The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-11-23

"Oh, child, child !" moaned the dis
mayed woman; 'if he has indeed
fallen over the Scar it is you who have
given him his death"
| And it proved TO be so In taking
the two miles round between the cot
tage and farm, high and perpendicu-
lar precipice, called the Scar, had to
be passed. The tableland or plateau
on the top was wide and perfectly
safe road by daylight, since traveller
could keep as far from the unprotected
edge as he pleased, but on dark
night or in log it was most danger
Gus. Deceived by the mist of the pre-
vious night, Thomas Watkyn must
have drawn near the edge unwilling
| IL and fallen over it. There he lay, on
the sharp rock, when the poor father
and others went to look for him, his
deathlike face upturned toward the
blue sky.
/, Speak to me, Thomas, speak to
me !" walled Alison, quite beside her
self with remorse and grief, as she
knelt by him, wringing her hands.
"Oh, Thomas, speak to me! loved
you all the while"
| But Thomas neither spoke nor
moved. The voice that had nothing
but tender words was silent now; the
heart she had so grieved might never
beat in sorrow or joy again.
| No person had seen or spoken with
him after quitting her the previous
night, save the dressmaker, little in
dustrious Miss Ford She had answer.
ed his knock herself, she related, and
| be put the note into her hands, saying
| Miss Reece had asked him to leave it
in passing. "What thick mist it is
that has come on" he remarked to her
in his pleasant, chatty way. save, it
is indeed, SIR she answered, and shut
her door as he walked away.
For many weeks Alison Reece lay
i'll with brain fever, lowering between
life and death. Some people said it
was the shock that made her ill and
took her senses away; others thought
that she must have loved the poor
young man to distraction no
one, save her mother, knew it was the
memory of her last interview with
him, and the scheming to send him on
the route that led to this accident, that
had we'll nigh killed her. But the
young are strong in their tenacity of
life, and she grew better by slow de-
grees. a.
One warm April afternoon, when
the winter months had given place to
spring, Alison, leaning upon the arm
OF her mother, went to sit on the porch.
She was very feeble yet. 1t was the
first time she had sat there since that
memorable evening with her i'll fated
lover. There she remained thinking
and dreaming. They could not per-
suade her to come in, and SO wrapped
her in warm shawl.
Sunset came on, and was almost as
beautiful, curious, perhaps, that it
should be so, rs the one he and she had
watched together more than six months
before. The brilliant beams shone
like molten gold in the glowing West,
the blue sky around was fiecked with
pink and amethyst. Alison's eyes
were fixed on the lovely scene with an
enraptured gaze, her lips slightly part
ed with emotion.
"Alison, what are you thinking of p
"Of him, mother OF his happiness.
He is living in all that glorious beauty.
think there must have been an un-
conscious provision in his mind by
what he said that evening as we watch
ed it, that he should soon be there.
Oh, mother, l wish l was going TO
him! I wish could be with him to-
morrow"
The mother paused; she felt inclin-
ed to say something, but she feared
the agitation it might cause.
"Well, well, child, You are getting
better" she presently answered. .
Eyes, l do get BETTER" sighed the
girl. 81 suppose it pleased God that !
should"
"Tlme soothes all things, Alison. In
time you will be strong again and able
to fulfill life's various duties with O
zest. Trials are good-oh, so very
good for the soul But for meeting
with them we might never learn the
way to heaven
Alison did not answer Her feeble
hands were clasped in silent prayer
her face was lifted to tie glories of the
evening sky.
1t was at the same sunset hour al
evening Or two later that Alison, who
was picking up strength daily, strollet
away to the churchyard. She wanted
to look for newly made grave il
that corner, where so many of thu
Watkyns lay buried. She could no
see it; the same gravestones that wer
there before were there now. Their
, was no fresh one.
"Perhaps they opened the old vaul
. for him. thought Alison, as she sa
down on bench just inside the gate
for she was too weak to walk bacl
. | again without rest.
g The sun was going down to nigh
without any loveliness, Just as erin
son ball, which seemed to give re,
e light to the atmosphere, and to ligh
d up redly the face of pale, totterin
t man, who was coming up to the gat
e by the help of stick He halte
n when he reached it. Alison turne
sick and faint with all manner {
n emotions as she gazed at him, frigl
d being uppermost.
y "Alison !"
"Thomasl"
IL He held out his hand he came il
side bis pale, sad face wore for HI
'e its old, sweet expression,
l. "Oh, Thomas, | thought you wei
le dead /" she burst out in a storm
sobs. Il came here to look for yo,
lie grave, | thought | had killed you!'
y. "They thought ! was dead at frs
IS They thought for long while that
should die" he answered, as he s
% down deside her, keeping her hands
: his. "But the skilful medical m,
have raised me up, under God. l hol
e in time to be strong and well again"
It. 'Can you ever forgive me 7" s.
as walled, bitter, painful tears fallil
OF down her cheeks like rain. l sh
he never forgive myself
"Nof Then you must atone to |