Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-03-17

the polished brass OF Tue Deu, on the bright
surfaces of wood and glass with which the
room was full. on the little tray of tea
things which the nurse held, and on his
SISTERS face of greeting Bs che lay back
smiling among her pillows There wac
such cheerful home psace and brightness
in the whole scsne-in the cracking wood
fire, in the sparkle of the tea things and
the fragrance of the tea, and IN the fresh
white surroundings of the invalid; it
seemed to him incredible that under all
this familiar household detail their should
be lying in wait that last awful experience
of death.
Marie kissed him, with grateful, affec-
tomato words, spoken almost in her usual
voice, and then, as he sat beside her.
holding her hands, she noticed that he
looked pale and hsggard-
''Has he had some breakfast, Paul? Oh.
poor Eustace, after that long journey
Nurse, let him have my cup, there is some
tea lefc; let me see you drink it, dear: il q
SO pleasant Just to look after you once
more"
He drank it mechanically, size watching
him with her loving eyes, while she took
one hand from him and slipped it into that
of her husband as he sat beside her on the
bed. Her touch seemed to have meaning
in it, for Paul rose presently and went to
the far end of the large room; the nurse
carried away the tea things, and the brother
and sister were practically alone.
Dear Eustace," she began, after few
pathetic moments of silence, in which look
and gesture took the place of speech. 81
have so lOnged to see YOU. 1t seemed TO
me in that awful pain that I must die be-
fore 1 could gather my thoughts together
once more, before could get free enough
from my own wretched self to say to NV
two dear ones all wished to say. But
now it is all gone, and I am so thankful
for this moment Of peace. made DR.. De
Grievances tell me the whole truth. Paul
and have always promised one another
that there should nsver be any concealment
between us when ether of us came to die.
and think l shall have o few more hours
with you"
She was silent little; the voice had all
it's usual intOnatiom, bus it was low and
weak, and it was necessary for her from
time to time to gather such strength az
might enable her to maintain the calm OF
her manner. Eushce, 10 bewildered mis-
ery, had hidden his face upon her hands,
which were c'asped in his, and every nov
and then she felt The pressure Of his lips
upon her fingers.
There are many things l want TO gov
to you" she went bn IT will try to re-
member them in order. VIII you stay
with Paul few dals-aiter? Will you
always remember 10 be good to him? l
know you will. Ny poor Paul-ohl if !
had but given you The chiIdr
This passion of the low cry thrilled
Eustace's heart. He OOked up and ssw on
her face the expression of the biddeo
yearning of lifetime. 1t struck him as
something awful sndsacred; be could not
answer it except by Ook and touch, and
presently she went OF, after another pause:
His sister will cone 10 him very likely
his widowed sister She has girl he is
fond of. After While he will take pleas
ure in her. Then I lave thought so muca
of you and of the future. So often last
night thought I sew you and her, and
what you ought to DO seemed to
grow plain 10 me. Dear Eustace,
don't let anything I say nov
ever be a burden "a you don't let it retter
you ever-but it is so strong in me you
must let me say il AL She is not in love
with you, E1stlce-at least, 1 think not
She has never though. of you in that way
but there is everything there which ought
to lead to love. YOl interest her desply;
the thought of you stands to her as the
symbol of all she wants to reach; and then
she knows what y0u have been to all those
who trusted you. She knows that you are
good and true. want you to try to
carry it farther for her sake and yours. "
! He looked up and would have spoken.
but she put her soft hand over his
mouth. "Wait one moment. Those
about her are not the people to make her
happy-at any tins if things went wrong
If she broke dow1-she would be at their
mercy. Then her positier-you knox
what difficulties it lss-it makes my heart
ache sometimes TO think of il. She won
my love SO. felt like a mother TO her l
long to have her here now, bat l would not
let Paul send; AID if could think of her
safe with you-in those tue hands of
yours. Oh, you will try, darliugw He
answered her huskily and brokenly, lay
ing his face to hers on the pillow.
81 would do anything You asked. But
she is likely to love and marry. Probably
there is some one-alresdy. How could
it not be with her beauty and her fame?
Anybody would be proud to marry her.
and she has such a quick, eagre nature
There is no onew said Marie, with
deep conviction in the whispered words
''He life has been too exciting-too fill Of
one interest. She s.aid with me; got to
know her TO the bottom. She would not
have hidden it. Only say you will make
one trial and I should be content"
And then her innate respect for acO.h
e1's individuality, her shrinking from
what might prove t. be the tyranny of
dying wish, inteTplsed, and the checked
herseh mo, don't promise, l have no
right-no one has any right. can only
tell you my feeling, my dsep sense thai
there is hOpe-thai there is nothing against
you. Men-goOd nen-are so often OVER
timid when courage would be best. Be
bold, Eustace; respect your own love; do
not be too proud to show ito Offer it.
Her voice died away into silence, only
Eustace still felt th, caressipg touch of the
thin fingers claspsd round his. 1t sesmed
TO him as if the LIE still left in her were
one pure flame of Dve, undimmed by any
thought of self, uudlsturbed by any breath
of pain. Oh, thi; victory o. the spirit
over the flesh, of soul over body, which
humanity achieves and renews from day
TO day and from sge to age, in all those
nObler and finer personalities upon
whom the moral life of the world de-
pends! How it burns its testimony into
the heart of the spsctator How it makes
him thrill with the apprehension which
lies at the root of all religion-the appre-
hension of an ideal Order--the divine sus-
picion
That we are greater than we know!
How it impresses itself upon MS as the