Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-12-26


graveyard, now only a valley of DIR,
bones to me, and walked toward IN,
dwelling, too wretched to think dc
liberately. or feel all the crushing
weight of disappointment.
The next day, before sunrise, / wai
on my way to neighboring city.
was in strange tumult, that | knew
not but might prove fatal TO me.
was ready for almost any desperate
deed, and had, more than once
shudder as think of it-contemplated
self-destruction. But called philoso-
ply, nay, something higher, holier to
my aid-religion; and in time | be-
came soothed, if not comforted; that
is, after | knew May was irrevocably
welded.
/ Two months passed. / deemed my
self sufficiently fortified with good
resolutions to return once more to my
chosen place of residence. II was
high noon when drove up the prin-
clpal street. A carriage dashed by me
"a light vehicle. In another moment
it had turned; and Frederick, NAYS
husband, was abreast | involuntarilv
drew in my horse. My friends face
denoted anguish intense and concern
trated.
"For Gods sake, DIR. Lane, my
early friend, do not stop till You reach
Mrs. kendall's! My May lies there
sick-dyingN he gasped.
How ashy pale he wasl Ny face
blanched. felt a singular tremor.
lie dashed ahead, neither speaking;
and in fifteen minutes | stood by the
couch of the young bride. That was
an awful hour. AT its close pressed
her white eyelids over her dull, glazed |
eyes. All, heaven! thought 1, kneel-
ing with an aching heart, can such
beauty be dead? And still, for all,
there was triumph in the feeling-tri-
umph until beheld the awful grief
of the bereayed husband-saw the big
drops bead like blood his pale, broad
forehead-almost forced him from the
lnanimate body to which he hung with
the grasp of despair, clasping her to
his bosom-kissing the white lips, the
whittier checks, even the gold locks that
ay damp and uncurled over her Shout
lers.
And when / left that house Of
was 1t not strange the calm
less | felt settling over my spirits I?
Gould this thought, even in the faintest
racery, pass through my mind at such
time? "Well, she is not mine; and ..
leitLer is she his. am glad that, as
he could not be mine only, none but
cath can claim her now"
| fear, had conscience rightly ap- :
lied her torch, she might have read
hose scathing words written on the
rimson portals of my heart.
The next day went over TO be pre- !.
snt at the funeral service, and still | !
III that sorrowful happiness. Poor "
frederick was at times raving, then
upid with his great grief. The o
ourners assembled; the beautiful
Fad lay robed in satin in her coffin; a
ready the large parlor was filed with q
eeping friends. ! took my station at
e head of the corpse. With unutter- s.
bic tenderness, yet without a tear, | u
lzed upon that heavenly countenance. "
looked not like stern death, but soft ~
I'd smiling slumber. They were all Z,
n young companions present, village a'
aidens, ROBBED in white. whose silvcry IA
ices joined in simple funeral song.
1t, o! now those voices wayered. IN
,mbled, until tears and sobs choked
I their music, and one mournful. ha
wall sounded through te'
? room.
At last the boary headed man of tn
vi arose to pray. Never heard | SO
tition so mournfully tender. so sim bu
!, so powerful. How gently he do
'ke of her youth and goodness; the wi
under which God was thi
ased to call her, just, as it were. me
nding on the threshold of her happy
:, and looking toward the rose hel
ored future.
still kept my place at the head of do
coffin. My eyes full of tears now, yol
Ter once moved from that holy
c. arr
Vas it fancy? | thought the dear wit
lures grew dim. My sight was
ing, orr bent closer to the corpse: he
rev back, wiped my eyes, looked .
in. God of mercy! God of COM NV
sionl what sent a wild shock he
'ugh my frame, and struck my wal
in as with wand of fire? | reelcd. loci
ii almost upon the coffin. There cali
moisture on the glass-moisture exc
!, when | applied my sleeve, would buy
come off-lnoisture upon the inside il
he glass. he
$ was customary every face was 1
ed toward the earth in PRAYER. hus
at must | do? There were fear than
risks TO run. My knees trembled eye:
Knocked together; my heart beat fror
INST my side till my body rocked am
a pendulum. The voice of the well
or whislled in my ear Each mo- H
{ was an hour; and yet-the con- repl
the horrible temptation warning pillo
my better nature came again. Ii pier
Wful t-aufulf If Eant ,n- M