went 10 sleep be.
side her darling, how patient and holy
Alice had grown how she passed away
in her saint like beauty leaving mes
saSes that none but fond and yearning
heart can dictate. Down in his yearn-
ing heart, deeper than any other earth
ly being, he had laid them, cherishing
their beauty and greenness. Many time
had the spirit form OF sweet Alice risen
before his eyes in all the beauty of that
far off land; he saw but dimly, and he
knew when that thing called life had
merged into Immortality, he should meet
her again.
Years afterward, they laid Ben Bolt 10
sleep by the side of sweet Alice