The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-12
LIGHT IN THE EAST.

The long days, with their hot noontides,
had tropical air about them that sug-
gested palm groves, pomegranates and
cinnamon. The nights were cool and re-
freshing, and the radianceJof each sum
set was leclipsed 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 fneshening winds, took new
and fantastic shapes, and all nature,
smiling in her superb beauty, whispered,
Behold mel
It 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, 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, Mime. 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.
Mime. 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
there made her home with married sis
ter, who was ten years her senior. Two
years later there came to visit at her sis
ters house an old friend Of the family,
Mr.. George Carpenter, man perhaps 90
years of age. Mr.. Carpenter had small
income, to which he added by doing lit
erary work occasionally. He was a
bachelor, and had not q relative in the
world excepting half sister in Austria
liza and two cousins in San Francisco.
He was a talented man, with warm
heart and genial manner that endeared
him TO all who knew him. He loved
every one in general, and gave this as q
reason for never having loved any one
in particular But even Mr.. George Car
penter wac 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 80 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 done2 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
In the world. His great heart throbbed
with Joy to which it had been q stTan-
ger for fifty years. He now loved every
one more than ever. All the street Arabs
in Montreal learned to know him. The
poor sought him for his money and the
rich for his mirth.
'Spring and Autumn have gone for .
STROLL" Mrs. Secord used to say 70 hel
husband when he would inquire for the
lovers. SA
"Half q 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 1 too oldT' he inquired; ther
added, laughingly, "WhAt matter swift
ly passing years II the heart remain
young2 Ny soul, in spite Of these years
is filed with joyfulness to which il wa
. stranger in what was called my youth
You are my youth, the glad, gOldel
morning of my life; while / have you
can never be old"
OF course Alice promised to marry tn
man 70 whom she was ali the world
But, strange to say, no one had the couH
/ age to impart this bit OF information B
Mr.. and Mrs. dc Beaumont, who wer
living q life Of cold conVentionality i
Ottawa. II was finally decided that Nj
Carpenter himself should be the first I
= approach the subject. But love had bee
allowed to slip out Of the life Of Papa d
beaumont and Mamma de Beaumonl
and they were shocked at the thought {
. their daughters connection with on
who had neither youth, nor nobl
name, nor a fortune. Alice must leav
'e Montreal at once, Then followed toal
and entreaties lnnumerable. Mr.. SecoE
insisted that Alice should remain,
spite Of the opposition OF her parents.
"A was a time of great mourning, for d
II parents refused to yield, and Alice ie
= Montreal "bearing in her heart III
long soErOw." Three months later 81
sailed with her parents FOR Franc
|, where, nine years afterwards, she ma
ried fat man with bald head, q b
or name and bank account, NJ. Alfr'
n, Eugene La LOnde lived TO see the fif
he anniversary of his wedding day, th'
nd fell into his last sleep. Mime. La Lon
remained 10 France until the summer
= 1885, when she came TO her sister in o
tario, u
As soon as Mr.. Carpenter fully realiz
bis loss his grief was intense. He we
,er at once 10 Ottawa, and, with all the ear
me ostneas Of man pleading for his III
est implored the parents Of Alice to fav
|. him. But Al bis pleading passed
. nothing with the fashionable paren
and Mr.. Carpenter returned 70 MOntFV
/, the most sorrowful man in the wor
''The light in the east has gone out,
would sometimes say 70 his friends.
thought It WA morning and beholdl
'nS 'nS Il nlidDight."
the About the time Of the death Of
'yl Alfred Eugene Ia Londe the Seconds i
. Montreal and came 10 Kingston TO resii
= Mr.. Carpenter came with them.
, Tha family decided 70 spend the 81
mer Of 1885 In camp at Massasaag
Point, and Mr.. Carpenter-now neai
10 years Of age--agreed 70 accompa
or them. So preparations were made .
the party pitched five tents on one Of
two MOI chern,ino, cn.ota ~ this charni
nhl Ontario.
The The tents were pitched close 70 the I
5ipe Of Q,linte. All night the warm Wtl
line sWayed gently t0aRd fro the white can
'e'' wAlla. aud brouEht the sounds VI stea