The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-01-10

straight to the couch where Felicie was
lying, and, half raising her up, began tC
search for some signs of life. At last she
let go the cold hands, and, standing erect
addressed DR.. Menil:
ssYou are right, all is over. There is
nothing more that you can do for her.
The little doctor fidgeted again, rubbed
his hands, and, finally with some muttered
words of coincidence, bowed himself out OF
the room
There was a momentary silence between
the two women left alone together. Pres
emily Marthe rose and went and knelt down
by the dead girls couch.
'.Poor lamb, she sobbed, mechanically
Strengthening the tumbled white folds.
"Ah, the pains took with her betrothal-
dress and to think that she will never
wear it now-poor little heart !"
You mistake, Marthe, said Madame
Duyergne, calmly. II intend that she
shall wear it.
Marthe turned around with start to
where Madam Duvergne stood stiff and
straight against the wall. If there had
been tears in her eyes they were dried now.
"You cannot mean, madame, that-that
-" gasped Marthe
"But certainly mean it, T" was the quiet
answer. 1t is the custom in the part of
the country I came from, as l have told
you before, Marthe. There is no reason
why Felicie should not have her reception
lust the same And yeu would obilge me,
Marthe, if you would get up and dry your
eyes. All is over here. Tears are Of no
use, and there is much to to be DONE
Marthe obeyed, and, crowding her sobs,
rose and stood before her mistress. The
latter calmly gave her directions, forgetting
no detail of the proposed plan.
It did not occur to Madame Duvergne
that there was anything heartless in what
she was doing. As she said, in her part
of the country it was a common enough
custom, if young girl died unmarried, to
give her what was called "death recep-
tion," where, dressed all in virgin white,
she might receive the last salutations of
her youthful companions. At first thought
this may well seem cruel trihing with the
awful mystery of death; but when one
realizes the bitter heart-ache, the trembling
fingers and tear-blinded eyes, with which
the irresponsible form is decked for its
last earthly honor, there is something pa
thetic in the strange and sharp contrast of
life and death. In the present case it was
not SO much the thing itself as Madame
Duvergne's way of doing it that was shock
ing. 1t was 50 calmly practical. For the
time, at least, her sorrow for her daugh-
ter's loss was put aside, and Felicie' funeral
and its preceding ceremonies assumed the
proportions of matter of business. Gas
if it had been an affair of a house to sell, y
was how Marthe Indignantly phrased it to
herself
1t was certainly not so that she sorrowed
for her young mistress. Ever since Fell
cie's birth Marthe had occupied a peculiar
place in the household-at once submis-
sive servant and second and more sympa-
thetic mother to the girl who had grown
to womanhood under her care. So now,
feeling that Madame Duvergne had robbed
her of her treasure, she even exaggerated
her mistress hard elf-possession, and exc
cuted her orders with inward protest that
was almost. rebellion.
But, willingly or unwillingly, the day
appointed for poor dead Felicie's last
glimpse of earth found all preparations duly
made. The ceremony took place in the
evening, and the salon was sparsely lighted
with wax tapers, which at the farther end
glimmered family over a figure supported
by sort of bower festooned with roses and
lilies Felicie was dressed as for ball, in
her white betrothal robes, looped with gar
lands of white flowers. Around her neck
and on her arms were strings of pearls, and
in the waxen fingers was large bouquet
of white roses and lilies. Her dropped
eyelids showed the long lashes distinct on
the pallid cheeks; her face looked quiet
and dreamy. Altogether, seen in the dim
light, the face and figure might well pass
for those of young girl in whom maidenly
reserve subdues the first hutter of emotion.
To one ignorant Of the circumstances the
sight was touching rather that CHASTITY.
One by one the visitors proceeded down
the saloon, made momentary salute be-
fore the motionless figure, and, winding
around center-table filled also with snowy
blossoms, passed down the opposite side.
As they drew near the dead girl, some
caught their breath, some gazed wonder
ingly and some = young companions OF
Felicie s-felt their eyes fill with tears that
blotted out the still, white face into which
they looked Not word was spoken.
The room was so hushed that the rustic
of the moving line was the only sound au-
dible.
Half way down the salon in the ap-
preaching file appeared the figure of Jules
Lacroix, followed by Felix de Varot. Ma
dame Duvergne, from her post beside
Felicie, started forward with an angry i'm
pulse, which decorum Immediately re-
strained. She stood silently watching him
as he advanced. He was almost as pale as
Felicie herself, but his eyes were strained
wide open, fixed on the dead face which he
had last seen flushing and quivering be-
meath his gaze. As he came nearer he
staggered, passed his hand over his eyes
and, stopping short opposite to Felicie
with an involuntary gesture OF despalrins
love and farewell, he stretched out his hand
anu touched the cold fingers close to hi'
own. A great cry went up from the sur
rounding group. The dead girl had opened
her eyes!
The whole room was at once In the
widest commotion. There were scream:
and sobs; some wept and some prayed
Meantime de Varot, with mad, incredu
lous hope in his heart, had lifted Felicit
from the garlanded bower and carried hel
to a window where the night air blew il
freshly, dispelling the heavy odors of thu
flowers in the salon. After time the
watchers about her saw long, shudderins
sigh stir the inanimate form, the eye
opened once more and fixed upon the fact
of Felix bending above, then closed agair
in utter weakness.
ssShe lives p pronounced DIR. Menil, sol
emnly, and with this somewhat late an
nouncement she was borne away from tn,
sympathetic throng, to be coaxed back t.
something of the seeming of life again.
Some days passed away. Felicia wa
still white and languid; the hands claspec
upon her lap were transparently thin, ant
the least excitement made her tremble anC
lose her breath. No one dared speak t.
her about that strange trance of death, s.