The daily gazette., 1879-07-16

turn TO the home rom Wnlcn she nau
been so cruelty driven.
"Winter came, and while We were
gathered around the fire one evening, .
dispatch was placed in my fathers hand.
MY mothers face became ashen Ia Its
deadly hue, and the sewing fell from her
nerveless fingers. With a calmness which
he did not feel, my father read 1t, groaned
aloud, theIf handed 1t to me.
"Corslie was very Ill. The indsposi-
ton with which SHE bad been afflicted
had suddenly assumed violent form.
All chance Of recovery depended upon
her immediate removal to the South. The
tidings were gently expressed, but l re-
membered the frai', fragile form, so SEN
sitive to cold, and that destroying angt
-Consumption-wlth q shudder. Had
it not been for me, she might have been
at home aud we'll.
"Nithout delay my agoniz, father
commenced his journey. LII short time
he returned bringing with him my dying
sister, closely mufiied up in furs, and
whom he bore in his arms as an infant.
Wien the carriage paus d before The door
sp ang forward. She threw her wasted
arms around my neck, and sighed:
| $3.50 / am home again, bu die. How
sweet to be with you all once more. Take
me TO my mother
81 read the fatal truth the moment my
eyes rested on her wasted features. A
vivc crisom spot burned each check,
beautiful es a tropic flower; Int felt ii
was sapping her life to ntain Its
bloom. The eyes in their sp JndOr riv-
aled the beauty and brilliancy, OF twin
stars, convincing proofs of the ravage OF
a a n disaQQs4 Qnn9nmDti0n.
"For pays our deor Invalid would lie,
pat ent and resigned, upon her couch,
the hectic flush still burning upon her
cheek and every beat Of the pulse grow
Ing fainter and fainter. When father
spoke of Italy as more congenial CLINE
and wished to take her there, she only
replied with sad smile, and answered.:
"'No, dear father, shall be better at
home; and when the summer lime comes
shall be we'll and strong again."
"When she would answer him thus,
my father would turn away to conceal
his anguish. She always sDoke Of re-
urning health, and he coulu not tell her
that she must die.
"When summer clothed the earth In
green, and called the blossoms from
their tombs, IL seemed as If Coralie's pro-
phecy about being we'll again was to be
fulfilled. She could roam for hours in
the fower-strewn fields, apparently hap
py and gay; but 1 would see her by
stealth press her hands upon her aching
breast, and in the dswy evenings she
would endeavOr to strife her cough ere
was that leaden weight of despair raised
from my heart, nor was l cheated by
those deceitful promises, though my
parents still c,ung to the belief that she
would some time be well.
"One summer evening sat in the par
lor window, almost concealed frem view
! by the falling lace and climbing vines
, Coralie sat at her harp near by, singing
t in her sweet, plaintive voice, az woule
not live Away AS the last note diet
away turned to look upon her face
= wondering how long hef0re her veie'
y would blend with that of the angel
! around the throne of God. She nus
] have read my thoughts, for coming to m.
= side she SAID:
= "YOu were thinking of me, buddie
= Oh, how often lately have L seen tha
strange look in your eyes, and read The
secret wh'oh you wished me to know
yet could not tell"
"What secret, sister p / asked.
"I have not been so blind, buddie, al
I you imagine. Do you not ask yourse'
b every time yeu think Of me: Poor sis.
q ter! wonder ifshe knows she is dy
i ing ?" Yes, buddie, l have known |
= long time; and although / am com
{ paratively well now, and free from pal O
still know that the eud of it all mus
:, be death, and that can never be agail
j the Coralie was before l went to tina
II school,
81 clasped the little figure in my arm
q and groaned-
40 SISTER, can God in heaven, can you
my Injured lamb, ever forgive the crue
: wrong l have done you? Will not til
demons of remorse haunt every me
u nent of life, and shout In my ear thrcug
,, all eternity, "Murderl murder murd
= erl"
q II felt her form quiver es she answer
l. ed:
u your wild, absorbing love for me whic
promoted your conduct. You will som
l time feel that love which is stronge
Il than all kindred ties, and forgive IN
for loving Paul even better than d
n YOU. And when am dead, wish yo
n to tell HIM loved him 10 the lest. Civ
4, him curl Of my hair. Tell him to lea
N a life 80 pure when death shall claiI
him I may open for him the gates {
Paradise. l am young to die. Th
II thought once gave me horror, but hvin
er awake in the 1org hours OF midnigh
IN have learned to see Gods love in th
r. decree. Better to pass from earth 1
I, life's morning than to struggle 10 o
i" through woe and sorrow, and becOn
lNe N estranged from him."
81 "For long time she spoke thus, hi
ls head upon my breast and her hea
ve throbbing agai nst my own. Then whe
d. the evening dews fell | bore her to tt
ID chamber from which she was destine
7 never again to pass, She lived throug
ha. the long bright Summer, but with tt
'' chill winds Of Autumn she faded an
died.
m "She lived until the first beams {
Ill the rising sun kissed her pale bro'
n Then in q moment her mind wal
,d dered back 20 lhe halcyon days of ohilt
at hood. Her hands were elasped as the
No had so often been upon our mother
rs knee. A faint voI1e whispered:
=. "l am tired, buddie; let us say OF
~ prayers"
'p. "And with the words Now l lay n
to down to sleep upon her lips, she pass'
en- from earth away.
to .Edith, cannot but think that son
Vi snper-human power sustained me duriI
~ that time of sadness. l saw the shade
of death fall upon the face which Il
re rays Of the sun were trying to kiss in
beauty aud life. 1 placed snowy bio
ne SONS in the waxen fingers which we
Ar clasped over the cold, pulseless brea!
yet not tear drop m0istened my eye.
took my last kiss from her lips, and so'
W the coffin-id hid her forever from n
III. sight. heard the earth rafting abo
We her head, yet not the tremor of mu &C
'ly betrayed the anguish OF my soul. 1, W
nd felt myself her murderer, was outward
IN cold and calm.
e cat nv sisters newly-made grave {