The Irish standard., 1886-10-02

from his sisters grasp, he advanced ant
opened the door of the adjoining room
The first object which met his view
was Mr.. Guirkle himself, seated at 1
table on which lay, whatappeared to be
a framed picture some eight or ter
inches square, His forehead rested OF
his hands, and his eyes seemed rivetee
to the canvas. Indeed, so absorbed was
he, that the noise which the captain
made in forcing open the door seemed
not to disturb him in the least. Whe1
Kate saw her brother gazing so intently
at Mr.. Guirkie, she suddenly ceasec
speaking, and gently passing him by
took her place behind Uncle Jerry
chair. All was silence now Old Roge,
stood leaning his back against the wall
looking down pensiyely on the floor
Kate, like a guardian angel, took be4
stand by the side Of her unconscious
friend; the priest laid his bands agains!
the door casing and peeped in? and the
boisterous, burly captain, so noisy but &
moment before, remained on the thresh-
old silent and naotionless as statue.
"Look!" said the priest, whispering
over The captain IS shoulder, and pointing
to The picture.
"What?':
':Don'tyou see something drop-drop:
listen! You can almost hear them fall
ing Oh the canvas
t'Tears?"
eyes"
.'God bless me, [ e,on't like to see
him weep. Shall I wake him up?'
''No, no. said Kate; "let him weep
on"
"But. Kate, what portrait is that
oh?''
"The likeness of a long lost friend
Mary Lees mother?'
hong-lost friend Mary Lees moth
er?''
eyes; the only woman he ever loved.
Old Roger, here, will tell you all about
it, some time when he has more leis-
rre.
"It;s only now T. could recognize him,
your honor,'' said Roger, though I
seen him, many time this twelvemonth
past. Years, you know, make q great
change i'll u.s.
''Kate, I must try to rouse him. said
the captain; IL cannot bear to see those
tears falling there SO silen4ly on the can
yas-it's very unpleasant
"Not yet-not yet," demonstrated
Kate, motioniug back the captain with
her hand; let the faithful soul indulge
his rapturous reverie. These are not
tears of anguish, brother, but Of love.
@, think of the love of that heart, after
an absence OF twenty years. Surely,
surely such love is not Of earth, but of
heaven: 80 pure, SC gentle, SO enduring.
A wanderer over the wide world, seek
ing solace for q widowed heart, he re-
turns to his native land, and after years
of patient search, discovers her iowly
tomb at last among the ruins Of Rath-
mullen Abbey. Week after week, for
six long years. has he visited that tomb.
Every stain which the mildew had left
OH the humble slab that bears her name
he has obliterated, and every letter the
moss of ears had filed up he has low
ingly removed. @, tell me not, Father
John," continued Kate, her cheeks
flushed with the emotions of her heart,
''tell me not, that the pure, gentle,
blessed love Of the olden time has all
died out from the hearts OF men. No,
no, no--God is love, and Cod never dies.
Noble, generous. faithful heart!'' cried
the enraptured girl, bursting herself
into tears, and falling at Uncle Jerry's
feet, she removed his hand from his
forehead and kissed it with enthusiastic
affection. 20 that I had but studied
this book more carefully! how much
more should have learned OF the beau
tiful and the good. How cold and in
spired are oil printed words, compared
with the blessed teachings of heart
like thine! Mary Lee, Mary Lee, an
gel or whatever thou art, would to God
he could now look on thy seraphic face,
and press thee"
tsMary Lee, repeated MIR. Guirkie, at
last breaking silence and looking on the
foce of the suppliant girl, while the
tears still glistened on his own,-"Mary
Lee! thing have heard the name be-
fore Poor Mary Lee! Are you Mary
Lee?"
"No, no. replied Kate; II am but a
child of the earth--yonr own poor, fool
ish, loving Kate Petersham.'' AS Kate
spoke, she mentioned to the beholders
to quit the room, for she dreaded the ef-
feet an exposure OF his weakness before
the bantering captain might produce on
a mind so sensitive as his; and fully ap-
preciating the delicacy of her fears, they
Withdraw silentl-. from the aDartment