The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-04-02
THE MOURNING VEIL.

~~~ ava
CONCLUDED FROM LAST WEEK.
Tho evening passed oheerfnlly with
our friends, notwithsta6dipg tho grave
conversation in the arbor. The mourn.
ing veil va, laid away IN adrawer along
with many of its brilliant eomp.niena
and with it the thoughts it had sug-
sested ; and the merry laugh ringing
from the half.open parlor,door showed
that Father Paysou was no despissr Of
the command to rejoice with them that
do rejoice.
Rose played and sang, the children
danced, and the mirth was prolonged till
a late hour In the evening.
Olivia aud Albert were lingering in
the parlor after the departure of tho
family, busy in shutting windows, set
ting back chairs, and attending to all
the last duties Of orderly householder.
A sudden shrek startled them such
shrek as, once heard, is never for.
gotten. With an answering cry Of hor-
ror, they rushed up the stars. The
hall lamp had been extiuguished, but
the passage and stairoase were red with
broad glare from the open door Of the
nursery.
A moment more showed them the
drapery of the bed in which their
youngest child was~ sleeping oil IN
flames; then they saw 4: lisnt, fern
tearing down tho blazing ,eurtsinG.
"Oh, Rose! Rose take care, for
Gods sake! your dress ! you'll kill
yourself ! oh, God help us!''
There were . few moments-awfu]
moments Of struggle-whsn nous ,kssw
or remembered what they did; q mo-
ment more and Rose lay painting in her
fathers arms, epveleped in . thick
blanket which he had thrown around
her burning night-dresa. The 6re wss
extiuguished, the babe lay unawakened,
and only the dark fleoks of tinder scat.
tered over the bed, and The trampled
mass on the floor, told what had been.
But Rose had breathed tho hot breath
of the fame, deadly to human life, and
no water could quenoh that inward
fire.
A word serves to explain all. The
child's nurse had carelessly set = lamp
too near the curtains, and tho night
breeze had waited them into the aame.
The apartment Of Rose opened into
the nursery, and as she stood in her
uight-dress before her mirror, arranging
her hair, she Nv the flashing Of the
fame, and, in The one idea Of saving
her little sister; forgot every ether.
That act of self.forgstfulness was her
hast earthly act I few short hours Of
patient suffering were all that 4emsfned
to her. Peacefully as she had lived,
she died, looking tendsrly on her pa-
rents out Of her large blue eyss, and on
~ intent to aoothe their pain. -. o.
eyes, I suffer-" she said, .sbut only .
short pain. We must ali suffer ~seps.
thing My Father thinks . very. }iaAls
enough for me. I haye had such ,
happy life, I might bear just n: Gftls
pain at the last
A little later her mind seemed to
wander. "Msmms, mamma" che
said, hurriedly, II put the things all
away ; the lilac muslin aud tho barsge.
Msmma, that veil, the mourning veil,
Is in the drawer. Oh, mamma, that
veil wits for you; don't refuse it; our
Father sends it, and he knows best:
Perhaps you will SEQ heaven through
that veil"
It is appalling to think how near to
the happiest and most prosperous, scene
Of life stands tho saddest despair. All
homes are haunted with awful possibili-
ties, for whose realization no array of
threatening agents is required,-no
lightning, or tempest, or battle ;. psaos.
full household lamp, gust Of prtsmed
evening cir, false stop in- . moment
Of gayety, draught taken by mistake,
. match overlooked or mislaid, . NO.
ment's oversight in handling a5deealy =
weapon,-aud tho whole scene oflasIi
irretrievably changedI
1t was but = day after, The ssene in
the arbor, and al va mourning in tho
so lately happy, hospitable house !;
everybody looked through tears.
There were subdued breathipg., :. low
murmur, as Of many listeners, voice
of prayer, and the vail Of funeral
hynn,-.and then tho heavy tread of
bearers, a., beneathsthe bl.ck p.ll, shsi
was carried over the threshold of her
home, never to return.
And: OI'i. !. and Albert came forth
behind their dead. The folds Of tho
dark veil seemed s~-refuge for the
mothers sorrow. But did tho flowers
Of home, the familiar 9, elms, tho distant
smiling prospect look throaeh it
*