Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-03-26
New Series, Vol. 81, No 1S

Eunice, let us be one in heart at thr
holy EaStertidel L plead with you
Gomez
On the glad morrow the flowers filled
the chapel of the sailors with thei
beauty and fragrance, the organ peale(
forth and the people joined in the glaC
anthem of the Resurrection, but Eunict
Gray was not with them.
Tom Ashley sat in his place and fol
lowed the chant with white lips; his
fine face wore such a panied expression
that his friends pitied him. He did not
notice the glances of sympathy, though,
for he was thinking "She must be very
angry" he concluded, Ito refuse good
will at Eastertide!"
Some way the chapel with all its
flowers was cold and cherries. Tom
had never known such a ar-off, unso-
ciable Easter before.
And so it happened that the good ship
Belle Isle sailed with Tom Ashley on
board, and Euniee Gray had made no
sign. And Tom was so white and quiet,
too, that the captain had half a mind to
leave him ashore, but the poor fellow
begged so hard that he let him ship
with them.
Then the spring slipped into summer,
and the little village by the sea grew
lonely and slow-paced; and the pretty
cottage at the end of the white street
seemed loneliest of ALL
| Months went by, and the steamship
Aspinwall came into the quiet port with
the mail on board.
The friends of the brave crew of the
Belle Isle crowded eagerly around for
their accustomed letters, but they all
alike were doomed to disappointment.
"The Belle Isle! the Belle Islep said
the captain of the Aspinwall, shaking
his head gravely; but that was all he
said.
Then the papers were distributed
"Gone down with all on board in
terrific storm off Borneop was what the
dispatches stated of the fated vessel.
A wall of deepest anguish went up
from the village by the sea for the loved
and lost. Eunice Gray kept her room
for days. Would she be obliged to live
to endure this awful sorrow?
Poor Tom had gone down without a
kind word even. Oh, it was terrible!
Once again the glad Easter morning
dawned on the quiet village in it nook
on the shore. The little white chapel
was already open, though so very early.
The dark memorial window with its
inscription: ''The sea shall give up her
dead" looked pensively down on the
empty pews and all was sweetly silent
in keeping with the memory. The flow
ers dropped from the railing and from
the fonts above awaiting the arrival of
the worshipers. But long before the
silvery tones of the old bell had called
them together, stranger entered the
shadowy place.
Evidently he had come for worship, |
but he wandered here and there and |
finally paused before the memorial win
dow. Then his eyes fell upon sweet
picture, cluster of lilies, near by, and |
a groan escaped his lips: "WhGt is this?"
he asked of the sexton. while tear |
trembled on his bronzed cheek.
II hardly know" replied the puzzled |
sexton, "the young woman who paints |
them puts one up here every Easter |
service as 'an Offering l believe they |
are afterward sold for the benefit of the /
chapel. You see," continued the sexton,
"her lover went down with the crew of
the Belle Isle, and she is very devoted to
his memory yet, even though years have
passed"
"Her name?" The stranger grew
agitated and his voice husky with
emotion.
"Her name is Eunice Gray and she
lives at" But the stranger was gone
and the sexton looking the way he went,
bewildered enough.
They were chanting the sailors hymn
as found in the Psalms, and the bereaved
ones were raising their tear-wet eyes to
when wedding party quietly
came up the aisle. The clergyman met
them at the atari railing much as if he
them and at once began the
impressive rite.
After the ceremony was over the
kissed the bride before them
all and, pointing to the memorial win
low, said in glad ringing tones; And
The sea hath given up her deadl"
Somehow, and all at once, everybody
knew that Tom Ashley sto ID in their
midst and that Euniee Gray was the
bride. .
And all the village by the sea was
happy for the two who, at last, were
permitted to rejoice together.