Wichita eagle., 1888-10-27


heard mother and Marie talking brokeuly.
At LAST darkness came, and l, who had hid
myself all day, went up to the tower. With
beating heart l istsned-Gstened for her
light footstep on the stairs. At last she
came, the golden cloak about her, gathering
warmth and brightness from the light. She
was very pale, her mouth dropping, her beau
tiful eyes SO wofully sad.
II climbed up, Gideon, every step path.
| They have been my Jacobs ladder, bringing
ne to heaven and peace. have been So
almost happy. You Will not forget me.
When the great yellow eye flames over the
sea you win think Of me drifting, drifting in
the darkness of sin and regret as drifted
that night. You and your mother will talk
Of me sometimes, pray for me, pity me-"
She covered her face, sobbing bitterly.
''MarieI Marier' / cried, ''stay with US to
the end. You shall not goI"
81 must. Oh, the folly of fools who paint
sin so fair that we senseless moths fly
into its light as a release from troubled
What is there for me but sin to the end'
am faint Oh every honest home. Do not
deny it; you give me more pain. You must
marry the good girl from the Bay, and naaks
her and your mother happy"
81 viii not. You try to wiring my heart,
Marie You know | love one woman, one
woman only in all the world 1 will not Lie
to Kitty to please you. Is that your revenge,
to make me love you and then to toss me away
for her to take the dregs' Oh, have heard
Of women Of your world. 1t is play to them
to break simple heart like mine"
"Bear with me, only moment" she cried,
with 9uivering lips. "You love guilty wo-
man, forsaken by all the world Am I then
so precious to your No man would dare
marry me when every day might bring him
.some one who knew. 1t has been tried and
the woman has always drifted back to
sin. There were too many who knew. It
was lifelong battle with assassins The day
of my tribulation"-her words, dear, kind
heart!-"must soon be over. Pity me not
blanc me. Say you will make me happy.
Don't wiring my heart by making me see for
ever that my coming was blght-the world
will say that-and some day your mother,
stung into anger by your misery, will cry
curses on me that shall know in my grave {"
She clutched my rough sleeves in her trem-
bling fingers. FOR my sake make the good
girl who loves you happy and your mother
content. Gideon, shall not suffer long. See
the light through my hand; it looks like q
dead hand now"
Forgive me, forgive me-" was all I could
say.
Then, dear friend, your mother has prom
ised ms shall have q resting place out there
where the light falls, where you can look
down on my grave and pity me- Nights when
you are all alone my wrath shall come and
keep you company"
That nirht she went yvov with Jr11jap
In the spring married Kitty. have tried
to be good and kind, and she and mother
love each other. I myself have in the years
won peace Of heart from duty faithfully per-
formed and the self sacrifice that no one but
the martyr himself knows There is but one
thing more.
1t was a foggy night in June, and feverish
and weary l walked tho balcony to keep
awake. / had rowed Kitty over to the bay
that afternoon, as her father was i'll I
walked up and down thinking of her memory
Marie Behind me was the blur Of golden
light before me thick gray. The sea sob
bed and seethed below, while vibrating in tho
deadened air sounded the solemn tones of the
fog horn on far Seguin.
Then it was. framed in an aureole Of light,
I saw her face. 1t was far away, where 1
had first seen the drifting boat. saw her so
distinctly that a great cry rose to my lips;
"Mariel"
Mad with eagerness ran into the tower
Would she come backi Would that slight
figure with the wistful face come up the old
stairs to bid mo once more farewella
Marie" cried, "if the dead come back
you shall come to me-"
prayed, Ireved. l strove with that rnys-
terry called death. In vain; only that face in
the fog Not q sound Of her voice, rustic
OF her gown, a touch of her hand. l looked
like dead man in the morning, ashy and
wan. l flung myself ON my bed and fell into
g miserable consciousness that was not sleep
or waking. Mother came to me at noon.
"a boat has just landed at the cove,
Gideon"
'She has conner I cried, mad with JOY
She has come again!"
Gay, lad" trembling. "She has come in
her coffin"
With a wild cry ran to the landing On
the point where line of ttreless breakers
marched in storm and sunshine there were
four men carrying something. A fifth fol-
lowed. Mother caught my arm
"Help me, son; am old and need you"
she said. l stopped and drew her arm
through mine. When We reached the point
they had lowered the box into the grave, and
stood with uncovered heads. The fifth man
and he had kind, handsome face-came
to me.
IL wanted 10 read q prayer" he said
brokerly: "but l could not VIII youi
From me it is mockery"
took the book he handed me; but I did
not know it then
''No, no." sobbed: 81 loved her, too"
Then it was my mother who knelt, whitest
soul of all ever knew. Oh, could ali sinners,
men or women, be sure that such an interces-
sion would so for them to the great Pardoner
of all wrecked lives! Could that pity be
given to fallen sisters in the life. Oh, mother
heart! There Is no tain: there-only forgive
ness and charity.
Tie saiiors shoveled the earth fast to the
brink. They seemed superstitiously eager to
leave the spot.
''She wished no headstone," said the man
whom intuitivey knew to be Julian "Shs
said you would know" BE turned to mother
II thank you, madam May I have at my
last rites q prayer Hike yours We fost
lightly to the end that must come; only
when we stand by this-an humble mound
do mother words comfort our hearts Is
there anything could do for youG" he went
on, looking at me.
Nothing from your hand" cried
ave both were hurt" he said, slowly; ''but
fancy you in the tower have the better
part lit costs me much to say it She
never loved ma She might have loved you.
FAREWELL
he went back TO his world, TO the tower.
When Kitty returned mother must have
cautioned her, for she has never spoken Of