Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-12-01

bad at heart only thoughtless at first. aud
loving. had 10 find her; thought the
Lord might help me 10 IL. for he knew
Just how mother used TO pray FOR her
beautiful darling. Mother believed in
prayer
Aud so that tender young girl stated
out alone. with almost no clue to help
her find tho wanderer and nothing 10 give
her strength bu, her own great love and
her faith in Him that himself sought 10
save sinners Talk ef your histories and
your heroiacs," said Dorothy With little
break in her voice, "whcre's none better
worth setting up than this courageous
loving sis cy2
She didn't tell at first, that she had an
honest lover who begged her 10 stay and
marry him and be comforted for what she
had lost.
1t wasn't so much because felt my
name vas disgrdccd that wouldn't join
it 10 Stephen's.' she said i knew his
love was large enough not to be hurt by
that. But couldn't be his safe. happy
vile and think OF Lucy-motber's darling
drifting away farther into misery. and
perhaps sin. So gave him back his
promise and said good-by. Poor Stephen :
no loved me dearly. lie used TO sing me
that song about Maid Marian that you
and heard in the hal. Dorothy, that day.
Now ysu know what allied me. and wont
be angry tnat answered you So
1t cut me to the heart to see her smile
when she said that. She told us some
thing oi her search for Lncy; she had
been in many great cities, wherever she
thought it possible to find her, or had
heard of clue. Right down among the
lowest she went rs fearless NJ u baby and
though she cried over thinking Of the
sights she d seen, she said even the hard
sinners treated her well when they found
her errand.
Bat never felt | should find Lucy
among tnose,' she said smiling. Once
she thought she had found her working
in ich family near US. and the time she
wanted tu escape going with your aunt,
she had heard OF some one like her sister
in poor pant OF The city and wanted
liberty TO seek fer her
But think the end has come. she said
the day she talked with US, and now |
must tell mother | did my best 10 keep
my promise TO her. but The Lo;d had his
own plan. | wish knew that Stephen
wasn't thinking hard OF me, aud could
20 easily
You shan't got said your aunt crying
over the poor child aud kissing her You
shall see Stephen again and England too.
and be happy
VOL, to cut long story short, Miss
Dsyine fairly nursed and coaxed and
encouraged Marian HiIlyard back TO life,
and meantime she wasn't idle In other
ways, lor she kept letters nying here and
there. and one day there came a living
reply TO one she had written. A young
English workman, square built and hard.
handed. but with good, honest face.
walked up our avenue. and though /
never set eyes on him before recognized
Stephen Barton. Marian's lover. Their
meeting didn't have any Witnesses except
the Eyes that looked down from heaven
but afterwards when ! went In TO give
Marian some ten, ! saw him pass his
hand softly over tho folds OF this dress,
aud heard him say,
You didn't forge! 10 wear the color |
love best. Marian. did you p
Aud by that | read the meaning OF her
sorrow when your aunt put in her lap the
lilac lawn. Poor. loving. aching heart !
| wish hadn't ever misjudgcd her"
Dorothy subsidized Into grave thought
that no one dared 10 Interrupt. until Amy
said hali.regretlully.
$50 she gave up inding her sister and
got married alter all"
NO child; she only put The search
into better hands than hers. for your
grandpa and aunt Devine employ cd de
tectiyes. and advertised, and did all that
could be done. until finally there was no
doubt but that the right clew wss found
and Lucy's fate discovered. When they
told Malian that her sister most probably
was on ship that sank at sea, she only
said, Then mother knows now and let
Stephen take her in his arms to hide the
teals.
They were married at your grandpa's,
and went back 10 England. but Marian
only lived year. don't know Us felt
10 mourn when heard the news. though
Miss Devine was quite broken by it. Fer
Marian's lite had been pretty shady one,
and il didn't rightly seem US if any sun
shine but heavens could make il bright,
or any cure but death heal her wounds.
Besides her husband might not have
turned out well, after all. though he
seemed likely; and she died while his
love was al its best"
With this expression oil her uniailing
doubt on one point Dorothy folded the
bit of lilac lawn and added.
"She was twenty-five; not 80 much
older than you girls. But she had rather
a different life. l hear you talk good
deal about your powers and your plans,
and wonder if any one of you would
have met the hard place so well. May be