The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-04-11
parted without word or glance.

X y 4 =
"Grandma, don't go on trying to
read any more. You are crying"
"Crying, Elsie?"
"Ah dear, no use in attempting
to steady your voice. Tell me, in
stead, has Doctor March been say
ing | must die?"
The old lady's silence was answer
sufficient.
"And soon?"
"My child I my childl"
"Then, grandma, there is some
thing | must do. A letter / must
write"
"You are not strong enough, my
pet"
"Indeed I am," the clear, sweet,
cheerful voice replied. 'It may be
very short--a little line will do.
But it must come from me-" 1t was
very short; though, when it was
ended, the writer sank exhausted on
the pillows. 1t ran thus
Guy, come to me. l have but few
days more of life, and would fain see you
once more upon earth.
Your faithful ELSIE.
For her work was done. Guys
prediction had come to pass, and
Elsie's place at her brothers side
was more than filled by true wife.
But it was Elsie who had saved
him; and then with her work her
strength went, too. She had just
gained her childhood's home to die.
When her letter was sent, she did
not mention it again until the third
evening. Then she called her grand
mother, and begged to be laid on
the couch between the windows.
"Make me pretty, dear ones" she
said to her attendants, with the
smile which of late grew so bright"
for I am expecting visitor"
She was lying there with the
breath of the roses floating in, when
presently the breeze bore in to her
another sound than that of rustling
boughs. The clicking of the garden
gate-a step upon the gravelled
path. And now low voices on the
porch-the same step through the
hall, and then up stairs. The door
unclosed. She raised herself upon
one drm, the other out stretched.
"Guyp she cried. And some one
shut the door behind him.
He stood as if confounded; then
well-nigh staggered forward, and
flung himself upon his knee beside
the couch. "Elsie! Can this he my
Elsie?"
Her wan hand touched the waves
of his fair hair, bowed down beside
her on the pillows.
Eyes, it is your Elsie" she said,
cheerily. "All that is left of her,
after the parting from Guy"
30 God forgive mep he cried,
brokenly. "Nhy did listen2 why
did I doubt? why did I let you
have your way?"
"Why, indeed, but because you
could not help it, dear,' she said,
with silyery yet melancholy laugh.
He raised his head, and gazed on
her with eyes wild in their eager
ness, yet restless and most miser-
able. A quiver passed across her
face, as she saw how he was startled
by the change in her. Gam then
grown so ugly?" she said, with a
wretched attempt at smile.
He pressed the poor little thin
hands to his lips again and again.
"Uglyl-the one face in the world
for me, and lovelier than ever be-
E fore"
"Oh, what false flatterer !" she
cried, eff Elsie Clare had a beauty,
it lay in a certain pink and white
bloom, and it is gone"
"Elsie Clare had a beauty beyond
all others-the beauty of the soul.
!. And brighter, clearer, lovelier, glows
, its light, where the fail body is a
more transparent veil"
The words were not the less mu-
! steal to Elsie's ear, that the idea was
not altogether original. She said
! softly: "Guy, have you loved anoth-
er women since we parted?"
. "Elsie, can you believe it?
"But have you?" she persisted.
"No! Not one day in these years
!, that L have not been wholly yours
!, And now l have you at the last"
4 She whispered: "Was 1 hard tc
you, Guy, that all this while I pray
Y ed Heaven to keep you mine
n Time is so short, to Eternity togeth
err
Guy moved restlessly. Dom
- speak Of all that now. What is tht
other world, while l have you in my
= arms? This world is very fair, ant
i nothing more shall part u.s."
eyes," she said, "a stronger thar