Smyrna times., 1890-02-26
LIGHT IN THE EAST.


had tropical air about them that sug-
gested palm groves, pomegranates and
cinnamon. The nights were cool and re-
freshing, and the radiance of each sun
set was eclipsed only by the splendor of
the following sunrise. The stars were
brighter, and the moon gave a clearer
light than ever before The clouds,
blown by freshening winds, took new
and fantastic shapes, and all nature,
smiling in her superb beauty, whispered,
Behold mel
1t was on one of these fine summer
days, in August, that the good steamship
Alexandria touched at Massassagua
Point on her way up from Montreal. As
the boat neared, a crowd of campers
stood upon the dock, all of whom dis
played an air of happy indifference, ex-
cepting Mrs. SecOrd, who. leaning upon
the arm of her son, gazed intently toward
the passengers. Only one disembarked
"a lady of perhaps 40 years, dressed
in French costume. Mrs. Secord recog-
nized at once her sister, Nine. La
,LOnde, whom she had last seen as Alice
de Beaumont twenty years before. OF
course there were embraces and laughter
and tears, and then more embraces, until
finally the French widow was led away
to a group of five tents, the summer
home of the SecOrds.
Nine. La Londe's story is short one.
The first eighteen years of her life were
spent with her parents in Ottawa. She
was then sent to Montreal to study, and
fbpro roada bor homo x-itI, n v,,or-;o1 ,;e
ter, who was ten years her senior. Two
years later there came to visit at her sis
ter's house an old friend of the family,
Mr.. George Carpenter, a man perhaps 80
years of age. Mr.. Carpenter had small
Income, to which he added by doing lit
lerary work occasionally. He was a
bachelor, and had not a relative in the
world excepting half sister in Austria
liza and two cousins in San Francisco.
He was a talented man, with a warm
heart and genial manner that endeared
him to all who knew him. He loved
every one in general, and gave this as a
reason for never having loved any one
in particular. But even Mr.. George Car
penter was susceptible to the charms of
the light hearted Alice de Beaumont
"the child of the morning." he always
called her, for she reminded him of the
glad sunrise that he so much loved. So
the man of fifty actually became in love
with the girl of twenty, and, o lament
able thought! the girl of twenty became
in love with the man of fifty. What
was to be done? Mr.. and Mrs. Secord
talked the matter over and very wisely
decided to "let them love-" So they loved.
Mr.. Carpenter was the happiest man
I'm the world. His great heart throbbed
with joy to which it had been a stran-
ger for fifty years. He now loved every
one more than ever. All the street Arabs
An Montreal learned to know him. The
poor sought him for his money and the
rich for his mirth.
Spring and Autumn have gone for a
stroll, " Mrs. Secord used to say to her
husband when he would inquire for the
lovers.
"Half a century, my darling" one day
answered Mr.. Carpenter as Alice wound
her soft white arms around his neck and
asked how long he had lived.
Gam I too old?' he inquired; then
added, laughingly, "What matter swift
ly passing years if the heart remain
young? My soul, in spite Of these years,
is filled with jOyfulness to which it was
a stranger in what was called my youth.
You are my youth, the glad, golden
morning Of my life; while have you 1
can never be old"
Of course Alice promised to marry tho
man to whom she was all the world.
But, strange to say, no one had the cour-
age to impart this bit of information to
Mr.. and Mrs. de Beaumont, who were
living a life Of cold conventionality in
Ottawa. 1t was finally decided that Mr..
Carpenter himself should be the first to
approach the subject. But love had been
allowed to slip out Of the life of Papa de
Beaumont and Mamma de Beaumont.
and they were shocked at the thought of
their daughters connection with one
who had neither youth, nor a noble
name, nor a fortune. Alice must leave
Montreal at once. Then followed tears
and entreaties innumerable. Mr.. Secord
insisted that Alice should remain. in
spite Of the opposition of her parents. 1t
was time Of great mourning, for the
parents refused to yield, and Alice left
Montreal "bearing in her heart a life
long sorrow." Three months later she
sailed with her parents for France,
where, nine years afterwards, she mar
ried fat man with a bald head, big
name and a bank account. NJ. Alfred
Eugene La Londe lived to see the fifth
anniversary of his wedding day, then
fell into his last sleep. Nine. La Londe
remained in France until the summer of
1885, when she came to her sister in On
tario.
As soon as Mr.. Carpenter fully realized
his loss his grief was intense. He went
at 0nce to Ottawa, and, with all the earn
estness Of a man pleading for his life,
implOred the parents of Alice to favor
him, But all his pleading passed for
nothing with the fashionable parents,
and Mr.. Carpenter returned TO Montreal
the most sOrrOwful man IL the world.
''Ihe light in ta. east has gone out, he
would sometimes Say to his friends. 81
thought it was morning, and behold it
is midnight
About the time Of the death Of N.
Alfred Eugene La Londe the Secords left
Montreal and came to Kingston to reside.
Mr. Carpenter came with them.
The family decided to spend the sum-
mer OF 1885 in camp at Massassagua
Point, and Mr.. Carpenter-now nearly
20 years of age-agreed to accompany
them. 50 preparations were made and
tho party pitched five tents on one Of the
most charming spots Of this charming
Ontario.
The tents were pitched close to the Bay
Of Quinte. All night the warm winds
s@ayed gently TO and fro the white canvas
walls, and brought the sounds Of steam
ships as they plowed the smooth surface
Of the bay. Boat after boat passed by
on its way 10 Montreal. Sometimes the
sounds Of musical instruments were
heard. Sometimes voices sang in ex-
quisite harmOnies, that echoed among the
trees stretching for three miles back Of
the tents. The moon rose over the bay
IN solemn beauty, and gave her light so
generously that no lamps were needed
within the white walls. When all else
was quiet there still could be heard the
tapping Of tho waves upon the pebbled
beach, and the occasional splashing Of a
fish in the bay.