, 1882-07-07

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Her lips quivered, and a tear stole
down her cheek, but before she
could reply, l kissed her and whis-
pered: Il understand, dear; bat
suppose Harry should die instead
Her eyes opened quickly, and she
asked in a half angry tone:
Why do you ask such questions,
CoraY"
Because Harry is deadm
She leared forward, gazed in my
face a moment with Il horror-strickcn
intensity, and then with a deep-drawn
sigh, fell back in her chair, cold and
white, into a dead faint.
l thought 1 had killed her, and al
ter applying vigorous restoratiyes, we
were rewarded by her return to con
seriousness, but she was perfectly pas
sive.
remained with her during the
night, but she asked no questions and
uttered no complaint
Toward morning she slept, but
awoke at dawn. and thinking it best,
l told her all l knew Of the disaster,
She listened quietly, but, save for a
slight shudder, made no response.
She dressed herself with her usual
care, and joined the family, and, feel
ing that 1 could be of no more use to
her, 1 returned to my home.
June was present at the funeral
services of her lover, and naught but
her unusual pallor and the dark
circles beneath her eyes betrayed her
deep suffering.
She made no display of grief, but
went back to her post quietly, and has
attended to her duties with rigid care
ever since.
During the nine years that have
followed that sad day, no change has
been visible in June's conduct toward
her friends, unless, if possible, she has
been more loving and sympathetic
than before.
But God knows how faithful she
has been to her dead lover, and how
often in the gray dawn she has stolen
to his grave with her offering Of
flowers unseen by any save the an
gels.
She has been gradually fading for
several years, and few days ago she
took to her bed with the firm belief
that death was near.
She sent for me to-day, and |
hastened to her side, and was sur
prised to find her, in spite of her
utter prostration, cheerful and the
most angelic sweetness lighting up
her face with a glory such as / never
beheld before.
Cora" she whispered, ''the end
has come. am going to leave this
poor crippled body, and in a new
and perfect form / shall meet Harry
in that beautiful home where nothing
can cloud our happiness. If he had
lived, Cora, perhaps some fairer
woman than L would claim his love
tonight, but God is good, and all
these years 1 have had the right to
cherish the memory of his love, and
to look forward to our meeting in
heaven, and l shall see him tonight
only think, Cora, tonight"
Then she thanked me for what l
had been to her, and kissed me
goodbye.
As 1 was leaving the room she mo-
toned me back, and slipping off her
engagement ring begged me to keep
it always for her saEe-it is plain
gold and inside is engraved, "On
earth, in heaven"
I had not reached home when a
messenger overlook me, and said that
she was dead. She had died just at
sunset, and expressed a wish to be
buried at sunset to morrow.
The story was ended; it was far in
to the night when / parted from my
friend, after thanking her sincerely
for the lovely romance of her friends
life
And the next evening just at sun
set, saw all that was mortal of June
Andrews placed in vault by her
lovers side, and hidden from human
eye forever; and as l turned away
from the solemn scene, could only
murmur, Amen" with holy thank
fulness.