The daily gazette., 1878-02-01
The Church or 81. Ke,.rne.

pie at ms age for learning and piety.
70 TINS desirable living Che young rec
tor Drought his only sister, orphaned al
most from her BIRTH. Ada Thornton had
no relative living save the darling brother
VINO, In her opinion, was the best, the
wlsest OF men. Nor was she wrong.
fet tnere came time when Ada's stl-
premacy In her brothers. affection SEEM
ed 70 pe threatened. In vain had rich
ana titled ladies stopped to solicit the
handsome rector's Intentions, but in one
OF his parochial visits among the poorer
class Of his hearers, he met With n lady
whom he thought superior to any he had
known.
Marion Livermore rented two or three
Inodest rooms for herself and little half
sister--a little child born when Marion
MAS aiready woman grown, and who,
nke herself, had never known mothers
love. Like Gerald. she had devoted her
self to the orphan sister.
IL was ON a Saturday evening that he
had ventured, after hearing an animated
eulog1um upon her by Ada, to disclose TO
the latter his preference, and her reply
convinced him that he had chosen wise-
~, so far at least ny concerned his sister.
Vn that day he dissolved all his doubts of
Marions love, and had talked of the mar
riage gay, begging her to fix upon an early
PERIOD and, frankly and candidly, with
out any attempt at blushing or hesitation,
she set an early day in the following
month. ff
The Sabbath mo orning rose bright and
serene-the very sweetest repose of ma
ture IN her June magnificence Thespire
OF st. Reverne loonled up fair and straight
INTO the blue ether, and the merry bells
rang out In the clear summer air, sending
thrill of pleasure to every one who
heard the joyful so und. sff
Soon the rectory door opened. and
Gerald and his sister walked arm In arm
10 the church. As they entered the lit
tie chancel, Geeald remarked how glori-
ously the sun shone upon the beautifully
itained windows. |
"But for al that your reverence will
nhu that there Will be storm before
night, said an old man near him.
Nay, Lawton, he answered, pleasant
ly, "you shall not spoil this delightful
DAY by croaldng of what 1t may end
The parishionera swaImed in, and the
church was soon filed to overflowing.
IL CHANGED, of all days, that he took for
his text that portion of the beautiful
twenty-third psalm. "Yea, though /
walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, will fear no evil. for Thou art
with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they
comfort me-" ~ H
What untold depth Of tenderness, of
fillial love, of sweet dependence upon the
Father, were iu .Geralds words
People sat with dlasped hands, and lips
apart, and eyes that bore witness to their
sympathy in the tears that rained from
them. In their deep emotion, they saw
not that the church had grown dark since
they had walked in from the bright sun
light. Shadows deep and heavy gather
ed around them, and the faces of minis
ter and people grew dim 10 each other,
but they knew not that it was aught but
tears that obscured their vision.
Another moment. and then long,
long rattle of heavens loudest artillery,
crash upon crash, electrified the whole
crowd. There was silence no longer.
Shrieks and prayers and groans were in
termingled, and many fell down in fits ON
the floor of their pews, while others
were struggling toget out. t-....
Marion Livermore and Ada Thornton
lay upon the seat apparently nfeless. A
strong, sulphurous smell was perceptible
to the sense, and also that of burning
linen. And now, from the roof of st.
Keverne, ratified down the enormous
stones composing it, Down they came
into every pew in the church, some of
them, as was afterward ascertained,
weighing over hundred pounds the
noise of their falling drowning that of
the hail that had been crashing against
the window panes 1t was q moment of
terrible excitement for all who were con-
scious. Gerald came down from the desk
TO where lay the two unconscious beings
whom most he loved, amid the wreck of
the woodwork and the heaps of fallen
stones. Every moment 1t seemed certain
that death was near to all. The heat, the
suffocating smell, the great stones falling
not only inside, but threatening the heads
of all'who were blindly trying to escape
from the church, all made IL evident
enough that the danger was terrible and
imminent. IiFt
A great struggle was tearing the heart
of the rector. Which of those helpless
women should he try to bear away in
safety? 1t seemed hardly possible, when
he looked at the torn roof above, that he |
could be able to return for the one he
must leave. Both were ,insensible--per-
haps dead. ~ ~ tE
The struggle lasted but moment. The
next, he was bear ing his sister through
the ranks of flying people, who were en-
TO escape, ~
Weeks after this, n pale image that |
was once Gerald Thornton, lay upon a
low couch at the rectory, the mere |
of what he was. All that time |
he had been UNCONSCIOUS.
When he raised his head, dear friend |
sat beside him, d young man who had
once yielded to temptation, but whom |
Gerald's ministry had rescued from ruin.
He grasped the pale, thin hand of his |
with a aservor and gladness that |
found its way to Gerald's heast.
care they all gone Edwin?" he whisper
ed, almost calmly, for he had been COM |
with the consoler ofspirits, during
his moments of tdarfulness.
Not ALL" answered his friend. care you
able to bear cheeTfulness~
What a conflict was in his heart? Mol
one save Ada had known of his attach |
ment to Marion Livermore. Perhaps |
Ada, then, was living, and another loved |
one had been taken. But before he could |
answer, Ada glided into his outstretched |
arms, and close behind her came Marion. |
Over that meeting we must draw q |
veil. Such a parting must surely make |
the meeting too sacred for Witnesses
The church of st. Keyerne was duly re-
paired, and in few weeks the desk was
supplied by the rector himself, while in |
the seat below sat the rector's sister and
his wife. ~ fe 4
The Frenceh military law compel cap
tains to, be retired at 50. majors at So, |
lieu tenant colopes at 81, colonels at COL