San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-02-24

came 10 Ole, ana tnlnk L shall have q few
more hours with you"
She was silent little; the voice had all its
usual intonationS, but it was low and weak, |
and it was necessary for her from time to
time to gather such strength as might enable
her TO maintain the calm of her manner.
EuStace, i'll bewildered misery, had hidden
his face upon her hands, which were clasped
in his and every now and then she felt the
pressure of his lips upon her fingers.
There are many things l want to say to
YOU" she went on. Il will try to remember
them in order. VIII you stay with Paul
few days-after' VIII you always remember
to be good to him? | know you will My
poor Paul-oh! if | had but given you a
childr
The passion Of her low cry thrilled Eustaces
heart. uo looked up and saw on her face the
expression Of the hidden yearning of life
time 1t struck him as something awful and
sacred; he could not answer it except by look
and touch, and presently she went on, after
another pauSe
His sister will come to him very likely
his widowed sister She has girl he is fond
Of After whilc be will take pleasure in
her. Then have thought SO much OF you
and of the future. SO often last night |
thought Isaw you and her, and what you
ought to do seemed to grow plain to me-
Dear Eustace don't let anything 1 say now
ever be a burden TO you-dont let it fetter
you ever-but it is SO strong in me you must
let mo say it all. She is not in love with yol,
Eustace-at least, l think not. She has
never thought of you in that way; but there
is everything there which ought to lead to
love. You interest her deeply; the thought
of you stands to her as the symbol Of all she
you 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 arc not the people to make her
happy-at any time if things went wrong
if she broke down-sho would be at their
mercy. Then her poSition-you know what
difficulties it hast makes my heart ache
sometimes to think Of it. She won my love
SO. | felt like mother to her. long to
have her here now, but | would not let
Paul send; and if | could think of her Safo
with youth those truo hands Of yours. Oh,
you will try, darling!' He answered her
huskily and brokenly, laying his face to hers
on tho pillow.
Il would do anything you asked But she
is SO likely TO love and marry. Probably
there is Some One-already. How could it
not lie with her beauty and her fame' Any
body would be proud to marry her, and she
has such quick, eager nature"
There is 10 one!" said Marie, with deep
conviction in the whispered words. "Her
life has been too exciting-too full of one in
tereSt. She staid with me; l got to know
her to the bottom. She would not have hid
den it. Only say you will make ono trial
and should be content"
And then her innate respect for another's
Individuality, her shrinking from what
might provo to be the tyranny Of a dying
wish, interposed, and she checked herself
No, don't promise; have no rght-no one
has any right. can only tell you my feel
ing, my deep sense that there is hope-that
there is nothing against you. Men-good
men-are SO often over-simid when courage
would DO BEST Be bold, Eustace; respect
your own love; do uos b. too proud to show
ito offe" it,"
Ter voice died away into silence, only
EuStace still felt the caresSing touch of the
thin fingers caSped round his. 1t seemed to
him as if the life still left in her were one
pure flame of love, undimmed by any thought |
of self, undisturbed by any breath of pain.
Oh this victory of the spirit over the flesh, |
of soul over body, which humanity achieves
and renews from day to day and from age to |
age, in all those nobler and finer personalities
upon whom the moral life of the world de- |
ponds! How it burns its testimony into the |
heart of the spectator How it makes him |
thrill with the apprehension which lies at the |
root Of ell relgiOn-the apprehension of an |
ideal order-the divine suspicion
That we are greater than we know
How it impresses itself upon us as the only |
miracle which will bear our leaning upon, |
and stand the strain of human questioning! |
1t was borne in upon Eustace, as he sat |
bowed beside his dying sister, that |
through this fragile body and this failing |
breath the Eternal Mind was speak |
ing, and that in Maries love the Eter- |
nal Love was taking voice He said so to |
her brokenly, and her sweet eyes smiled back |
upon him divine answer of peace and faith. |
Then she called family, PAUL" The dis |
tant figure came back; and she laid her head |
upon her husbands breast, while Eustace was |
gently drawn away by the nurse Presently |
he found himself mechanically taking food |
and mechanically listening to the low voiced !
talk of the kindly, white capped woman who |
was attending to him. Every fact, every |
impression, was misery-these details SO I'M |
expected, SO irrevocable 50 charged with |
terrible meaning, which the nurse was pour |
ing out upon hlm-that presence i'll the |
neighboring room of which his every nerve |
was consciouS-and in front of him, looking |
like frowning barrier shutting off the view |
of the future the advancing horror of death! |
Yesterday, at the same time, he had been |