Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-11-22

down on tho beach Is sick, perhaps
dying and ! must 90 to see her. Her
little boy just came after me. ] was
there yesterday and they are In great
distress. Could | trouble you to 60
with meS'
4 will do your errand. II is too
stormy for you to venture out
'Oh, IL Is no errapd. ! am sorry to
trouble anybody
| Mr.. Grey saw what she wanted,
and saying no would be back directly,
vanished for his rubber suit.
The rain drove into their faces, and
the wind howlcd through the dark
night like the minister of u thousand
storms--not for u poor Asberwoman,
perhaps, but for one us good M fair
Edith W,lloughby, he should not
have hcsitatcd n moment. When
they came upon the beach the waves
fairly leaped into their faces, md
Edith shivered md chung half terri.
fed to her companion In spite Of her,
self.
4 believe you had better return
now, and leave me- he said.
mo, we are almost there. ! should
never forgive myself IL I did, she nm.
swered, catching her breath M she
spoke. 1T Is only you nm worried
about y nm glad to BIZ able IL help
YOU he said. And I think he spoke
the truth.
Inside tho cottage poor Grace Poor
" lay on her hard bed trying to
breathe on II little longer, 40 tho
good God might send some good
friends before she died to care for her
orphan boy.
when the door opened her eyes
frightened, and she raised up f"
little.
'rhe Lord bless 70 for coming. I
know lie will, she sa'd M Edith
threw of her wet covering and went
toward her.
"This il only ono Of the borders
who came with me- she said in reply
to the woman's questioning look. Il
should have come to-day had known
that you were worse
She mt down beside the bed, md
Arson Grey watched her ~ she spoke
in u low, tender voice to the grateful
woman. Among the words which 'e
could distinguish was promise to
see to jamie and when the old wo.
man who seemed to hc nurse came up
to administer something, and in n
half whisper asked Edith to pray for
them, he began to think he was in
another world. Aud 1t was another
to him truly. Surely she would
never do That. But she did. Kneel-
INK upon the bare floor, clasping her
white hands, she sent up such u
prayer for help and strength az An
son Grey had never dreamed Of hear
ing before.
After that night Arson Grey knew
where his heart was, but for his life
he dared not approach Edith. She
seemed an unreasonable distance
from such as he, but cherished the
memory Of her prayers as the one
glimpse into heaven for which he
should thank God all his life.
Edith's mother was u gay woman,
and such she meant her daughter to
be, though for her life sho could not
keep her from fcrrcting out and help
ing also, IN innumcrablc number Of
rorlorn, poverty stricken people who
had no earthly claim upon her, az
they went their fashionable rounds.
It was notifying, even cxasperating,
but shc was powerleSs to prevent it,
They were to be off again soon, An
son Grey heard but he would have
missed seeing her had he not acct
dentally met her as she was hnrying
up the beach toward their boarding
house on the very day they left. lie
co,hd not let her 90 without telling
her what was in his heart.
May speak to you IL moment 2 he
said, abruptly stopping her.
Certainty
AS the words left her lips abe saw
what his speaking was going to be.
ooh, not that, Mr.. GreyF
Somehow he took courage from the
quick paling Of her lips.
yes, that love you and want you
for my WIFE
Il am to be married Christmas
He turned and was leaving her,
when something made her speak.
'Mr. Grey
He faced her again and sho saw
how white and stern he looked.
Had been free you would not
have asked in vain
For days and weeks afterward,
Arson Grey Rugged the memory Of
her look, rs she said those blessed
words, to his heart, caring more for
that than for the love and caresses Of
any other.
) Christmas came, but death came
with it, and Edith's lover went his
long journey, leaving his af,ianced
bride and her scleming mother, to
console themselves as best they might.
Ina way mysterious to all, save
William Skinner, Edith heard of An
!, son Grcy's illness, and, us we have
seen, went to him and had the cour-
nrr IN becOmc his wife.
The people Of Burlingamc learned
to love the gentle mistress Of the old
stone mansion on tho hill, and never
a suffering one called for help in vain,
as long as my lady, as they called
her, was mistress there.
e. 4