Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-05-11

~ as they. Inc speeu Vi ieats loNe anu
desperation was but slow as it followed
after the precious form going whittier
lie was within two feet of il when he
reached the bank OF the river and stretch
ed out his hand only to be a moment too
late. With a dash and plunge, both
were in among the waves.
''He was in time now. for before she
went down he held her in his strong arms,
and with stroke or two reached the shore
again.
''She struggled with him vigorously,
trying to push him from her. and straight
ening herself for one final effort, pointed
toward the river, and cried wildly, My
child? my childr
The young man looked where the
pointed finger directed, and saw floating
lur a momeat, a little way down the
stream. IA white body which sank even as
he looked upon it, With cry of anguish
he let The now senseless form slip from his
grasp TO the ground, and again plunged
into the water. With the energy of des-
pair he swan to the spot where he had
seen the floating figure. The muddy
stream refused for "A long time again to
lift its prey. but it came at length. and,
seizing it with one hand and holding il
aloft, the young man chilled and sick at
heart, pushed for the shore. carving the
dead body of his child. He laid 1t 10y The
side OF its mother on the bank. She bad
arisen to her knees, then to her feet. Sue
lifted it in her arms, looked in its face,
pressed ii against her heart and then,
looking at it again, broke out IN a laugh
so bitter and grating that, chilled as he
was. the sound seemed to freeze the mar
row of her husbands bones.
The servants aroused. help had come
bv this time, aud the mother, with her
dead babe. was borne to the house
Once more the plaiutive voice stopped.
as if overcome by the recollection OF what
he had been relating. He looked tenderly
toward the cofins at his side for a mo
men,. and then proceeding, concluded:
MY friends, that which have Just told
you happened fifty years ago last spring.
Twice, and twice only. during thai long
period has the light of reason shone in
upon the intellect that at that time was
clouded over. Once was but "a month or
so after the babe was buried. Suddenly
the young man was called to the bedside
OF his wife 10y an exclamation from her in
which was distinctly pronounced his name.
Welcoming it AS a return to herself, he
sprang To her side and took her in his
arms.
~ know she said, feebly, what it is
know it will come back to me again. and
want you TO promise me this. Send me
not away from yourself, nor leave me to
the care OF strangers. God will speedily
relieve you from the bnrden he has i'm
posed upon you Promise me. Promise
me. Send me not away from yourself
The pleading tone in which this was
uttered, the love the hearer bore to the
speaker, and the duty he owed her, all
consplred TO make him, with willingness,
give the sacred promise asked
He has kept it for full half century.
''He has flung away for her sake the
promises that youth and early manhood
had held out To him. He saw the fortune
of his family melt away by the msman-
agemcnt and folly of his brothers without
a murmur, for struggle to keep it would
nave taken him away from the care OF her
to whom he had promised himself. He
has given his life tor his love, and togeth-
er they stand upon the threshold OF thai
other lie.
The second time when the veil was
raised was three days ago. 1t was lifted
only that the spirit so long blurred aud
awry, might pass to another sphere with
sciousness. Her husband, unnaturalIy
wakeful, heard from the wife's apartment
call that was to him like the distant echo
of a well remembered voice In an in
slant he was by her side.
There was no light in the room, the |
dimness being that which only suggests
the coming day. He touched her gently |
on the brow, and she took his hand in both |
IA,
repeatedly:
I" so sOon-So soon y
''She pressed his face down TO hers.
and softly kissed him. The tenderness of
half century was concentrated within |
those few minutes.
'' i feel myself wasting away going.
she said. The heavy burden will not
rest must longer upon you You will
come to your own
"He could not answer her for his tears
only winding his arm about her neck and
holding her to his breast, as though he
could not give her up. The morning
light found them thus. She opened her
eyes TO look upon the wasted features and
the snowy hair OF him whom she had
been caressing, and scared expression
came into her eyes. With a weak effort
marked upon it the evident ravages OF
time. She took lock OF her hair be-
tween her fingers, and saw it also CLEAN
white and snowy before her eyes She
looked about the room, and saw the bare
walls and the rude furniture, then once
more turned her gaze toward her hus-
band.
"She needed not to be told the whole
story. 1t was too plainly written upon
herself, upon him and upon all of the sur
roundiDgs. A look OF unutterable love
sorrow and gratitude settled upon her
countenance, and her arms reacned out
in vain endeayor to clasp her husband
to her breast. 1t was her last effort. The
worn spirit rested forever
'And before that morning light had
been driven away by the shadows of an
other night, he who had so faithfully kept
his promise here, transferred it gladly to
another wOrld.o-AUsBURN TowNER. in
Chimney Corner.
STE A DIX