Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-09-28

#F ~@ 80 aes.E
will have one more evening you win no
refuse me that. .,r.,,.-, -.
!. She shook hes head while the ere.,
drops ruled down her colorIess checks
Is was too much for etanley,s forsitude, o,
principle. call il what yuu iike..
There d no other way, Hiila; il ba,
been IN my mind al the time, bat dared
not mention Il before. The path may b
rough and perilous but we shall be tseeth:
er; given that. We can afford TO meet shs
He held his breath TO catch her answer,
30 much was nj stake. -rh
Dear love. cannot liz the cross but
/ will stay beside il still strength is given
Tsse 10 bear Il" Il uas foe him at thai
moment TO have done The noblest deed Of
his life. but he failed, and forever after
ward there was an empty place against
him. dead silence that might have been
full Of courage and hope. .j
Gilbert Hayne came that day. redolent
of wines and liquors. and the manner Of
life he had lived. People said, 1T is
hard on Stanley, who was about to get a
wife with some property" and even sug-
gested thas he had been III used ..by that
woman palihing herself of as single"
As for Hildred, there was no occasion
for pity. why. he was her husband, y
and there was nothing more to be said
They chad heard 10 remarked more than
once. that she was over ready to receive
the attention Of gentlemen. Those who
were her friends had n sort Of undeined
feeling that she was to blame, and that
retribution, or rather, expiation, was laid
upon her. So she suffered though
tse Eternal pity kept watch and guard
over her soul.
- *
Twenty years had rolled away. one af-
ter another, like pillows upon the ocean,
since upon that Autumn day they stood
looking upon the sea. Twenty years. and
their paths had crossed but twice, for Stan
ley had gone up the mountain road, sue.
ccssful his profession. rising to emf
nence and wealth Shelter or sunshine
had come as he had need, flowers had
bloomcd by the way-side. clear, sparkling
water leaped from gushing streams, the
all sns redolent of perfume, and music
lent its charms to soothc and uplift. Hill
dred had wandered in the bare and sandy
desert, and it was Coils providence that
had brought about those two meetings.
The remnant Of her fortune had long
since disappeared her husbands money
went for what was neither food nor cloth
ing, while her scanty earnings were but
woman's pitiful wages for overwofk, scarce
suffering to keep grim faced want from the
little household. Even her child, the one
gift from heaven. had come to her with
sightless eyes and crippled form. God
has no mercy" she had thought, when the
terrible truth could no longer be kept from
her. and then she prayed for weeks, in
anguish Of spirit. that she might be for
given the blasphemy.
After her boy had come to feel his way
about the house. and could tell her light
est step by sort Of loving intuition, there
was brought to her door one day. by a
rowing tramp, dirty scrap of paper. on
which was written with an Informed hand
and with defective spelling, the following
words:
" GILBERT HAyNE
81 am desired to let you know that Sal.
" Graves il at the old house, in diving
condition. The child is well and hearty,
and she says you are to do we'll by it, or
God will curse you for the great wrong
you have done her"
There was neither date or signature.
and the man who had brought il was out
OF sight before Hildrsd had dcciphered its
contents. The conception of that ngui,h
which this note produced is only within
the province of imagination. She placed
it beside her husbands plate at the sup
per table. We win do him the justice to
say that he shrank from the pare eyes of
his wife, and s,rovc TO cover his confusion
BY pretending not 10 understand il. IIil-
arcd for the first time faced him with up-
braidings, and demanded the whole truth.
He confessed a part, and with misera-
bic suecess sought to palliaie his great
wiese,lncss.
"what will you do ?" she asked. and
when Hayhc replied with leer, 81 shan't
60 near them. they can't have anything"
she querried why God let such people curse
the earth. and took away the widow Ar
mold, who had been her Crie ftiesd in times
Of greatest need.
IL Gilbert Hayne was ever astonished
in his life, it was the next morpirs when
llildred came before him. having on her
faded bonnet aad shawl, aud announced
that she was going to the neighboring
lown to see Sally Graves. r.
My God y said he. and then, With
The last slimmerings Of manhood, "You
'hall net 60 nest The, place. l'win 60, my
salf. if that is the only thing which will
'asisfy you." ei
'''iou-nor anything earthly, cannot
prevent my going. for am sent BY God" /"
'he replied. and without more words she
started on her way. The distance was
'ome nine miles. aud she led by the hand
her boy Of nine years. His childish pratt
lie and eager questions came to her ears
ike the sound of far OF music to a wretch
ID prisoner shut cut from Gods free air
md sunlight. .rt.
Before the first mile had been passed
md just as the lissle fellow bad begun to
.sk. Are We almost there. mamma 7"
kind old farmer. who had made an early
Trip TO the city and was hcmswaed bound.
With his emptied wagos and slo~ pacing
stced. was moved 90 '.gise them q lifa,S
n he termed il and becoming interested
in the child. would have them stop as the
farm house. and The good .vifs regaled
them on doughnuts and cheese. with q
tanhler Of rich milk for The boys Who re.
psatcd'y said, "Ifs nice We come, isntit,