River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-12-22

Light steps approached her, and She
| felt head on her shoulder She was
quivering all over with emotion, and
the great sobs would surge up and have
vent.
Miss Grey, you have not been
asleep; you have heard what was said.
Are you the Lillian | once knew the
Lillian / left to become the bride OF
Lord Whatsoever? Nay, know you are,
and that you remember George How
ell still"
But her face was buried on her arms
as before, and the tears were flowing
silently
He continued tenderly and gravely
"Do you remember said | was very
patient, Lillian? | could wait and
hope? And do you remember what
answer | asked you for that night in
the conservatory? viii you give me
that answer now, my lover"
And he bent over her and gently
tried to raise her head
"No, George" she sobbed am
altered since my accident. You
haven't seen me- You would not ask
me if you had still keeping her
burning face in the sheltering arms.
"Do you not remember what | then
said about your beauty, Lillian? Your
face would always be beautiful to me.
Then give me your answer before | see
you, love-"
He drew the music stool toward him,
and sat down beside her, with his arm
round her waist
"Never! You shall know whom you
would marry, George"
And she raised her head brayely.
There certainly was change. A big,
dull scar down one side Of the face, and
cutting into the curved upper lip; the
eyebrows grown again, but not so fine
ly penciled as of yore; and the dark
lashes not so deep in their fringing as
they were when he last saw her.
But then, the soft, wistful eyes looked
up at him through mist of tears with
a new and purer expression, and the
Christening finger of sorrow had left
light on the pale features s@eeter and
calmer than pride could give.
And George Howell, as he gazed on
her, forgot the scars and all that was APP
pertaining to that fiery Christening, and
only thought the countenance that had
come through it more tender and beau
tiful.
And he told her SO; and when he
pressed her for his answer, she whis.
pered, eyes, George, if you will have
me-"
And then she told him of her love
for him, and how she had called him
back, but it was too late; and then of
her fearful accident, and these weary
years; how she often wondered where
he had gone.
"Half over the world, my love-" he
cried, merrily; and in luck's way, too.
A nice little fortune I've gathered;
enough to buy back Burnham house, if
you will"
Then looking at his bronzed face and
brown eyes, and curly brown locks, she
told him shyly how handsome he had
grown, and really he was too gcod-look-
ing for her; and he laughed and said she
ought to keep that to tell him after they
were married.
And when Mrs. Price came in and
disturbed the tete-a-tete she was con-
siderably surprised at the turn affairs
had taken.
That George Howell-her cousin only,
though called 'uncle" by the young
sters-who had only returned from for
eign lands three days, with fortune in
MS pockets, should already make up to
such girl as that, and be engaged to
her, was extremely bewildering. And
she was permitted to continue in I'M
enlightened bewilderment.
An so they were married some three
months afterward and Burnham house
was re-purchased and they settled
down there happily. A cloud lowered
over them q short time after, when
Mrs. Grey died, but it soon passed
away.
And Lillian was still young, and the
process of healing and growth on the
SCARED face was slow. But surgical
science, now that wealth was at her
command, aided the softening and re-
pairing process of nature, so that a few
years later hardly vestige was visible
of the cicatrices Of her fiery visitation
and the dazzling beauty of her early
youth, but softened and rendered
lovely by the internal beauties of her
spirit and heart, shone through. her face
and beamed on all who came within
its radiance.
And in years to come, often would
Lillian, when, nesting in the arms of
her stalwart husband, as he stroked
her cheek, whisper in his ear her
thanks to heaven that on that event
full night when he started for distant
lands she had suffered and come forth
the purer from her fearful Christening.