The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-15

long time, since she had no new opportunity of
getting it. After our departure she had grown
, qnleter For a long time the two women talked
'Ehe kept speaking about the time when we were
Young together" said Miss Sally. "She spokeof
things had clean forgotten, little no account
things had done for her. and was
SO sweet and loving had to
cry. by and by Cousin Raoul came in
and he SAID right off. Why, honey. you're look
ing better and he laid some roses on the pillow
beside her and kissed her. Oh I'm glad he did.
for my poor girl used to torment herself think
lng-thnklrg he had ceased to care" The
tears came too fast for speaking now. but with
the same patient cOmposure had noticed the
day before she w ped them away and was telling
the rest Mrs. Rayenefs gentle mood lasted
through the evening Sne begged to have Sally
with her for an hour and before she came had
Tempe arrange her hair and give her the pretty
white shawl which was Miss Sallys Christmas
gift. to wrap about her shoulders. She held the
child in her arms and kissed her many times be-
fore she would let her go. After she'd gone"
said Miss Sally, "Ro turned hrr head away and
lay right still / got worried she was SO still,
and spoke to her and she turned round and
smiled and said to me: You and RaOul have
been like angels to me and I've done nothing but
bring shame and sorrow 70 you. but m going
TO make one last effort and l feel somehow, as
II it would succeed She spoke SO solemnly and
sadly, and. God forgive me, had so little faith
IN her words that couldnt speak, my heart felt
so heavy, so just kissed her-Oh. l didn't think
that never never could speak to her again"
Miss Sally broke down, but she struggled to
finish the story through her sobs. There was
little left to tell. Opium produces a sleep
natural enough to deceive physician. Mrs.
Ravenel had died with her husbands about
her, holding HIS hand TO her lips. He slept, and
when he awakened she was dead. During the
afternoon she haG asked for paper and pencil,
under the pretense Of drawing pictures for
Sally On scrap of this she had written a few
words. Afterwards Miss Sally showed them to
me, and | copied them:
Good bye, nv darling husband and Sally
This is the only kindness | can do you ] made
ND my mind long ago to do it when | knew it
was no use TO try. 1t is no use. To day would
not spare my child | nearly a murderess
again. Oh, my dear husband. have suffered so
much and it is Don't let my enid know
Sally has been 80 patient. Please Sally. be kind
to Raoul. Oh. my dear, dear husband have
loved you dearly, dearly. Ro."
Grace and did what was in our power to help
Miss Sally through the days that followed, and
when we left the city the last sight We saw in
the station was a little group of two, Miss Sallys
face thinner and paler in the shadow of her
Grape veil, but summoning parting smile for
u.s. and the Doctor, waving his hat tn the weed
on It, and commencing TOR tne tenth time to
! the particular coartesIes of the conductor.
We did not imagine that this would be our
last sight OF them. but SO 1t has been. We never
have seen Miss Sally again. Once saw-only
saw-the Doctor. Last year it CHANGED that We
were passing through the town and found az
hour at our disposal between trains. Takin$
one of the familiar shabby hacks at the station
We were driven to Miss Sally's house. Alas! IL
was Miss Sallys house no longer but metamor-
phOSed into q smart rev MOTEL. We had not the
heart TO enter after inquiring in vain for Misc
Sally of stray porter and a maid sweeping the
steps of the opposite mansion. Failing there
took way 10 the cemetery; the graves AZ
least would be unchanged. We went directly to
the Asbury lot. Yes, there all was as we had
known it, the white marble angels weeping at
the monument, the graves of the generals and
colonies and judges the little mounds above the
children, and the flowers heaped in the old pro-
fusion over one small grave. There was single
new stone. l took the flowers which l had
brought and laid them at it's foot, beside the
roses and volets already there. Grace read the
inscription aloud.
"ln memory of Aurora Honoria Asbury
Ravene, beloved wife of Raoul Moultre
Ravenel" Below were the dates of birth and
death--nothing else. She had only lived thirty
four years Poor, weak, kindly, passionate
woman" said Grace, God forgive her!'
Then we walked back, down the wide paths
between the dwarf maguolias. Half way, on
| the spot where had looked to see Mrs. Ravenel
kneeng by her childs grave, we both stopped
and looked again 1t was here that we saw DIR.
Ravenel He was approaching the graves from
the other side, and his arms filed with
roses. AS formerly, mis- coat was black. but i.
was no longer thre adbare He put his burden of
flowers down close to mine and stood. il the
membered attitude, with his uncovered head
on his breast Let US go and speak to him.
whispered Grace. Il do hope he has married
Miss Sally"
To this day Grace cannot understand why L
would not comply with the request and was so
afraid of losing the train. | shall never tell her;
she would laugh at my sentimental jealousy or
behalf of a dead woman whom | scarcely knew
ana who was far from stainless character; but
Jwn here that it was because / wanted to keep
my romance intact dreaded lest should hear
that the Doctor had married Miss Sally.