The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-07

--.,a looked the incarnation OF ear'niy nappi-
"'' Che sat alone and expectant in the draw
~. - room of Grove Lodge-a small house IN
ins s.,r;ct of London, occupied by Mrs. Bell
N0 "a and her two daughters, Rose and Clara
We. pa,Ivards were not rich, and the house had
.s go snecklsss appearance which is only observ-
-. uben the services OF the one professional
,.r,.s,ic have been eked out by the combined
....es Of all the feminine inmates.
have said, Rose sat in the little drawing
~, With its well-worn rep furniture. its center
.shlo with photograph album and few gift
-. in which somebody's selection from
rrc,i.h Christian poetry was conspicuous. On
-;aa-table was stuffed bird under glass case
=. .ba window, between the stiff1y starched lace
.-..o,s live bird swung triumphant in a
hrebtly- gilded cage, untouched by any sympa-
MI. ;nstnct to tell him that just under him, in
r.r,t If glass a brother with moveless wings
"a .onpless throat was preserved perpetually in
.tetA Likely enough the dead bird had once
.,nor a time made merry in the cage where now
.ha live bird lived. Just so had he shrilled out
-. song in the warm. spring sunshine; just so
had he prodigally dashed afar rape seed and
..,.rv in search of the dearly-loved
ann baneful hemp! Just so in the pauses
:, sono had he communed with himself in low
notes which could mean nothing else but serene
.oelaudstion 'Yes, dear, you have done WELL
indeed. they seemed to say, "Will Beauty tryit
.cainp which Beauty, after little demnr, would
nrOcsed to do. So had he hoped from perch to
march: so had he revelled in the swing depend
mo from the roof of his house, and known-had
he known-the terrible episode of green, glazing
eyes. as the cage swayed dreadfully in the clutch
of the clinging claws, and futtered feathers few
this way and that Had he, too heard the rush
10 the rescue and the wall of the defeated enemyY
he too by night, with head tucked safely under
his wing dreamt of those dreadful eyes of green
fame, and, dreaming, sounded strange un-
birdlike note, making any one who might be in
the room wonder what could be the matter with
Beauty
AS with birds so is It with men! We CHR
rup and we sing, we swell our feathers with
pride or hutter them with fear then we pass,
and others succeed to our positions, and as after
death ws are not available for stuffing and put
ting under glass cases by way of reminder. we
are very soon out of sight, and very soon out of
mind, 70 those who have loved us best. Some
thing in this strain ran Miss Bellward's thoughts
as she listened to the canary's song. You see
she could remember Beauty the First upon
whose glass vault Beauty the Second was now
raining his seed and splashing his water. Still
she was not being sentimental over dead bird.
OF what is she thinking, then this 25th of
May while men pass the window with their
fowerladen barrows, shouting as they go, with
that peculiar intonation only adopted by their
class; Fine flowers! All BLOWN and grow
imp And Beauty's cage, as it swings in the
light, flashes with almost dazzling brilliance. Is
she thinking of 25th of May six years ago,
when she had waied-not in this room, but in a
room overlooking the British Chancellor some
one to come, some one whose step made her eyes
shine and her heart beat-some one on whose
grave the grass had now been growing greenly
for four years9 Fools are we who try to keep
anniversaries with the living! They are meant
for the dead alone.
| DO not mean for moment to imply that
Rose was giving her right hand to living lover
while her left retained that of dead one Her
young, romantic love had been genuine, and
genuine had been her grief when death frus-
trsted her hope, and fever, brief but virulent.
stopped forever the gentle and chivalrous heart
which had beat with such loyal love for her.
but rs the flowers grew on her lovers grave, so,
though not perhaps with quite so quick growth,
hope grew again in her heart, and, when four
years after her lovers death. Reginald Long
hurst, struggling young artist, with manly
ngure, elearcut handsome face and splendid
aark passonateeyes laid his heart at her feet she
was nothing loath to take into her keeping. Still,
8nen the anniversary of her birthday came
around, she could not help thinking of certain
grave within sight and sound of the sea. Yet
ass look then was not the look of one who is en-
ersaining ghosts, saying: Eyes, remember
you said that day-what WORE what
ANU OF day it was-indeed remember it
~. ail though the CHASTITY smile about your
''ueo lips would seem to say had forgotten!"
beside Miss Bellward on the table lay superb
0Ouquet and a beautiful and costly fan. Look
uS AZ these, her deep violet eyes grew grave and
earnest with the look Of one preparing to meet
some crisis.
one was worth looking at was Rose Bellward,
"''n ner rare, violet eyes, her pale, proud face,
WI at once sensitive and resolute The dress
40 wore. though simple in texture, fitted so as
snow TO advantage her beautifully nodded
sure Round her head, which incliued to be
s@ s'siSe, her abundant brown hair, with gold
s4s ghnting in it. was coiled fold on fold. She
ssss'uensiy deep in thought, regarding the
.s' ssrs and the fan with wistful eyes, when
~ mpetuous application of the knocker to
s''sss door made her start Forestalling the
4. she fastened into the hall and opened
sS0Of herself. The next moment she was
n. 90 olose in strong arms; the door closed, and
nv all good things be with you on this day,
4, ~ said the man. His voice was pleas
si,.,~. heard under the influence of great ex-
Laas us when it became shrill Reginald
,ons .us's would have been perfectly hand
n.. an out fora painfully weak, receding chin.
Nod