The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-03-07
NUMBER 6.
perhaps, what was best to do.

perhaps, what was best to do.
When the spring laughed nerrily over
the isles and flowers came, they went
abroad for q month. Little Artbur,s
health seemed 10 demand change. and tl,e
devoted mother held no sacrifice too
great for her child.
Miriam had her plans. She would travel
little, and, IL returning. would come
home by Hastings, and, If she could. would
venture on visit TO the Hal. Perhaps
her father might forgive her for the sake
OF her beautiful, taJherIess child
True, she had written L.rn acouaintinrr
him Of Arthur's death, and he had left the
servants 10 make the reply, and send com
fort and sympathy; but he was old and
very strange, any way, and letter, after
all, was not like seeing them Patty
thought 1t would work 10 harm 70 try a
visit 10 Heatherleigh, At least; she wished
10 visit BeechwOod once more, although
stranger hands had desecrated her favor
lte walks, no doubt
And Patty - blue eyed, kind-hearted
Patricia, who made the best Of sisters
superintended II all, and left Miriam 10
seek solace and comfort carc-free, and the
weary hearted mother felt She never could
be thankful enough for such priceless
companion as dear little sister Patty.
Again, she sat by the window, in the
evenude, looking out over the cliffs and the
sea; again the death fiat had gone forth.
and 'the flower that grew between was
ruthlessly snapped from its parent stem.
Patricia sat near her, dropping tears on
some broken toys she had treasured up
from the nursery She could not yeeD
now; she was too desoIate. God had seem
lngly forgotten her and left her without a
ray OF hope, without single string on
loves harp unbroken. Away out in the
ofhng she saw white-winged shin. with
riur Qf af srz
Of rose hUes. That was, doubtless, the
messenger she had sent bearing 2 long,
long letter TO one whom she had never seen.
but the missive contained a request, never
theless.
The tear-stained pages, when unfolded
at Bay View cottage, tucked down BY the
blue waters OF The Narragansett, would re-
veal something like this:
Il am alone. God pity mel a stranger
in mine own land. Bereaved Of husband
and child in one short half year, 1 am desc
late. Shut from fathers doors, [ am in
the depths Of isolated sorrow. l have an
abundance Of means, and would be no
burden; could come TO you? ] am but a
stranger TO you also, but you were NV
mothers friend; viii you not be mine al
soln
Then this was the message she had sent
Patricia knew 1t, and had demurred there
to, but she must go. She had told herself
Ihat z week aIter the clOdS ratified down on
her baby's coffin, and if she received an
answer from Bay View telling her that her
mothers friend still resided there she
would sell her beautiful home and leave her
native land forever-the land which had
held. nothing but sorrows for her from her
cradlehoOd.
Patricia's lover and afianced husband
would purchase The Rest, and it would
remain in the Fairfax family Had little
Arthur lived she would have continued
her residence here and would have kept the
elegant home, beautified and cared for, fol
him.
But with his death all her plans cher
ished for his future were laid away with
him, and nothing now remained but TO get
away from it all.
The breeze swept up from the sea and
through the open easement, dallying with
the loose Grape sleeve of her dress, the
sweet English yiOiets lent their breath L
the caress OF the wind, and a bird in the
garden below began Its yesper song.
Miriam shut her eyes an d leaned back in
the depths of her chair to dream OF
fond baby fingers stealing up around her
neck, and OF deep, musical voice calling
tenderly across the vale: Miriam, dearest
good bvc."