Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1888-10-26

She draws n6r pihch AoOOS '
loosely around her, and passes out into
he cemetery. She bows her head upon
he cold white slab, that marks her
,aby's grave, not colder than her bro
zen heart, or winter than her marble
ace; "God has forsaken me, is there
aodq" her hollow eyes sweeps out
,ver the bleak scene. 'This Is mad
less.-I am going mad. How he
shudders in my very presence, as l
were a leper some loathsome thing.
Yes l am glad she was taken home,
to her Makers home, she has
escaped this world. She will never
pass through the Mills"
'sThe Mills of the gods grind slowly,
But grind exceeding small"
vi.
The spring had come again with ten.
der leaves, and budding flowers. Har-
old sits alone his face is hard, his eyes
are cold and stearn servant hands
him letter and steals silently away.
He had began to fear his masters
stearn and silent look. Harold breaks
the seal and begins to read, and as ne
reads all the stearnness leaves his face;
his eyes become dim with pain; he falls
upon his knees and clasps his hand
upon his heart, "God! the monster l
have been. Had but known! no.
would not listen! l was mad, poor
Marcia, poor Marcia I must go to her
and he stands upon the threshold OF
her room, where ne has not stood for
many days; he kneels at her feet, aid
raises the hem of her robes to his lips.
so! Marcia, MarciaI" his voice is
husky and broken, like some guilty
wretch asking for mercy Of his Maker,
know all! is there no pardon IN your
heart for mel is there no mercy for
mel" his face was full of contrltlon
and shame, and mingling love, his eyes
we're dull with pain. The demon had
left his heart forever.
ST asked for mercy and you thrust
me aside with scorn: I asked for bread,
I was given stone; I asked for water
to moisteu my parched lips and cool
my burning heart, hot molten lead
was poured upon me, it was my only
portion"
20! Marcia, had I but known"
"Ah! you would not listen, you
would not hear me, you thrust me from
you, as you would leper, and stood
alone through all those dark, dead days,
I lived the life of clustered num-
| The guilty wretchcs in their Siberian
cells we're shown more mercy, even the
caresses of my children were denied
me, there was no mercy for me. Iht
wide open grave-the white dead face
of that little child, those little waxer
fingers had no power to melty your hear
to pity"
"Marcia, Marcia is there a just God
tell me, is there no mercy tor me IL
your hearth
"Heart, was that cold dead thing
within her breast, heart! she thinks
"Marcia, for the sake of the living
child, let US begin our lives anew
"For the sake of those little children
I pleaded for you to listen-to hear me
"nothing" you said that l could eVel
say. would ever exonerate me, to my
Maker must go for mercy; but yot
have saved your honor your prour
name has not been sullied."
"She is but Just" he gropes blindly
away. "Poor, poor Marcia, it was TO
the sake of her brother, her poo
brother, dying with the mark OF Can
upon his brow, lying in an unmarke'
grave in far away land-and she ma
stood alone! Like Jephthah's daughter
"She stuod up alone and waited TO
the sun to set" he takes out the dyln
words of Glare and reads them ole
and Ger; poor Clarel poor out cast boy
no Marcia there TO soothe his dyin
pillow or wipe the death damps fror
his brow, he spoke of her reward, Al
her reward! She has drained thee
of bitterness to its very dregs," h
bows his head, and groans in penitenc
,. and grief.
The day passes slowly, oh so slowl
away, and morning breaks, SO clet
and bright, without cloud to mar II
fairness. The little crocuses, agar
began to push their little bright face
timldly out, last year, they had bee
the silent witnesses Of so much sorrow
they were loath to leave their lowl
home.
5 Yes for the sake of the living chill
| will go out to him, and begin O.
: lives anew"
With low, broken sob, he fal
and grasps her cold white hands, an
his lips move in silent prayer.
) "Marcia there is just God!"
. She draws from her bosom, burne
]! and blackened ring.
5 "Ah!your wedding ring! all batteit
and broken!"
0 "Like my life" sic says wearily.
a "Hush Marcia, do not say that,
b not say that" his voice was loving al
d low and his eyes were so wonderous
S tender.
Il A little child, with sweet blue ey
Il and sunny hair, come slowly IN, al
4 .,-;Ab oxo ,,lnl onr 10 80 nIoct1od ta n