Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-12-23
No. 81.

Ihe WretCheu denIZens resented the
sight of respectability, and greeted
Alice with insulting epithets; but she
went on, untouched by fear or ihdigna-
ton, What was this to one who had
already passed the bitterness of death .
This path through purgatory was only
a part of the horror that had suddenly
surrounded her. Gamblers were ply.
ing their vocation in the low saloons
some of their victims lured to the play
by woman vile as themselves. If she
lived she might sink lower and lower
till she came to such degradation. Thi.
prospect only urged her to the river,
where crime and misery find oblivion.
The water dashing against the dark
pier A horrible refuge from the ter
rors and darkness Of night, and Of
/ dcsolated life!
Alice paused to gain courage, recall
ing French proverb "When one
dies it is for long time" But she
could not live. In few hours she
had measured her own capacity for suf-
fering as elfectually az by years of agony
Gazing at the ptiless stars, she mur-
INJURED
"You will still be shining when |
have been dead thousand years"
She paused, but without faltering in
her deadly purpose, and gazed at the
sky. Far bove the horizon cleaned a
luminous point, larger than any star,
which instantly flashed out-a cross of
fire, vivid and glorious as that which
dazzled the Emperor Constantine, and
glows forever in the page of history.
AS she gazed at this vision, supernat-
ually impressed, the frenzy which had
goaded her to destruction was dispelled
the intense srlfisnness Of her inten-
tion clearly revealed. Her life, instead
of being recklessly flung, must be de.
voted to her husbands redemption.-
"What nobIer work" she asked, than
that could be given to any woman ? as
the natural human love asserted itself.
Upborne by this inspiration, she has
tened toward home, now and again
catchinga glimpse of the wonderful
cross. still glowing against the dark
background Of the sky, and she Won
dered if the vision had been vouchsaf-
ed to others on this Christmas Eve to
save them from despair and death.
A larger outlook of life had sudden
ly dawned For a night she had been
homeless and frendless. Could she
ever forget those who are always so
desolate?
Alice approached her home with
mingled emotions Of comfort and ter
ror, to encounter her husband rushing
frantlcally out to seek her.
0 my darling, my darling, I thought
l had lost YOU
She only answered with the sentence
that the mocking voices had kept ring
ing in her ear.
"a gamblers wife, gamblers wife"
And the story was told. There was
no denial, no refutation. The criminal
had faced the terrors Of the law and
all consequences of his calling with
reckless bravery, to be completed brok-
ell down by this despairing exclama-
ton.
This was rctribution At the su-
preme crisis Of life words are few, the
most intense emotion is silent.
Some hours passed before that nights
history was told, and Arthur Randolph
knew how near he had been to losing
the great treasure of his life. Only the
sight of St. Augustine's illuminated
cross had saved her. He was not like
Iy to incur like peril again. A solemn
VOW was registered OF the kind that is
kept,
The hour Of midnight struck. To-
gethcr, hand in hand hey stood listen
ing to the faint sound Of Trlnity's
charming bcls;
IIurk the Herald Angels sing
The sound tloated over the two great
cities, but there was no pause in the
midnight revel. Day and night the
tide of life sweeps on There is peace
in happy homes. There is human love
and noble aspiration forever waglng
war against suffering and evil. The
victory is sure, only it is long in COM
ing unless in HIS sight with whom a
thousand years are but as Yesterday.
The Christmas chimes meant hope
and salvation to the two whose lives
were redeemed-oue from sin aud one
from seltishness. Over all the Christ
mas reace rested in belediction, while