The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-10-25
Written for the Sunday Morning Bazoo.
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.
BY f. q. S.

John Fairfax had made his villa
concise document, characteristic Of
the man, whose clear, terse terms won
the approval of the legal friend to
whom it was handed. At the same
time the latter expressed surprise at
one bequest contained therein
$50 many cool thousands devised
TO that charitable institution The
Home of the Good Shepherd i'm this
city, he said lightly. "Why, Fairfax.
I have felt that you were somewhat
touched with the philanthopic craze,
but | hardly expected it to develop
i'm this liberal endowment Of a retreat
for the reformation of modern Mag
dalens."
The gentleman addressed fixed his
eyes on the lawyer with raised ex
preston i'm them, as if conscious of
another presence beyond and above
him, while he answered with an odd
smile that at rare intervals lighted up
his face:
This endowment is due TO the
very antithesis of the class it is de-
signed to benefit. In granting it, /
am prompted by the memory of one
who has been an angel in heaven for
wears, but whose short, sweet life left
an influence over my own that still is
the impulse of whatever is generous
or worthy in my deeds or motives"
The other stared at this revelation
of q hidden vein Of sentiment in his
usually practical friend; but wide ex-
perience and dealings with men had
prepared him for the contradictory
phases of character that are ever crop
ping out in unexpected WAYS, and the
subject WAS dropped then and there,
by tacit consent, Mr.. Fairfax shortly
after going on his way with the serene
consciousness OF having discharged an
important duty and provided for an
apparently remote event. He bad,
also, the prospect Of a pleasant even
ing before him and was to dine with
Genial family party al :: home in fact,
"a well as in name, whose graceful hos
|,itali'v and assured welcome often at
tracted him; although his own bache-
lor apartments. elegant in their way,
seemed desolate and uninviting bv
force oi contrast with the good cheer
he left when returning to them.
An, IT Ceciie had lived how dif-
ferent life might have been: made
,~aGiitUl bv the tender grace it lacked
now the wife, children and domestic
happiness he would have held So
precious. but which never had been
~ would lc his. Yet he was called
successful man, OF fine presence, still
in a. first prime and with a prosper
~us future before him: while fair.
ErouI women vainlv smiled upon him.
Marvel of constancy that he WAS, his
heart remained shrine sacred Ia the
memory of the dead love OF his youth
the winsome. brown-eyed girl for
whom he had braved the hnrdships Of
2 desperate struggle with adverse cir
curstances and remote life that he
nl;ca, gain the wealth he had coveted
mere for her sake than his own.
Whether the history Of the tempta-
Elcns Of that time held experiences he
'vou 4 not have revealed to her. who
AN XII: After all he WAS very hui
maI. But one thing is certain she
AIS the pearl Of his fonde>t aSpira
lions. whom he would win al any cost
ana wear In his bosom lest hiS Jewel
he should tyne" Coming back 10 seek
ner after a separations of wears, heart
SICK with hope deferred and fears eX-
,-it,,i bv long silence on her part, he
found her old home in the possession
81 strangers; its former inmates gone
ne knew not where; and for him. in
place Of the presence he longed for,
only a grave lin grassy nook of the
beautiful cemetery with the dear name
II -Cecile' on its simple tablet.
Dead, not faithless. Well he could
live true TO her in turn. Henceforth
all women would be rs shadows to
him, while this blessed demoiselle"
waited his coming to happier estate,
and, % he believed, bv her sweet in
visible ministry prompted him TO
whatever was good and noble in pur-
pose end action.
Yet it was no cynic or dreamy So
cial recluse, but popular man. uni
folmly successful i'm business trans
actions and with 1 host of friends.
who hurried on his way, with broad
shoulders squarely set against the
autumnal wind that met him with the
keen edge of winter. He was rapidly
passing over the distance before him,
when he was checked by thinly clad
figure gliding from the shade of a