The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-01-13
The voice dies away in a moan, as of

The voice dies away In moan, as o
pain.
The bells toll family now; .Yve
hears the voice die away; and thel
comes a pause. He opens his eyes a
last. 1t is night; all is still as death
and he is on his knees beside the win
, dow.
He rises up with horror in his heart
This is the warning of God; if he re
sists it he will be damned to all eter
nifty. It is the call of heaven to Civ,
up Eileen's fascinations and the fata
ease and prosperity which have tempt
to Brittany and to Liszen.
He seems again to hear the tolling
Of the bell-the warning Of the song
It is possible that Liszen lies dying Of
grief at his prolonged absence. AL
at once he remembers that the mar.
riage day is fixed; he remembers, too
Eileen's love.
mo use-no use! everything must
60" he cries in terror "This is a
warming from heaven. If l do not
obey it | am lost; and I must obey it
instantly"
At first it seems to him that be
must steal out of the house with his
bundle of clothes, as poor as he came
into it. He cannot take away with
him any of the clockmaker's generous
gifts. 1t is useless to seek an inter-
view with Mr.. Smith-how can he
make himself understood?
Hours pass away in tumult of
conflicting and opposite feelings; but
the daylight, as it glimmers into the
street, brings calm with it into his
struggling soul.
He kneels down and thanks God
fervently for having brought him
back to his duty before it was too late;
and he vows solemnly, at whatever sac
rifce, to obey the warning he has re-
ceived.
Then he sits down on his bed to
consider how this can best be done.
All at once a new thought comes
why can he not write to the clock
maker? 1t is gleam of light in his
darkness
He rises up, and as he walks up and
down his room he tries to compose a
letter to Mr.. Smith. 1t is not easy
work, but when he has set down his
explanation in French, he gets the
dictionary which Eileen gave him and
taught him how to use, and after
about two hours of labor he has pro-
duced a letter in which he has told his
whole story. He explains the mistake
caused by his words to Eileen, how
she mistook friendship for love, and
then he tells the difficulty he has since
felt in setting this straight. He re-
peats this over and over, so that there
is no fear of not being understood
now; and he expresses his deep sorrow
If he had only thought sooner Of
writing, then much evil might have
been avoided and much disappoint-
ment spared. But he must go, he
says-it is inevitable; and then he tells
the solemn warning he ha received
and his determination to return tc
Brittany. He ends his letter with
penitent and humble thanks for the
great goodness shown him, Of which
he has proved so unworthy.
1t is still early. He steals softly
out of his room, and slips the letter
under Mr.. Smiths door; then, going
back, he dresses himself, makes up hi
clothes into bundle, and waits.
An hour passes slowly. He hear:
the shutters taken down; he hear!
Eileen's bright laugh as she goes dowr
stairs, and he turns pale as a ghost
There is noise and movement both il
the house and in the street, but afte
whileshe fancies that the sounds ii
the housa grow hushed.
At last, there comes a step up tn,
stairs; it is long past noon, but we
has taken no heed Of time.
Ever since he placed the letter un
der the door. he has been i'll sort O
stupor, and in this state he has waited
as senseless as a dumb brute.
When he came back into his room
he put chair against his door to pre-
vent sudden entering; and now
when a tap comes, he has to move thi
aside before he can open the door.
There is no one outside, but as I'VE
listens he hears Bridget's heavy foo
at the bottom of the staircase.
A plate of bread and meat and
glass Of ale is set ON the mat outsid
the door, and beside this lies lette
addressed "Yves Dnroc."
/ Yves's hands shakesso, he can hard
y Roase il said county ,hs r. the letter
10 | have been sold or offered for Esla
10 0Iu6HoN p @wUsy ~ ~ 70 hin
reat