Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-01-13

3 and light, woodland breezes coming
) from the open windows. Alice had u
3 been well for week Or two, scarce
. able to leave her chamber, and that O
pallor had settled heavier about her Ii
,I-her lips that still wore theirsweet, p
, tient smile. g
1T comforts me, darling, to hear ye
say those words, more than you can q
vine. They are such words as l shou
!, like to carry down into the valley of IL
shadow of death, feeling that my Ii
here hadn't been altogether In vain.'
| Your life in vain ? oh, Alice W.
there ever q wOman's life so strewn wit
pure, and good, and noble deeds as you
iIhas been ?' a' 5ggab i1a-.' O.
| She lifted up her white hands deprt
catingly. .--I.-'s.,'-..-s. "a.
tserveit' " ct f2gri.la rfisi = ~
Yes, you do, too. You ought to hav
| heard what Harry said ofyou last nigh
Positively. if it had been any one else,
should have been jealous and see here
Alice, this is our mutual gift, in mem
ory, o-you understand rr ~ e
And she laid small pearl Jewel. cas-,
on her friends lap. Alice took it III
eagerly. and opened it. A beautifully
executed locket and Ichatelaine flashed
up to her from the snowy cushions
She touched the spring, and the cas-,
few back, revealing two exquisite ida
guerreotype likenesses of Harry and hi
wife, Fr 4sed,7-rre6r.3e ue
'Tarn it over, dear, and look on ID tn,
|outside.' q a-af3- p itoE =
z And amid the dainty carving of the
case. the lady read-.To our sister Alice.
Della, darling, 1 should like to have
this buried with me- ~
Nonsense, Alice; don't talk about its
being buried with you. You must live
to wear it many a year, =,
She shook her head slow and mourn
fully, and it struck Della that she looked
strangely white, and she rose and went
towards her. rtti.,. .ts "a -.-
Does anything all you, Alice?'
Yes. She drew her hand over her
eyes. I can't see you, Della, and-oh, /,
dearl I can't breathe. Do lead me to
the window f7--,. -
In great alarm, Mrs. Leeds put her
arm around her friend, but quick
spasm convulsed Alice's features, and
her head dropped forward.
Il am going Della. You will comfort
poor papa-and you will take charge of
all my things here? I was prepared for
this. There Is a paper in the drawer
which will inform you of all to whom I
have left remembranees. Good bye
now until we meet at hOme.' ba9A
Her head dropped lower as she falter-
ed out the last words, another quick,
light spasm, and the life of Alice Mayn Q
went ont-whither all lives must go, un-
der the black arches, over the still wa
ters of the river of Death. sou m
Three weeks had passed, and, one day,
with aching heart, and still tears drop.
ping down her cheeks, Mrs. Leeds stood
againin the west chamber of the little
parsonage-the chamber that had once
been Alice Mayne's, and that she had
exchanged now for cham bers whose
walls were of agate, and whose columns
were of pearl, and whose windows look
ed out on fair gardens, without fountains
of sweet flowing waters, looked In blythe
shining hills OF eternity. She was ex-
amining, in accordance with her friends
dying wish, the drawers where were
carefully laid away her little weslth of
treasures, graceful gifts, and tokens,
which women usually gather about
them. In one corner was small glass
box, containing some letters of Harry,s
written before his marriage-warm, free,
gossipy letters, such as brother might
write to loving sister. But there was
one of later date, containing only these
words In Harry's handwriting:
sALICE. DEAR SISTER Rejoice with
me, for last night Della Hope promised
to be my wife, - .eb
And underneath. In small, graceful
ohirography, ran a line-sOh, God, tenn
per thou the wind to thy shorn lamb
The paper dropped from Delia's hand,
for these words sprung open door clos
ed and bolted in Alice's heart She knew
now why her friend bad turned from all
who would have approached her with
that love which is so sweet to the heart
of women, saying she had nothing but
friendship to offer any man.
1t was not strange that. brought as
they were together, Alice Mayne's heart
had recognized the charm of Harry
Leeds presence and his wife felt almost
like guilty thing-as though she had
claimed the right of another, and her
husband belonged rather to Alice Mayne
than to herself. i. lid r7ee
And then there came over her hushed
soul the swell Of holier thoughts. Was
it not to Alice that she owned the joy
and peace CT her welded life? And,
kneelipg down, the lady thanked God
with many tears; and this knowledge
that came to the husband and wife when
Alice was an angel in Heaven, was a
holy sacrament, keeping them, by the
help of God, from temptation and de-
liverinv them from evil L5l44.ILLCJ ! =