The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-08

ENOUGH to think so-but my folly was short
lived 1t was over-weeks ago."
Hours of bitter trial and OF WEAKNESS followed
on that morning; days of fierce struggle-years
OF life that both in the intensity CT joy and
sorrow might have made the past faint and dim,
yet md that not detail Of the picture has
ever grown shadowy, not an echo of the words
spoken grown far away. Writing as / DO now.
IN my library at Blake House, seeing as lift my
eyes, my grandchildren playing on the lawn be-
fore my window, can yet, by closing my eyes,
con!ure up in flash a picture that often rises
unDidden-daylight-a gray dawn. slowly filling
the room with its mute signs of warfare-bare
enough, yet somehow consecrated In my eyes by
that one scene enacted there.
1T is at an end said Montague bending his
dark eyes upon Diana's trembling figure with
mournful intensity, land / am going away-if
my lie is spared-as soon as possible to Eng
land. desire to think of no future which shall
make me for an instant forget you-but the re-
mem Drance shall be one that have and hold
might cherish and keep green, even though
another woman became my wife. It is what
you cannot take away from me-what you have
no power to withdrawn | ask you
to remember me at any time it is to think that
SAID THIS and meant 1t truly Remember al
ways that l, too, had my country to serve-that
for brief, base hour, / was weak enough to
think OF deserving her-because-because, Diana,
God help me. loved you so Ynadlv-"
he would have turned away, but how could he
do 80 now, that the girls face was lifted to his,
and That the tears honored her for shedding
were running down her cheeks. She did not
check them-seemed unaware that they were
falling, but he would have been less than man
had he not stopped down. and, for an instant,
taking her in his arms, kissed her eyelids, her
cheeks, and once, lightly and reverenty the fair,
proud lips
My cousin wore. tied loosely around her
sweet young throat. blue scarf, and while he
held her that moment to his breast, she was busy
loosening it with eager, nervous fingers.
Il shall pray for YOU" she said, moving back
from him, and dashing the tears away with n
passionate little gesture. and give you this as
pledge OF my-my sweet remembrance of you
my cousin will not care-as you say--we shall
never see each other more"
He took it-reverently, and oh, so tenderly,
and holding it to his lips for half an instant, put
it in his breast
How long our silence might have lasted do
not know, had not the bugle sounded-the day
had broken new sunrise was flooding all the
world-and led my darling tenderly away. Civ
ing her into old Keziah's keeping, well knowing
proud, nature, thankful she had my loyal heart
to lean upon now and for evermore until death
Gid US part,
Montague was soon exchanged. AS he pre-
dicted, he returned to England and Diana had
been my dear wife for twelve happy years be-
fore any news of him reached US Then it came
but vaguely; word of his marriage and of his
death in India, and fancy that my darling was
but Slightly moved by it, for her busy life of af
fectionate interests and many occupations had
crowded out many thoughts of the past. She
said very little, however, Of her deepest feelings
With the growth of years and motherhood, my
sweet wife had become self-conrained quiet
woman, always gentle, always loving, but less
given to spontaneous mirth and ready expression
of every passing mood. But when my dear love
lay dying she reverted to that strange scene in
our barracks; holding my hand she asked me If
ever thought her "fippant" after that Truly
told her, never, and she sighed and said she
never meant to be- that the thought of having
panied SO true heart as Montagues had always
lain sadly at her door.
We spoke of him, then-she wondered if the
little token she had given him was long treas
ured. and the dear eyes looking into mine
seemed for an instant like little DIS of old-ten
der, wistful. all at once. When said, feeling
it like throb at my heart, that believed any
thing of hers would not have been cast aside by
the most forgetful man on earth, she smiled
again and said in a little way she had when
told her that loved her, thank you; dear"
and it was soon after-very soon, that she spoke
no more.