Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-09-04

Now. beseech you, dear father, do
not leave me so. unabsolved, but If In your
wisdom you think it well that | should re-
fleet further alone, then go into my library
and take there the rest you so much need
for few hours, while | remain here and
think OF all you have said. y
To this Father Warren asserted. md
passed into the adjoining room, leaving
the young man alone.
He looked around him before sitting
down. and found In the books, magazines.
little works of art, and pictures, further
evidences Of the refinement and inteli-
gence which had been so marked in every
thing he had seen in the house. But what
arrested his attention most and fascinated
while it startled him, was the picture OF
beautiful lady In full evening dress which
hung over an old bureau, and beneath
which was vase of white flowers, evil
IDENTIFY placed there by some loving hand
Where have | seen that face before?'
he thought. at seems fresh in my mem
DRY. and yet | have seen none such for
many years" He took up book and sat
down before the fire, trying to rest. Tired
as he was, he could not sleep, for the pict-
ure SCENE! to haunt and disturb him.
Again and again he rose to look at it, till
suddenly it flashed across him, The lady
that brought me here tonight! How like,
and yet how different"
While he was still standing and looking.
his new friend entered and said quickly
You are looking at the portrait Of my
mother! 1t is very like her. Is she not
beautiful? Can you not feel now how |
must miss her sweet company every hour
of the day? Is it not strange that | feel
nearer her tonight than at any time since
she died and left me alone? Indeed, feel
now as if she were not really dead-as If
we must meet again. Will you receive
my confession now. father, and give me
dissolution before sleep. and then [ think
shall feel as if the black wall between US
had been broken down for ever
Willingly, my son., answered the
good priest.
Into that soIem interview and subse-
quent conversation it is not for us to in
trude, but it was very late before they
parted for the night, and it was arranged
that they should meet again at the clock
service III the mission-room chapel the fol-
lowing morning.
Imagine, then, the disappointment Of
Father Warren when the service began
and ended and his young friend did not
appear.
He was very sad. Accustomed as he
was to disappointment of this kind, he
had never felt one so keenly before. He
had been so confident of the lads earnest
ness, of the strength of his resolve, that
he would not give up hope. | will 60 and
see him." he thought before | return
home or break my fast. Holy Mother, go
with me, | beseech thee!'
He hastened away, and not without some
difficulty found the house again. He was
not sur prised to find the blinds down and
no sign of life, for it was not yet So'clock.
"Ah! here is the explanation, he exclaim-
ed cheerfulIy. ''Unaccustomed to such
early hours, both servants and master are
still probably asleep and he knocked
loudly at the door.
1t was quickl y opened by the same serv
ant as the evening before. But oh! how
changed in her appearance. Her eyes
were streaming with tears and she looked
ten years older. In voice broken by sobs
she said: He is dead. He is gone
Passed away IN the night in his sleep; no
sound, no cry. The best master that ever
lived. He told my husband to call him
very early, and when he went to do so he
found him calm and quiet like a marble
image Father Warren passed by her
silently into the room and there,
indeed, he found him calm and
quiet, and very peaceful, but with
such look of bright happiness on his
beautiful young face as showed plainly
that he had felt neither solitude nor fear
when the Angel of Death came to fetch
him away.
Who can doubt that it was not his
mother who came to me last night?' said
the priest to himself; for can a mother
ever forget, even in heaven. the child of
her love on earth?'' - Garth Gibbon in
RlackWoOd's Magazine.