The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1885-10-24
A GIRL WIFE.
The Old Bachelor Curate Of AM
berly.

berly.
1t was a beautiful young American
girl, Lettice Lee by name. who sojourn.
ing among her English friends fol
awhile, crossed Their fair garden
br ght with the tcnier greens of Spring
and all abloom with hawthorn, and,
tempted by the shadows of the lane be-
yond. strolled slowly down it, unit |,
coming 10 al old church set about with
trees and fla ked by an ancient grave
yard. she entered there and wandered
among the mossy stones, reading their
quaint inscriptions and thinking such
thoughts as youth and beauty do OF
graves and death-thinking pityingly
ana with certain sad tenderness, but
not as of anyth with which she had
to do. or even would.
The willows were very old The
shade was very deep The gray church
flung its own dark shadows on the
spot. The ivy of centuries draped its
walls.
1t was so different from anything the
q rl-who had come from the land
where all the fine build ngs have a
brand new look, and even the ivy that
is trained against church-wallS speaks
of geometrically- gardener
had seen, that it fascinated her. She
was romantic and poetical; and it is
very hard to be romantic in America.
She leaned against a great tree, and
locked down upon the gray grave
stones. Most of them were so old that
no one lived to deck them any more.
And yet the ages written on them
were often less than her own was that
day. One at her very feet bore this
inscription:
Here lieth Lucy-aged sixteen"
A tear came into the girls eyes as
she read it. Perhaps more would have
followed. but at that moment voice
close beside her broke the silence.
You are looking at the graves, my
dear. These are only humble stones
Inside the church there are some very
fine tombs. If you would ke to see
them l can tell you all that is known
of them. have been curate of Amber
ly for thirty years. "
The girl turned toward the speaker
Thirty years! That was nearly twice
her whole life. A verv old man this
must be to speak of thirty years as a
mere portion of his.
She looked up into his face and an
swered back the kind smile that shone
upon il. and felt thrill of wonder at
ha in hn al,
lip. for in her short exper ence oil
mel were generally either harsh or
testy. or at least cold or unsympathz-
ing.
She had no father, or grandfather, or
any aged relatives. A little woman,
something of an heireSs, and very beau
tiful. she had always been petted by
her friends. and had never been unhap-
py; but of strong home ties that en-
dear even the old and the ugly, she
knew nothing. An old gentleman was
some one who did not like noise and
was rather averSe to music. whom it
was not unpleasant to see 90 out of
the room, and who generally paid the
bills for somebody.
She gave the curate another smile.
and said: "Yes, she would like much
to see the church and the tombs. Her
name was Lettice Lee, and she was
visit ng Mrs. Holden. at the mansion
yonder, and she was Just from America
for the first time Perhaps he knew
and the curate signifed that he did
know, aud that Mrs. Holden was his
dear old friend, and they went into the
church together.
There are old faces that are more
beaut ful than any young ones can be.
Not many, it is true; for the evil pas
siOns of our race-anger and greed,
and malice and jealousy-are strong
within too many breasts, and mark
themselves outwardly upon the features.
through the long, slow years of long
life, too deeply. Griefs also line them
seiYes upon the brow, and hollow out
the cheeks and dim the eyes, but now
and then some one, alike strong and
sweet, putting by the sin and bearing
the sorrow patiently, comes to the
autumns OF existence with such a
countenance as, it seems to me, God
meant that an old man should have.
The curate of Amberly had done this.
The old bachelor curate had no re-
miniscences to make of.youth sweet, no
memoryof young head pillowed on
his breast or fond hands that had
clasped his.
Somehow. he thought of this as he
ushered the young girl into the old
church. She was so fair. and delicate
and sweet-her movements were so
gentle. A daughter like this nova
-. He checked the fancy, put it
away with a smile, and walked on
among the tombs.
On the tomb of Lady Margaret a
sculptured form lay with clasped hands
and closed eyes. On that of Sir Per
c.val Percy knelt mailed warrior at
prayer. Not more cold and silent and
at rest were these than had been the
love that should have warmed that
good life; and still, with closed eyes,
love ssnbered in the American girls
breast. They looked at Lady Mar
garet. at Sir Percival, at the gray tab
lets IN the floor, and the white ones on
the wall; at the painted windows and