The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-12-25
mother was lying on the floor at he,

~ ~ 49,
Never afterwards, in trying to re
member, could she tell how long she
kneIt there. A slow procession o
years went passingby Years thathad
gone, there were more to COme-timC
as regarded the future had no eXis
tenCe.
Through all her trouble Miss Gwen
doline had never shed q tear. They
say a silent sorrow is the hardest
But one day, when looking in the
glass, she found that her hair was
turning gray. Then Miss Gwendolint
bowed her head and wept. 1t vas q
trifp, but it was also the last straw
the drop that made the cup run
over.
For five years now she had beer
singing in the choir OF st. Marks, and
this WAS the first time that any
thoughts Of the past had ever inter.
Tered with her duties.
She reached the church lust in time
for the openingchant, and the leader
gave her IN angry look OF relief as she
took her seat.
Whatever had come over her Miss
Gwindoline could not imagine. The
voices Of the congregations sounded
miles away. and the only sentence OF
the sermon that reached her was the
text, ASK and it shall be given yOu,'
kept ringing in her ears.
\ great, irresistible longing seized
her for the love OF her youth, and Miss
Gwcudoline's whole soul went forth III
a voiceless prayerth the happiness OF
thclongieadpast might be given back
to her.
Miss Gwendoliue'S SOLO came during
the Offering. As she rose it seemed &C
her hat her prayer was answered.
and She sang as she had eve SANG
before;
"Prai~e to God, immortal praise
For theloye that crowns u~UrdayS.'
During the Scrvicra man hadliStleSS-
~ entered the church and seated him
! selfinan obscure corner.
He glanced around ut the congrega-
! ton, then foldedhis arms. drOppedh his
headupon his breast, and became lost
i'll thought.
praise TO GEL immortal praise,
For the love THAT crowns our days"
At the first words he raised his
head and looked eagerly about, then
he leaned forward a~j listened
breathlessly till the end Of the hymn,
As soon as il was over he LETT the
| church and went around to the side
entrance where the choir came out.
He stood we'll back liz the shadow of
! the doorway and waited. First came
a young lady and gentleman. He did
I ,,NN h,,--- lr,@ - 1900 n,1
tenor. Then came the leader, the bari,
tone and the alto. Then 4 few min
uteS after Miss Gwendoline.
She was so much occupied with her
thoughts that she never noticed a
middle-aged man following close be
hind her.
BY the time she reached her room
things began to assume their every
day cheerless aspect.
She took OFF her bonnet, smoothed
out thestrings, and laid it away with
a sigh. Then she went 10 dinner in the
most commonplace way, and none OF
the other boarders Y e guessed where
Miss Gwendoline had been i'll the spir-
it that morning.
That evening, about dusk, as she
was sitting idly before the window,
somehow she had felt uneaualt TO doing
ANYTHING after church, the little maid
of-all-work came to her room.
Miss barley she said there is 8
gintleman down STAIRS as is asking &c
see you, num-"
And then Miss Gwendoline knew
it cana to her like an inspiration
that her prayer was answered.
With beating heart and falterins
steps she went to meet her lover.
Now that he had coE.e she was
afraid TO see him. She, being sc
changed. SO old and h1mely. o per
haps be would not care for her. She
stood In the hall trying TO summon
courage TO enter, when the parlor
door was flung open and sorne ons
caught her IN ais arms. Unreistingly
she let herself be carried from the cold
and darkness OF the hall 70 the light
and warmth within.
Bob she sighed. IF Il IS really
you i can keep Christmas after all
Ask and II shall De given You, the
promise Is fulfilled, my prayer Is grant
cd Do you know. Bob, this morning
I thought I had nothing TO be thank
ful for, and now i can never be thank
tul enough"
Later ON IN the evening. as they sat
hand IN hand watching the IRE, Miss
Gwendoline said.
"Tve been thinking. Bob, OF some
thing 4 onceread. that applied exactly
TO You and me- IL was a0out different
kinds OF love. andit said: sYounglovs
Is passionate, old love is faithful. but
the tenderest thing in all the world, i
love revivedl"-Beta Theta.
She Was Ready to W ed.
Afarmer in this county, who was 4