Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-06-19

5 wounded your generous intentions.
y did not mean it as ingratitude. I earn
( estly thank you for your interest.
IS am an earnest seeker for truth, an,
II tonight would lay down my life t
d gain it, You say you have found il
e and where pray2 In,the mystical an
}, nails of book of which I do not under
h stand two-thirds. / have read tn,
b Bible and have striyen in vain to soly,
e its teachings. Obi commend me to
4 lucid path for the sake of the Jesu.
!. you Worship s-'-
Her clear, dark eyes were raised tc
his own, and the slender fingers were
! elasped pleadingly. He drew from his
pocket an elegantly bound Bible and
: handed it to her. Il determined,
Willis, not to leave the shores of
America without offering this. With
} In you will find the lighted paths, the
clear, lucid truth. Within it you will
hnd strength, grace and peace. Its
blessed pages unfurl nothing but con-
ISOLATION and wisdom. 1t is filed with
rules of right that will guide you un-
erringly to eternity's tide, and with
gracious promises of rec0mpense that
will fill your soul with the desire to
labor, toll and live on the life of the
righteous SO as to gain them in the
grand hereafter. To this holy work /
commend you, Willis, and leave you
with its promises and my prayers.
Please sing for me"
He threw himself into an easy chair,
and seemed overcome by ennui.
Willis opened the piano and taking
her seat asked, What shall 1 sing2"
Sing that beautiful air of Fitehett's,
Days now past ifyou please"
The skilled fingers glided smoothly
over the symphony. and the clear eul-
tured voice rippled forth in the sweet
old song. DIR. Hays closed his eyes, for
the song charm carried him back to
sunny, sinless days in the dear old by
gone. 1t carried him back to his first
meeting with Willis, when he saw the
quivering, girlish form writhe in agony
by the bedside of her dying mother.
He saw her now, as with terror and
grief she pushed aside the attendants,
and falling upon her knees sent up to
God wild, imploring petition. She
trusted him then. He was her girl
hoods God, but now in maturer years
she denounced His goodness. Oh |
why did her faith forsake her? Why,
why did childish trust fee away and |
leave the withered bud of unbelief |
He also remembered the night when
she had murmured his name in her
sleep, and divulged secret that he
knew her ce-bound heart held as it
did its life blood.
The song ceased the echoes died
away, and still he sat in his apathetie
trance. Memory was busy in linking
together sweets of the old time. The
closing of the piano aroused him, and
he glanced up saying. II thank you for
the song, Willis, and now would you
mind reading little for me p
Certainly not. she answered in her
usual facile tones.
Well, get that bottom book on the
table there, bound in brown, and
read souuV vP sI.vsc uroCIIpGIuus IrUm
OSsian"
She opened the book and COM
meneed. In reading, as in everything
she undertook, she exeelled. Her
infections were perfect, and her voice
low and musical. She was reading his
exquisite production on an October
night, the harvest month of the High.
land, and she read on, on, fascinated
by its beauties and forgetful of time.
When she closed the book she
glanced up at the time-piece and the
hour hand was pointing to one. The
Doctors profile was turned from her
and she wondered at his silence
Creeping around to the side she peep
ed into his face, and there he sat fast
asleep. A Ihischievous longing took
possession of her, and gathering
Ruth long. blue scarf from the table,
she wound it around and around him
fastening him gently yet firmly to the
chair. Then walking to the desk she
took out placard and wrote in large,
legible letters, ''let him Sleep" and
pasted it to the mantle before him.
Taking her work basket from the table i
she glided noisely from the room.
DIR. Hays had fallen asleep under
HE musical murmur of Willis voice,
aud in the dream land he still heard
it, ringing as silver bells. Then came a ;
dead blank when he opened his eyes he
was bewildered and sorely perplexed. {
Where was he? This certainly was l
not his room. The fire had all died
out and only speck would OCCASION p.
ally fit up the chimney as if to mock {
him. The lamp was burning dimly,
and in the shaded recesses Of the room
he imagined he saw lurking hideous
forms. He rubbed his eyes as if to
brighten his intellect and attempted to
rise, but 10 he was chained. A cold
shiver of fear passed over his form,
and his hand cOnyulsiyely clasped the
sides of the chair. Was he a prisoner {
If not, why fettered? He remembered
nothing but that he was tied and de- :
MED liberty. In his drowsy waking {
he failed to recognize the room and '
the familiar furniture, and in startled
fright he gazed before him and then,
on the placard, "iet him sleep" met
his eyes, and look of intelligence lit I
his features.
TO BE CONTINUED. :
THE CENTENNIAL. !