The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-08-08

seemed unnaturally large; but he kept
on in his daily routine OF dirty and
charity, and Alma was enthusI astic in
praising him to me.
It was late in the autumn when we
began to be uneasy about Charles
Lathrope. He had been in st. Louis
through September, on some business
errand, and had written regularly to
Alma. In October, his letters suddenly
ceased For weary weeks Alma
watched the mail, her face growing
daily more pallid and sad. l had not
fully realized how deeply her love had
taken hold of her heart until this time
of suspense. But / knew then that
with her to love once was to love for
life.
/ had not thought of any plan for re-
lief until, one morning, Godfrey Owen
sent in his card to me, and met him in
the drawing-rocm.
sMiss Bentley is at the village" he
said to me, .'and ventured to call to
ask you once more to be kind to me
and tell me what sorrow is killing her.
Cap help her?''
told him as frankly as he asked.
"We have written to the address in
st. Louis" / said, ''but have no an
swer.''
evil you give me- that address?" he
asked, and put it carefully in his note
book. 81 will start for st. Louis to-
night he said, ''but it would be best,
perhaps, not to tell Miss Bentley until
you hear from me there"
sit would be BEST l said 1T may
only throw her into a state of agitation
and suspense worse than she is now
enduring"
So he went away, my hero, my mar
tyr, giving me the last clasp / was ever
to feel of his strong hand, the last
kindly look from his dark eyes, the
last tender words his lips ever uttered
| for me.
One letter, only one, he wrote TO me.
He found Charles Lathrope in house
deserted by everybody but little
negro boy, lying dangerously Ill with
smallpox. Before he entered the house
himself he wrote to me, warning me
he should not dare to write to me from
| there
But II brothers devotion. brothers care,
will save the life Of the man Alma loves, he
| sure he shall have them"
So he wrote. Weary days followed
without one word of tidings. Then
came telegram from Charles La
| tbrope:
II am recovering Mr.. Owen has taken the
smallpox. Is very i'll"
Later he told me that the physician
took this and some other kilograms for
him, but would not let him send let
| ter.
1t was after Christmas when he camo
home and to Startled.
81 owe my life to stranger" he told
me; land not until he was dying did he
| tell me the motive that led him to st.
Louis to nurse me back to life. 1t was
the most peaceful, beautiful death
ever imagined, and must have been the
end of sinless, unselfish life. Not a
doubt! Not fear! He babe me give
his love to Alma, and told me it was an
entire happiness to him that he had
helped to save my life for her.
They are very happy, Alma and her
hus band, living useful Christian lives,
''doing good without firing" But /,
who am still at Starfeld-Amos Bent
ley's housekeeper-I think, with tears
always, of the noble life laid down SO
calmly-the great,generous heart stilled
forever-and wonder if, in the great
hereafter, the mystery win be ex-
planned and 1 shall know why happi-
ness was denied Godfrey Owen in this
lite.-Anna Shields, in N. Y. Ledger