River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-01-05

| happy to escort us to st. Stephens,
/ where he is a regular at endant when
ever he visits New York"
I suppose Alice answered for me
that / should be happy to make ac-
quaintance with our friends brother.
| was too bewildered to speak. The
strange likeness that made her face SO
familiar to me at first sight, the name
of the unknown brother, Henry, his in
tense love for organ musie-what could
it all mean? Was / now to meet him
again, to endure afresh all the misery
that the kindly hand of Time was only
Just beginning to hide amid the flowers
of resignation and contentment? /
passed the rest of the day and night in
state of feverish excitement. would
ask no questions. If it were indeed he
that was about to see / should meet him
as bravely as | had parted from him. He
was and could be nothing tome after this
one day; our paths might never Cross
again. could bear it
At the appointed time Mrs. Gray
called for me, but came alone Then
l realized how weak was: how had
been hoping to see him, though had
told myself we should meet as the
yeriest strangers.
"My brother will meet us al the
church." said Mrs. Gray. He was
obliged to go first to visit sick friend,
but he will not be detained long"
We reached the church just as the
service was beginning, and the first
strains of the magnificent Stabat
Master " Of Pergholeso already issued
from the grand organ. The aisles were
crowded, but as we approached Mrs.
Gray's pew she whispered, in tone of
relief: +" How fortunate | see that my
brother has arrived before me and kept
our seats; but / must defer the intro
duction till after the service"
The gentleman stepped from the
pew to allow us to pass in, evidently
listening intently all the while that
note of the music should not be lost.
He cast careless glance on his sisters
companion-our eyes met. All | saw
was look of joy, of thankfulness, of
contentent. In my face, | believe, he
could read absolutely nothing. All
what hours those were to me But for
the music | could never have sat there
so near to him, yet SO infinitely far
away The music, now wailing, now
beseeching, now triumphant, rolled
through the church like voice from
Heaven, banishing, for the time, all
thoughts of earthly trials and tempta-
tions. But it ended at last-the vesper
service was over.
As the crowd slowly dispersed we sat
listening to the really beautiful march
of Beethoven Then Mrs. Gray begged
us to wait one moment, as she wished
to speak to some poor women who
were assisted and employed by her,
and were now waiting for her. She
simply named us to each other, and
left us. The Zone moment heightened
into an half-hour; the last notes of the
organ died away; only solitary wor-
shipper knelt here and there in the
lonely aisles.
And | was listening to "the old, old
story" how, from the first day we
met, he had cared for me and me only;
but fettered by that uncongenial mar
rage into which he had entered
thoughtlessly when a mere boy, it was
impossible for him to say one word.
Yes he had loved me from the first;
and now he was free and had come to
seek me out, to ask me whether | re-
membered him. And this time had
no need to tell falsehood.
When Mrs. Gray rejoined US she
looked from one to another with
bright, loving smile. and whispered to
me: 81 never knew, until just as | was
coming for you this afternoon, that
you and Henry were old friends. May
I be your friend, also, Nelly, for his
sake?"
Then we walked slowly home in the
twilight to Alice, who looked up, in
quiringly, as we entered the parlor to-
gether. She must have seen at a
glance that my sorrow was suddenly
lifted from my heart, and when | pre-
scented Mr.. West as an cold friend from
Boston," the truth flashed upon her in
moment.
When he left me that evening he
said: 81 cannot wait long for you, Mel
ly. Say all the good you can of me to
your dear sister, and persuade her to
give you to me very soon."
Alice was neither obdurate nor sell
fish, and the next summer she joined
my husband and myself in a happy
wandering over Switzerland,