Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-08
lieve this would keep them from being

happy together. :.
I'll you love him, darling. and he is
worthy of you, / will not object, she
had said tenderly, when Helen's secret
had been told.
Neither Helen nor her mother had ever
spoken to General McGavock on the
subject both we're waiting for Suther-
Ign to plead his own cause.
Helen and Godfrey spent great deal
Of the time az Beechwood with their
aunt. whose health since Walls death had
greatly declined She was almost as
fond OF Geoffrey as OF Helen. aud
always wanted them with her.
By-and-by Helen received letter
from Sutherlyn saying that his business
had been so arranged that he would leave
for Virginia in short while, and bring
Val's body home.
Upon Helen's making known the con-
tents OF this letter, Geoffrey resolved to
meet Suthcrlyn in Richmond and accom-
pany him to the place OF Val's death.
lie accordingly wrote him to that effect,
and SAID he would meet him at the
Spotswood.
81 wish had met him." he said one
dav 10 HeleD. "Of course we will have
no difficulty in finding each other; but
if knew him it would be more pleasant
While Sutherlyn was at MeadowdeDe
he had given Helen miniature OF him
self which he carried in his watch
charm with his sisters, and she now
said thoughtlessly:
90 Ior-o lie sfura Won mlUlt D0
able to recognize him by that
$50 you have his picture, have
YOU ?" he said in tones of exaggerated
furprise. "Why, what can this mean.
little sis?"
Helen did not reply, but sat blushing
beautifully.
"Look here. Helen, he said seriously
and kindly, "there is secret here some
where which am grieved to think You
should hide from me. VIII you not
trust me with it 2"
so it all came out When Helen had
ended the recital of her little romance
he said half-scrously:
$50 the enemy flanked us right clev-
orlv. Well, hope it will end all right
! will miss you, little sis, but | have often
wished to see you marry good man
he must be good to be worthy Of you-
and Suthcrlyn seems to be a pretty good
fellow, even If he is Yank-
II was the night on which Geohrey
nnd Sutherlyn were to arrive at Beech
wood with poor Walls ashes. and on the
ycranda of the old mansion several OF
the dead soldiers friends (nelghbors)
were gathered to pay 10 him their last
tribute Of love and respect The Nc
/ Gavocks were with Mrs Person, who
was brayely endeayoriug to bear up IN
der Tine new phase of hey SORROW
1t Was considerably after dark when O
hearse, followed by a carriage, drove
slowly up the DIVE and stopped before
the vine-cisd porch. The caSket con
tanning the remains were borne into the
hall by the assembled friends, and GeOf-
frey and Colonel Sutherlyn with Gene
raj MeGavock soon followed. The latter
received Sutherlyn with kind pohteness,
md conducted him at once 70 the library,
where they found Mrs. Pierson and Mrs.
McGayock and Helen.
The latter two greeted SutherIyn
quietly and Geoi,rey took him at once
10 where his aunt was standing with her
hands resting on her chair back and her
BODY inclined forward eagerly. Bot be-
fore h. could intro luce his companion
she said in q trembling voice and with
the tears raining down her face as she
took his hand
This is Colonel Su.herlvn. the last
person who saw my poor boy a!iyo. You
wrote Us that pOu promised him In his
hour OF death TO lOye-to be n son to
/ lis heqrt-broken old mother, and she u
indeed glad TO have found son so no.
bic and generous, and she kissed him
I ten1erly
q" Madame, n promise, an sure, wa
never more solemnly given than was the
one | madc to your Ron, and ! am also
sure none has ever been moro faithfully
/ kept than ! shall keep niue, said Suth-
crlyn solemniy.
| it was decided to inter Walls remains
az once. SO the coffin VAS again taken
up and borne out into the moonlight,
and across Tin. lawn TO the old buryiug-
ground where Walls fathers slept
Mrs. Pierson, though very iniirm, was
fixed in her resolve TO g to tue grave,
and. lcauug on Sutherlyn's arm, follow
| ed close behind the casket.
AMID q silence broken only by tho
subdued sobbmg OF Mrs. Pirrson, and
/ Helen and her mother, and the less
restrained expressions OF grief by the
negroes, the body vas lowered into the
/ grave.
It vas 4 beautiful night. The soft air
( was heavy with the fragrance of flowers
/ the firches f,iul lamps were hashIng
nocturnal insects were m0notOnously
/ hummiug in the trees and shrubOery, and
from theyalcy came the deep murmur
/ Of the river. The moon was shedding
/ her soft, misty light on the earth, seem
/ ing to throw over river and meadow
and woodland a covering OF tlmles;
| brilal-lace.
The little party stood around the grave
while the earth was being piled "o'eI
/ his cold ashes. and when at last the sad
task was done and Helen had placed a
snowy wreath on the little yellow mound,
they turned sadly away, each to carry
for ave the memory of Walls pure life as
IN incentive to higher thoughts and no.
bier deedR Though men may deny the
eternal existence Of the soul, none can
doubt the immortality OF kind words
and generous actions.
nnN~Cr TrcTnN