St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-09

lie knew she ndu Deeu rl8nt. lie KNEW
that the day they parted from one
another. never, PERHAPS, to meet again,
she had been not cruel, not cold, not
heartless, as he had told himself that
she must be-for how else could she
just simply that, a heroine. Twenty
years ago it all happened.
A MESSAGE FROM THE HOSPITAL.
With something like amaze he thought
of the tremendous energy with which,
after parting with her, he had plunged
into work.
Work had treated him, he was wont
to tell himself, more kindly than had
ever love. Thus he unused, never STIR
ring from his chair, but thinking ever,
and solely, of his first, his only love.
Until at O'CLOCK ringing peal dis
turbed the silence of the house, and his
valet appeared with note which had,
he said, just been delivered, and was
marked urgent"
Cariyon opened the missive and read
it. Ii was dated from st. Georges hos
pital, aud ran as follows:
1.-The house surgeon presents his CON-
pliments to Right Hon. Cecil CarlyOn,
and begs to state that Mrs. Sargent, who
was seriously injured by carriage ac-
cident in Hyde Park yesterday after
noon; is lying here and is not expected
to live many hours: Mr.. Carlyon, may.
If he wish, visit the hospital immediately
upon the receipt of this note"
Ten minutes later he was standing by
the bedside of his old love.
She lay quite mOtioniess, but con-
scious. her lustrous eyes open, no color
in her pallid cheeks and lips, her head
bound with iceclOths. her dark hair
streaming over her shoulders.
When she spoke to INN her voice was
low and weak.
Cecil" she said. "do you remember
that this was my dearest wish? l have
prayed often that when l died you
might be with me. 1t seemed unlikely
our lives were so far apart. But it has
come. and l am thankful"
''MY LOVE, NY ONLY LOVE"
They were alone; the nurse who had
attended her had withdrawn. Around
the bed, the screen, the fatal screen be-
tOkening a wealth of suffering. per-
chance death, within its boundary, had
been arranged so that no other patient
might look upon the last sad hour of
this dying woman.
Cecil Carlyon knelt beside the bed.
that he might catch her faltering &C
cents.
His face, too, was ashen white, yet he
felt this scene in no wise a shock to
him. She had been so near to him in
his thoughts that night that their meet
ing seemed only natural sequel of
what had gone before.
MY love-" he said, "my only love"
and these were all the words he had.
1t was left to the dying woman to tell
! him whatsoever there was to tell.
Horace is dead" she murmured.
(HOraee had been her husband.) HE
died last month where he was, in
prison. came over to England and
took house in Park lane. On the aft
ernOOn that this happened l was on my
way to tell you. felt that to tell you
would lie better than to write. And |
wanted to ask you whether you had
been happy, and to say to you that all
the years that you and l were parted l
had lived only for this-to see you
again."
He was weeping now. Her plaintive
words, the contrast between her long
life of patient endurance. buoyed up by
that looking forward 10 meeting: the
contrast between this and the meeting
as it was, touched him too keenIy.
Great sObs shook his frame. But she
was calm still.
II cannot raise my arms" she said,
shut you must put yours around me,
Cecil. 1t is the last time. and | am
dying, and there is no wrong now"
LOVE IN DEATH.
So as gently as he could he put his
arms around her; and pillowed on his
breast she lay inert. as quiet, as tran
gull, as an infant in its mothers en-
brace.
'Oh. my love, my love! my hearts
delight, my best, nv most preeionS
treasured" Thus he crooned to her, as
If she were his bride and he her happy
husband.
Until she, with the slightest move
ment, raised her face, and he bent down
to her so that their lips met in the sad
dest of all sad kiSSes-and all, how many
piteouS ones there are-the last kiss of
all.
Her strength was ebbing fast. All
that she had had she had given in speak
ing to him. and now there remained
none at all.
When the nurse came back she looked
at her patient and whispered to Carlyon
that it would be quiet. He did not ask,
but he knew we'll that sit" meant the
destroying angel. who, even at that
instant, was lowering. as so often he
had to hover, over the great hospital
wherein they were, ready to take her
away.
go there he stayed with her in his
arms.
Until at length they came and I'M
clasped her hands from his they were
very, very cold. and told him, gently
but firmly, that all was over, that Mrs.
Sargent was dead.
For an instant they withdrew.
Then Cecil Carlyon knelt beside her
and kissed her, and whispered to her
that she was his wife.
And left her for his solitary home.
When the debate upon the marriage
laws was resumed that night in the
house Rt. Hon. Cecil Cariyon spake as
he had never spoken before.
Had he not cause to speak as one with
authority?
For he and the dead woman had loved
one another dearly and faithfully.
And her release had come, alas: too
vufn