Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-04
LIGHT IN THE EAST.

set was eclipsed only by the splendor OF
the following sunrise. The stars were
brighter, and the moon gave 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 me!
1t WAS OIL one Of these fine summer
days. in August, that the good steamship
Alexandria touched at Aassassagua
Point on her way up from Montreal. As
the boat neared, q 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
lit French costume. Mrs. Secord recog-
nls<d Ut once her sister. Nine. La
Londe, whom she had last seen rs 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 SecordA
.fme. La Londes story is q 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 so
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 relative in the
world excepting half sister in Austria
liza and two cousins in San Francisco.
He " as talented man. with q warm
heart and genial manner that endeared
him 10 all who knew him. He loved
every one in general and gave this as a
reason for never having loved any one
in particular. Bat 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
in 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
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 a
stroll" Mrs. Secord used to say TO her
husband when he would inquire for the
lovers
half 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
Am l 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 filed with a 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
can never be old
OF course Alice promised to marry the
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 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 tue 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 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 a time of great mourning. for the
parents refused to yield, and Alice left
Montreal bearing in her heart life
los, sorrow" Three months later she
sailed with her parents for France.
where. nine years afterwards. she mar
RED u fat man with bald head. n big
name and bank account. N. Alfred
Eugene La Londe lived to See the fifth
anniversary Of his wed ling day. then
fell into his last sleep. Nine La Londe
Remained in France until the summer Of
1855 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 once t. Ottawa. and. with all the earn
estness Of II man pleading for his life.
implored the parents of Alice to favor
him. But all his pleading passed for
no hing with the fashionable parents,
and iir Carpenter returned to Montreal
the most sorrowful man in the world.
The light in the east has gone out, he
would sometimes say to his friends. II
Thought it was morning. and behold! it
u ulLpiSht.
About the tine Of the death Of N.
Alfred Eugene l., Londe the Secords left
Montreal and came to Kingston to reside.
Mr.. Carpenter came with them n
The family decided to spend the sum-
mer Of 1885 in camp At Massassagua
Point, and Mr.. Carpenter-now nearly
70 years Of age-agrced to accompany
them. So preparations were made and
the 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
swayed 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 to Montreal. Sometimes the
sounds Of musical instruments were
heard. Sometimes voices sang in ex-
quisit harmonies, that echoed among the
tree. stretching for three miles back Of
the tents. The moon rose over the bay
in solemn beauty. and gave her light %
that no lamps were needed
within the white walls. When all else
was quiet there still could be heard the
tapping OF the waves upon the pebbled
beach, and the occasional splashing Of .
fish in the bay.
Mr.. Carpenter rose at daybreak every
and. passing Mrs. Secord's tent,
wandered up and down the beach. He 10
waiting for the SUNRISE the lady would
say to her husband as, drawing aside the
door of her fent sha uoI1ld wztch the old |