New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-12-25

y ! " r q II n
Of pathetic surprise from the young girls
lips. She looked at the others In wonder
ment and asked:
docs she not know me 2"
Receiving only a mute glance of sym.
pathy for answer, she turned again toward
the sable clad figure of the lady, and in
tremulous pleading tones addressed her:
MRS. Neutrality-suspicious.. May I not
call you so? l am Veronica, who was to
have been your dead Ernest's wife; that |
mourn for him l testify to the world as you
do, by these black robes; that loved him
All well, each heart alone knows its own
anguish
at these tender words Mrs. Ashbridge's
breast heaved with emotion; she searched
narrowly the young girls beautiful face; she
seemed about to take her i'll her arms, then
suddenly turned from her, and put her away
with the same gesture as before. FA
douglas, wounded at his sisters recep-
tion. moved astep toward her, saving:
Veronica, you intrude upon Mrs. Ash
bridge" FL
And John cried out, Mother, she comes
| in Ernest's name.n
Virginia PLACID restraining hand on her
lovers arm, and Veronica answered him,
mo, no, brother, let me rest here. Our
mother often told me, AID even when she
| lay on her dying bed, that she had given
me the name i bear, COMMUNICATING the
true image of Christ" in order that might
take with me through life constant re-
minder of the Divine patience that never
| weArled; the patience which women are SO
often called upon to exercise. l will never
cease pleading until Ernest's mother opens
ag ain her heart, ana let's me find my place
in it beside him.
When she had ceased speaking Virginia
and Addie, as if swayed by common i'm
pulse, drew near and sank one on either
side the angelic girl before their mother.
Mrs. Ashbrdge glanced at the beautiful
trio, and the embittered solitude of her DESC
lation was broken up as are the cougealed
depths when stirred by the magic call Of
spring. s.t'
Tears, which had been denied her, swelled
with healing flow, and she gathered the
three young heads on her breast, calling
them fondly 'Sweet doves of Peace.'
Little remains to be told. Douglas was
not willing to let the chances and changes
which might come of another separation
jeopardze his possession of o treasure
which had already been so narrowly risked.
The cruel doubts and fears which continued
for a while to assail Mrs. Ashbridge one by
one were Gained and removed. 1t was
clearly proved to her that although Douglas
had taken his side in the great issue, that his
hand by the romotest chance could never
have sped the bullet that laid the loved one
low, and SO, after all, the seemingly impass-
able gulf which had for while threatened
to separate them forever was spanned, and
Douglas and Virginia were bound by that
link which man is forbidden to 'put asun-
der"
John was no sluggard in business, and
the sun of prosperity soon rose again above
! the horizon of his life. He repaid the as
sistance he had re, eived, re-estAblished his
mother in her old home, and has at last
found priceless reward for all the hard
denial of self he was called on to exercise,
in the final winning of the long-loved
Veronica for his wife.
These events prove how the day which
had promised SO sadly tor the Ashbridge
household, when it really come with its
blessed associations, found the gaping
wounds of their happiness mintstered unto,
and soothed by the healing balsam of wo-
mans forbearance and patence-that pa
thence and forbearance which is SO sweet,
and yet so powerful, that it can reconcile
and unite in harmony the most disordered
social elements, whenever she chooses to
exercise it in the service OF that Prince who
proclaimed good will toward men," there
by constituting her sex throughout the
world
HIS Doves OF PEACE.