Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-04-05

flowers. The pulpit platform was q
great bank Of blooming foliage. 1t was
a sight both refreshing and lovely and
Jack could not help enjoying the Gene.
though bis thoughts were far away,
The organ rea,et forth in response 10
the animated touch Of the enthusiastic
orranist. the choir and congregation
rose to join their voices in one glad
burst Of h|osannahs Of praise to God in
the highest whose Son had died and to-
day is risen, but still the one Jack most
wished to see came not. lie had been
casting iurtiye glances in the direction
of the door, and as the great %concourse
Of people was singing the last line Of
the hymn he was rewarded by seeing
her enter. But-was it possible? Could
he believe his eyes?
Yes: they had revealed only too faith
fully the true condition of affairs. The
confusion of thoughts that came rushing
upon him made his brain whirl round
and round, and ere he could regain his
composure she had passed up the aisle to
her fathers pew, never deigning a look
or smile in his dirction, although he
was certain she had seen him
The agony Of g6t long and, to him,
almost end4Sss hour, viii he ever for
getlS> The air was sitting; he could
iiardly catch his breath. And how he
| hated himself and Lydia and every body
else.
But finally the last hymn was sung,
the last prayer said, and he was breath
ing the fresh air once more. As he be-
came more rational he began to suspect
that perhaps, through some possible
oversight, the florist had not filled his
order. No sooner had he reached this
conclusion than he started with haste
In that direction,
"Storrs? Storrs? Why, most as,
surcdly, sir. Box of foweEs- to young
lady in b. street, to be delivered Satur.
day p, IN. Were they not receiyod?'
"Well-er-I couldn't say positively.
That isl mean she did not veal
them this morning" said poor, confused
Jack, blushing violently.
"Of course they were sent. | remem,
Der now, the boy started early in tn,
afternoon with them and when he re
turned he said he had delivered then
all right
Not a word could Jack say, To his
mind there was but one version to tn,
whole affair, and in his anger and indig
nation at the terrible cut he accepted i
as the true one.
The weary weeks and months dragge,
themselves out, and Jack was seldor
seen at tho numerous gatherings anC
s~ocials. Lydia was nearly always there
however, and entered into the gazette
; with a spirit that unsuccessfully trie
: to be light and happy.
q There was an ache in her heart an
/ many a tear fell in the privacy Of he
;. own room, where Of late she spent
= large share of her time, .
!, Papa and mamma noticed that som,
;. thing allied their darling girl, and, N,
" being able to assign a better reason (,
her white face and delicate appetite, co,
i cluded she needed a change OF a
{ and scenery. This Lydia denied mo
> %stoutly, and protested that she was
y perfect health. She knew but too We
" what would bring back the sunshine
her bright eyes and lovely face. 81
Vi knew, but said not q word to anybod
VI But it was so hard. She could not u
derstand why Jack acted as he did al
Of never came near her any more. VII
70 had she done that he should avoid h
% so? II she could but solve the mystel
o' assign some motive for Jacks condu,
NC AS time wore on they drifted iarth
. and farther apart, until the breach
=. came SO wide that seemingly nothi
~ u, could bridge it and restore the lovers
~ each other again.
A0 Jacks bosom friend, Charley Waite
g, knew there was something wrong,
ne for the life OF him he could not fatht
'ea the mystery. He was too considerate
his friends feelings to dwell on as
oss ject so evidently painful to him, 9
but for q few little slips jack had
consciously made he knew practica
mo nothing about the affair.
Summer and autumn had come Q
The gone, winter was fast going, and
spring approached Charley wis NO ne
res err a solution of his friends depress
than he had been months before. II
re- were speaking Of the early spring
ing was promising, and Charley said,
eal- well the Lenten season is nea
was completed, and with the revival Of
try ciety's gayeties ] want you, my fric
t In also to throw off this melancholy So
t to and be cheerful again as you used
) &C be-"
ant His friend sat silent for a momen
1t II mentally debating some quest
and and then replied:
the II never told you, Charley, why / b
the changed so within the past year. I
rder hesitsted so long because the subjeo
den . most painful one to me. l tell
hree now that you may understand and
,oye insist that I 40 with you into societ
who He told the entire story fsithf
and ana wound up with: ut was Q teri
me, h,cv 70 ne 70 u sssstsS ssss ~