Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-25

she always kissed me now upon going
to bed. And more than ever did pray
. that peace and security, as of old. might
. rest upon our home.
One night there was a rap at the door.
Nv niece was out among her flower
beds, and answered the rap. The caller
was Squire Bradish.
"Where is FAITH"
told him.
Il have bad news. Miss Rachel. She
must hear il. Please cali her in"
She came in, with her sunbonnet in
her hand. not at all agitated by the
'squire's call.
There is bad news to-day, Miss
Eldridge." he said. ''Can you bear
it?''
She fixed her eyes intently upon him,
but showed no emotion.
1.-The Conquerer has Just rounded the
lower point. A swift cutter coming
up brought me letter from the mate
It tells me that Captain Converse was
drowned On the 18th of June, in mid
ocean.
1 looked to see her scream or faint.
She did neither With he hands living
loosely in her lap she sat there, with a
PARKWAY look in her eyes, which seemed
to see neither of us. Invent to her and
laid my hand on her arm.
'.Do you hear, Faith? The squire
says that Captain Converse is drowned. y
at is not true" she said. II saw
him on the 18th of June. He seemed
weary and troubled. can believe that
he has been in danger and perplexity.
| l,,,x H. g 40 ,looJ II. IA - - 49, a.
me in that way
There was nothing to be said in the
face of such perversity as this. Tho
squire took his leave and next morn
ing. after the ship was at the dock. he
sent in the particulars of the captain S
sad fate. In the height of storm
the lurch of the ship threw him against
the rail. He must have been stunned,
for as he lay doubled over it he did not
reach out his hand to save himself. but
tOppled into the sea. No boat could
live in such gale, and nothing could
be done to help him. The mate saw it
all, but was not near enough TO aid him.
| All this / told to Faith She merely
shook her head. l grew angry
could not help it.
foolish girlr' l cried viii you
insist after this that he is Yet alive?'
Il know he is" was her caIrl reply.
Faith Eldridge. beware! You are
flying in the face of Providence These
| visions and dreamings are not of God
|! the adversary is i'm them. Confess your
wickcdness; ask Him TO forgive your
impiety; mourn little, if You will, for
your dead-and then. in due time, mar
ry that excellent man srho is patiently
waiting for you.
Il think" she said, s.that God made
my betrOthed come to me that night
that might know he was still alive
Her shocking irreverence took away
my breath. Had it been six wears
earlier in her life i should have
chas,ised her severely, and felt
like doing so as il was. But twas
no use to labor with her. PRAYER
was the only weapon left me, and
welded it most vigorously. Months
passed and Squire Bradish ventured TO
speak to Faith about his wishes |
never asked either what happened in
that interview had no need. l saw
him leave the house with clouded face,
and knew there was no hope for him.
And soon something happened that
startled the town. Inexpressiblv
shocked "a was. the avenging hand of
God seemed it. The squire was strong
and robust and in the maturity of life;
but, rs often happens to such men. he
sickened and went rapidly 10 deaths
door When the doctor told him that
he might not have another day TO live.
he had his lawyer sent for.
Tear up my will.' he SAID, which
gives everything TO churches and char
ities. Draw another: let the old house
keeper have a thousand dollars. and all
but that goes TO Faith Eldridge.
II was done and duly executed.
Tell her" he said. THAT it is all the
reparation | can make her: the Captain
of the ConqIeror stood in my way. and
hired that ruilian of a mate to remove
him. He did it. he caught him una
wares one dark and stormy night when
the crew were all aloft and forward and
none could see, and flung him over the
quarter. The mate told me he did it
when he came for his blood-money; and
he has left this land forever II was
my work-GOd forgive me-"
So it came to pass. through these as
founding events, Faith went one day to
take possession of the British mansion
and the wealth of its late owner She
took ne with her.
Yes. thanks he to God, Captain Con-
verse returned. alive and well. when
three years had passed since the Con-
queror bore him away. Twas present
at his happy meeting with Faith, and on
that occasion, l am constrained TO say.
he kept his arms round her longer than
strict sense of propriety would allow.
And she did not either scream or swoon
this time. She simply said: IL knew
YOU were alive, Earl was sure YOU
shoulder and allowed him to kiss her
four or five times. 1t seemed 10 me
that once would have been quite suf-
ficient
He had chung 10 a floating spar when
treachcrously hurled into the sea. and
had been picked up the mex: morning.
very near 10 death, by a trader bound
Tor the South Atlantic; he had endured
shipwreck on the African coast, had
been captured and sold into slavery,
and after such sufierings as killed all
his companions. he had escaped. and ut
last reached home again.
The brief period of welded life which
these two enjoyed was happy. They
were bound up in each other, so much
so that have fears that their religious
duties were not always performed witt
becoming zeal Did not my humility
prevent | might also suggest that the
marital fondness. which frequently ex-
cluded any attention to another person,
although that person was vigilant
everywhere in her household. was re-
markably selfish passion. More than
five times Ito be precise) during the first
year of their welded life did Faith Con-
verse assure her husband that they
were nevermore TO be parted.
Il could not live without YOU now,
dear Earl" she would say. land think
you would be lonely without me. But
be of good cheer: we shall never be
parted: within the same hour We shall |
seek a higher happiness in a better
world. know it. | have seen il in
sleep. When or where or how il will be |
can not tell. but that we two shall die |
together is as certain as that we shall |
die
What visions are given her to see now
Imay know some day. but that in the flesh |
she saw the future As we can not see il |
Is proven by what have written and |
have vet to write. On the night of Au-
gust 4. 1859. furious storm came in |
from the sea and ragged all night over |
ff,.a ha -h1 - .lav