The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-10-24

"A WOm&0'S L Sltns
They were lovers. All the romance
and sentiment of the world was theirs.
There is something unfathomable in
| this thing called love. 1t tyrannizes
over body and soul as no other feeling
can. 1t creates happiness from tho
greatest sorrow, light from the deepest
darkness. 1t builds such castles as
money can not buy. and it binis
stronger than any chains forged by
human hands.
Through her tears as they parted
shone su b light of love that he al
that she was loved in return. and that
knowledge created faith in her heart
was to endure even to the gates Of
Heaven and beyond.
lin . year, he whispered as he left
her.
And she answered
81 will wa t year-a lifetimen
When year bad passed and no word
came from him they tried to shake her
faith by creating doubts. Men had no
con stancy they sneered; men would
wiring a woman's heart and have no
ply. Tears came to her brown eyes,
but again she answered:
.He will come back to me-"
" hen the one ear had become five
che old 81 lors in the taverns and lofts
shook their heads and said to each
other that the ship had surely been lost.
and that her young captain would never
be heed Of more. Wives felt a pity
for the heart longing and waiting
through such uncertainty, and they
whispered that it would be no sin to
love again.
al shall see him again he will surely
return" was the answer of Faith,
with her soirowful face anu aching
heart
he FIVE years became ten. The
brown hair was streaked with gray,
and the girls fair face had be-
come the face Of woman who
carries r sobbing, wailing m sery
in her heart. Men showed their cru
city by seesing to awaken a new love;
women exhibited their bitterness of
heart towards their own sex by ridicul-
ing her iaith. But the light of a never
dying heroism burned in her eyes as
she answered them:
He gave me his promise Il am
watching for his ship"
And the ten years became twenty.
Men and women had gone to their last
ne t until scarcely one was left who re-
membered when the lost ship sailed or
who was her captain. But there were
children who had heard the story, and
as they smoothed down the gray hairs
with their soft hands they whispered
1T is so sad! And he was lost al
sea-"
..Iostr' she answered. AYE! even
though the whole world told me SO
should wait and watch Tor him.
And the twenty years became thirty.
One night when the storm-vexed sea
dashed the shore in fury and men ut
tered brief prayers to God as they
turned their faces upon the ships max
ing a brave fight for life, Faith lay
dying.
The end had cones. A human heart,
troubled aud bruised and Scared by
waiting in vain-by hoping, to be ever
disappointed was about to be stilled.
For y moment the storm lullei, just as
. man draws long breath before dash
ing into some great peril. AS it
screamed and roared again in its VEN
geance Faith lifted her thin hand and
whispered:
ale is coming back to me! I shall
see him again and hear his voice once
morer'
The nurse moved nearer and wills
pered kind words. but Faith waved her
aside and cried out:
.'Do not come between us! / hear his
footsteps-he is here! loved him, and
my reward has come at last! Let me
clasp his hand-let me look at his
eyes,"
And again the storm lulled. until the
gale died to sobs and whispers, and the
roar of the surf sounded miles away.
Before the fury gathered itself for .
fresh attack two spirits passed out of
the old house hand in hand and were
afar on the path to Heaven. She had
listened. and his footballs had at last
echoed in her ears. She had watched,
and her glazed eyes had at last been
gladdened. She had waited, and he
had come to be with her through the
perils of the dark valley.-Detroa Fee
Press.