Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-05-28
REUNITED.

On u wild October night, Elsie
Raymond sat beside her solitary
fireside in deep thought-in thought
that, truth to tell, was tinctured by
sadness. 1t was not often that she
sat thus, for she was the most
cheerful and busy of little women,
the best of sisters and aunts, and
the kindest of neighbOrs. This be.
ing the case, she found little leisure
for thought or solitary musing, for,
in some one of these relations,
work enough was always provided
for her.
But tonight she seemed to have
arrived at one of the hating places
in her life. Her young sister So.
phie, the last of her charges, had
that morning been married. The
old gray homestead had been left
desolate when her smiling face
went from it, at least so Elsie
thought. True, she had tribe of
small nephews and nieces staying
with her, while their mother, Elsie's
sister Mary. and her husband &C.
companied the bridal party on
their tour, but they had long been
asleep, and there was no token of
their presence in the somewhat
prim.looking room, except great
basket of playtlings i'll Il corner,
and row of shoes, beaded 10y
Willie's "ncw boots" and closed by
baby Elsie's tiny bronzed slippers,
that were ranged against wall.
Eisie's father had died suddenly,
the victim of II fatal accident, and
his widow, overwhelmed Ivy the sad
and terrible bereavement, soon fol.
lowed him. With her dying breath
she commended her younger chill
dren to the care of their elder sis,
ter, and pxactpd from her promise
that she would devote her life to
them. The girl could hesitate at
no demand made in the last feeble
accents of her dying mother. She
lifted the little unconscious babe
from the feeble arms that clasped
it, and holding it close to her hos.
ON. and looking upon the fearful
face of the little group gathered
around that death. bed, gave the re.
quired promise.
In an hour her mother had ceas.
ed to breathe, and Elsie's life.work
had begun. But it was not until
the sad ceremonies of the funeral
were over, and the little family had
returned TO the dcsOlate home, that
Elsie fully comprehended all she
had undertaken.
None who have truly loved will
fail to comprehend the struggle
that for the following weeks went
on in Elsie's soul. 1t was no light
sacrifice that was demanded Of
Elsie; duty and love, her promise
to the dead and her VOWS to the
living, were the antagonists that
contended every inch of ground.
John Francis loved Elsie tull well
enough to have aided her in her
life task. He saw no reason in the
duties she had undertaken why
she should not fulfill her VOWS, and
in becoming his wife divide the
burden of her responsibilities and
care.
But she thought differently.
She felt that she had no right to
allow his generosity to lead him
into such O sacrifice. He was young,
and life lay bright and long before
him. Should she allow the shadow
of her care to project across the
sunny pathi Sbonld she seek to
lay upon his shoulders the burden
that weighed her down and doomed
her to a life of toili She could en-
dure and sacrifice much for the
children, 40 dear to her by ties OF
bloOd-the sacred legacy Of dead
parents. But to him they were
nothing, save for her sake, and she
might have to see him grow weary
and discontented with the untimely
cares that marriage with her must
thrust upon him.
So Elsie and John Francis part
ed, as they feared, forever. When
her lover found that no arguments
nor prayers could change her pur
pose, that she had solemnly record