The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-08-27

did you not cowsTo mel am alone, and 20"
Why 1Sns we m nss ss e
the night, and next day letter was writtenvt
to say in week che would be ut Woodbridge;
farther from her rightful horne--this time
alone, for she sent back her maid to London.
Marion wanted to fall in With the .h s.% hpnS
done in happy, childish days, and sh 1 wouio
So Lucy went back to the half des ;s, leo
tanned, to report that Mrs. Gray was JUST
fretting herself to death for Miss Eva; she
grew paler and thinner every day ana Tnen
she was dead and buried, master would nave
to answer for it,"
The domestic mind was unanimous in Oiam- |
ing Mr.. Gray for the recent Occurrences w Thc
declared they chad no patience with MN. :,
Mrs. Gray liked to be q Catholic, why should
she not please herselfi She was the nicesI
lady that ever breathed, and deal kinder
than MASTER
1t was midday when Marion reached Wood
bridge. Hardly cloud to be seen, only ascxs
leaves of the tall trees; the busy hum Of in
sects the sweet singing Of the BIRDS al its
best and brightest as if to welcome her; anu
yet the very brlliancy of the day made het
sad Marion,s was not one OF those simple SOL Sol
rows that exhaust themselves, which are Ior,
gotten as the emotion passes, and are displaced
by newer images being impressed upon tne
mind besides, she could not but contsass net
| visit just before her marriage. Everything
seemed the same, as if those i've years mao
been as five days, as far as regarded any out
ward change; and yet she herself SO altered:
When she had hidden her aunt goodbye, and
| looking back to the little rose wreathed cot
tage had waved her hand in farewell. with a
! face bright as was the hope in her heart, the
| future had seemed to be gloriously happy.
Surely they were mistaken who said life was
| sad, and troubles would surely come; 80 she nao
%I,1 kh1ao onfI n6ohh r
Only i've years, and she had come back to
Woodbridge with the glow all faded from her
horizon! When looking forward, 1t seemed
that she must always be content to walk now
in the cold gray shadows of life; its sunshine
was not for her. She had made her trial OF
it's allurements, and she had failed In the try
ing But only as far this life is concerned:
Weak as her trust might be, tremblingly and
falteringly as she trod the rough path of soz-
row, the faith was hidden securely IN her
heart which whispered of hope and reward,
even when the clonds seemed most threaten
ing and the storm most heavy.
It cased her heart to talk of Eva. At first
after the first allusiou, which had seemed to
touch the hidden spring, and made her lips
tremble, aud her eyes suffuse with tears the
chord of sympathy had been struck, and she
never wearied of talking of her darling. So
the fount Of sorrow was opened and sne was
, better for it.
! licitor she heard occasionally that the child
was we'll and happy. Not word came IRON
, Mrs. Danvers; for to her Marion was as mucn
lost as if the grass had been growing over nes
sometimes.
Meantime, Mr.. Gray lived a life of perfec
) misery. He had left the house ,which h
thought aroused the memory of his wife
: which he would gladly have crushed; but h
=! found it was not in the house, but in his heart
: and he could not escape it, Go where he Nigh
y cares, in the silence of night waking or in ht
q full, troubled dreams-he seemed haunted b
v the sorrowful expression of her eyes, as the
q had rested on him when they had parted. Hi
!. friends and business acquaintances noted tn
y change that came over him some pitied, som
). blamed, but all agreed that he was miserabl
a man.
o Once he had travelled down to Woodbridge
a Not to seek o meeting with his wife-O, nc
?, no could not have borne that and yet kept IL
8. flexible in his decision-only just to have
er glimpse of her, to see for himself how she ws
as looking, whether her sorrow was killing he
le as her maid had reported it would do. But
Mt quiTies he me de at the little country inn whel
a he lodged during his brief stay-inquri'
which had been 80 hard to make with an III
moved face and nnfaltering voice-he hear
that the ladies at Elm Cottage rarely went
i'd yond the garden only that one, the visit
ad from London, who looked so i'll, poor thin
be church dsn THE the Catholics had built, which was
er good step for her to go.
no He must see her that he determined. +
had not taken tSs so many miles % to
he even go inside the church, although he won
ne have made q vow, not long before, that u
Ike thing in life would ever cause him to set flo
ne in such place.
of And SO he did. A strange, unaccountah
N, feeling came over him as he stepped into Il
ng doorway. Only few poor country-folks we
,p- there, for it was evidently too soon for t
,w comm ncement of their service. 1t was We
ot quite and still, and, as BIZ. Gray looked roun
,as he fancied how Marion might come there
he weep out all her grief, and get peace and re
est Its hush and silence might give that, he &C
nowledged.
OF He sat down in the darkest corner, whe
by he thought he might best pass unobserved, al
o almost directly quiet footstep sounded at
me side. Some one was coming close to him, a.
the thrill that went through his heart to
lad him it was Marion even before he glanced
ew wards her: Next minute she was kneeling
,il- so that, rs she drew back her veil, he saw /
face. o, how changed, how sad, how whit
in That the bright blooming girl whom he b
of promised to love and protect while life shou
ay, last Z And he was killing her! Yes, he seem
zen to see it all now-all his pride and cruel STE
| hot oh nf