The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-04-21

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No. no never!'' But Alice murmured, Il
will GOT and going down stairs said,
Mamma, | am going over to help to at
tend to Ida James
"Why, my dear, said Mrs. Heating,
''you must not 90 there; she has the fever.
But, mamma, must, and her eyes
filled with tears.
"Well, my dear, if you think you can
stand it, go.
Alice bent forward and kissed her, and
! left the house.
When she reached the James mansion
Mrs. Bern (Ida's married sister, met her
at the door.
"Mrs Bern" said Alice, Il have come
to help to take care of Ida. 'Why Alice,
said Mrs. Bern. Yes Mrs Bern [ feel it
my duty, please tell me what to do" Mrs.
Bern led her up stairs and silently drew
her in darkened room. "There she lies,
said Mrs. Bern. ''The doctor has no hope
of her." Alice went toward the bed and
said: Ida do you know me-" "Oh
Alice Heating, is it you? l do not deserve
this" she screamed wildly.
/ eyes, Ida, it is Alice, said Mrs Bern,
! ':she' but before she could finish Ida
was raving and knew nothing.
For three long weeks Alice watched by
the bedside of Ida, and at last, one calm
/ day. Ida became sensible and said Alice,
come here" Alice went, and, kneelin9
down beside the bed, asked her what she
wanted ''Alice," she murmured, Il am
diving. and | cannot die without your for
giveness, you have treated me far betterthan
| deserve; you heaped ''coals of fire upon
my head in coming here and risking your
! life for your most bitter enemy. Alice
tried to wreck your life. Harry Melvin
was as true as steel to you, but L told him
that you were heartless flirt and cared
nothing for him. | knew that after you
stopped associating with him, that could
easily draw him toward me. He did not
believe it at first and said Il did not
think Miss Alice 50 heartless, but | drew
him on and told him that you told me
yourself that you cared nothing for him
and some day would tell him so. He said
Il will try to forget her Oh Alice, ii
you could have seen that look, he was
deathly pale, when he left that night.
gave him a pressing invitation to call again
VIII Darwin called the next day and was
talking about Harry and how you had
treated him, and that he was trying hard to
forget YOU, but could not Oh Alice that
night | came over and told you the black
est lie that ever crossed a womans lips,
that Harry Melvin told me that he never
did care for you, | saw you turn pale and
gloricd in your downfall. Harry com
menced coming to see me regularly y; and |
never allowed your name to cross my lips
in fear that the old fame might be aroused
and | would loose the prize | had so long
coveted Now, Alice, [ have told you all
[ feel the hand Of death upon me, sister
Lizzie will tell Harry Melvin al" "Alice,
she exclaimed wildly, SAY that you forgive
ne and I will die happy"
Alice Heating could not speak after
hearing that awful revelation, she knelt
there by the deathbed of her bitterest enc
my in life, and must now call her friend
in death, she murmured "Great God I. what
must [ do! ''Then suddenly she bent
down and kissed the dying beauty. "Yes
Ida, I forgive you" "Alice! again she
murmured, call sister, | must die. Alice
called Mrs. Bern and Ida whispered "Liz
zie, tell him all she has forgiven me, ano
in few minutes Ida James, the petted
idolized beauty, was dead The messenger
had wrapped his cold arms about her and
horne her to another home. Alice stood
and gazed upon that fair face that hao
caused her so much misery. Il wonder
how Harry will receive this, she thought
Il wonder if he will be the same to me. D
A few days after the interment Of Ida
Mrs. Bern wrote note to Harry asking
him to call, saying that she had something
important to tell him. He called that
night, and left the house far wiser than
when he entered it, he almost cursed the
dead Ida. The next day he wrote IA note
to Alice saying if all was well he would cal
that night.
When Harry Melvin's card was brought
to Alice she tri pped down the steps with
a lighter heart than she had for three long
wears. The moment she entered the par
lor he caught her in his arms "Alice my
darling, my pet, my own, we were parted
once but nothing but death can part us
now" He led her to the sofa and told hel
how he tried to forget and could not, how
he never could love any lady as he had her
and that when he found she was flirting
with him he gave himselfup and went witt
anybody who cared for him, and in finish
ing he said, "Alice [ dreamed last nigh
that you promised to be my own and cher
ished wife, say my darling will you make
nv dreams real ?' Her head bent towar(
his shoulder, and her beautiful eyes dropped
and she whispered, "Yes." Harry ben
down and kissed her and that room con
tanned two of the happiest hearts in tn
world.
When the autumn winds were sighin:
around the grave of Ida james, CRANE
wedding took place at which Alice Keat
ing and Harry Melvin pledged their low
before their Heavenly Father, and the silkel
cord that only death can break now bind
two loving hearts forever.