Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-03-26
AN EASTERTIDE.
The Sea Gave UP Her Dead and
Every One Rejoiced.

huSSldl ptopie' IL mtlSG Oe very III
lpressive.'
Olive West settled herself cozily in
the sunny window seat of her friends
studio and looked up for reply.
But Eunice Gray put down the brush
tipped with ''silver lake" which she had
been holding meditatively between her
thumb and finger for some minutes, and
did not seem to notice the remark.
She only stood gazing at cluster OF
Easter lilies on the canUaS before her IN a
sad, .far-a1oay manner.
People remembered that when the
black -budded tops of the great ash
trees of the avenues showed darkly
against the March sky Miss Gray grew
strangely quiet.
And, also, that at these times she in
variably shut herself up in her studio
with its crimson curtains and fell to
painting lilies-lovely, satiny Easter
lilies.
"What was it that you said?" she
asked, finally, coming back from the
far-off, indefinite somewhere.
''The Easter service of the Russians
resumed Olive, glad of hearing at
last, "when all the people rise in the
beautifully-deeorated churches and say
what is it that they say, Eunice?"
30" and Miss Gray begins softly,
reverently, leach one clasps the hand
of his neighbor at the left, and, greeting
him with a kiss, exclaims: Christ is
risenr Then, while the anthem rolls
and the lilies tremble on the altar, they
rejoice together"
"But," queried Olive, suppose your
'neighbor' happened to be your enemy
and wouldn't rejoice with your"
SIN that case should think it would
be sad, indeed Enemies at Easter
tide"
Miss Gray's dreamy, brown eyes filled
with tears and her face grew very
white. Then she pushed back the
crimson curtain, shut her lips tightly
and picked up the brush tipped with
'silver lake" once more.
"Wouldn't rejoice with you" Eunice
bent over the clustering lilies and the
great tears rolled down her pale cheeks.
Olive West looked startled and panied
A moment after she stole quietly out of
the room, feeling in vague, uncertain
way that she had touched the chord of
sorrow, somehow, unwittingly.
80, it was who was the enemy and
would not rejoice" moaned Eunice, in
agony of soul, when alone with her
burdened heart.
The lilies on the easel tom loved
lilies SOY seemed to nod in painful
affirmation, as she repeated: 81 was
the enemy!"
Yes, once Tom Ashley loved the
waxen blossoms passionately, but he
loved EuDice Gray far better than all |
things else.
Now? Well Among those that went
down to the sea in ships and had gone, |
none knew whittier, was handsome Tom
Ashley.
And in the days agone, before the
estrangement, he was all the world to |
her, but she knew it not.
How many times they had carried |
lovely lilies to the little chapel of the
sailors on the shore at Eastertide and |
wreathed the plain railing with their
fragrant beauty; in those days his face
was joyful and bright and hers was
fairer and sweeter than the blossoms.
But it would happen no more; no, life
was blighted. The Thomas doubt had
crept across their dream and blurred the
golden chapter, and the lilies budded in
strange unfriendly airs. Other hands
might touch and thrill the pulse with
under their spell; but it would
never be theirs.
No; that breezy April morning years
ago had sealed them as strangers; that
one on which Tom took his hat and
walked slowly down the pretty, white
street. overlooking the booming break
ers, and communed with his grieved
soul. Eunice lived at the end of the
street in the pretensions cottage stand
ing apart from its neighbors.
Tom put his hand on the gate reso-
lutely; he would go in and tell her how
he loved her still. His calling took him
away on long voyages and no one knew
what might happen in his absence; and
the day after Easter he was to sail.
"Joe, see who that is coming in," called
Miss Gray, innocently enough, from her
corner, and unsuspeeting Joe Fleetwood
stepped to the window to see.
1t happened just as Eunice hoped it
might.
HES at her window" said Tom,
with little gasp; "she's entertaining
Fleetwood and there's no room for meP'
and he walked away.
They were trimming the little church
of the sailors for the Easter services on
the morrow, and thither Tom went to
forget if he could.
1--WE sent Fleetwood to the Gray cot ,
tage to see if Miss Eunice would let us
have her begoniaS for to- morrow" fussy
Mrs. Fenton was saying as Tom entered,
''but it seems as if he'd never get back.
D. here he comesl" and the nervous ,
little lady laughed an apology. I
"You can have them and welcome" {
Joe announced, then he edged around 5
to Tom Ashley and said in an under
tone: "Go up to the cottage; she won't
speak friendly word to me-" !,
Young Fleetwood felt somehow that :
he had been in the way, and wanted to
put himself right. But Tom did not go.
Joe might be telling him the truth and
he might not. '
Late that evening, however, Eunice '
received note from disconsolate Tom: !
"Come to church tomorrow, dearest"
he said, land let US rejoice together. OIL