St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1891-04-04
OPEIOUSAS, "A, SATURDAY, 4,
the morrow, and thither Tom went to

s'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 sagina as Tom en-
tered, s'but it seems as if he'd never get
back. O, here he comes!" and the nerv-
GUS little lady laughed an apology.
"You can have them and welcome, -
Joe announced, then he edged around
to Tom Ashley and said in an under
tone: $50 up to the cottage; she won't
speak a friendly word to mes
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, ''and let us rejoice together. 0,
Eunice, let us be one in heart at the
holy Eastertide! | plead with you!
Gomez
On the glad morrow the flowers filled
the chapel of the sailors with their
beauty and fragrance: the organ pealed
forth and the people joined in the glad
anthem of the Resurrection, but Eunice
Gray was not with them.
Tom Ashley sat in his place and fol-
lowed the chant with white lips; his
fine face wore such panied expression
that his friends pitied him. He did not
notice the glances of sympathy, though,
for he was thinking. s'She must be very
angry" he concluded, ito refuse good
will at Eastertide!''
Some way the chapel with all its
flowers was cold ana cheerless. Tom
had never known such far-off, un-
sociable Easter before.
And SO it happened that the good ship
Belle Isle sailed with Tom Ashley on
board, and Eunice Gray had made no
sign. And Tom was SO white and quiet,
too, that the captain had half 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
Aspinwan 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.
1.-THE Belle Isle! the Belle Isle!" said
the captain of the Aspinwall. shaking
his head gravely; but that was all he
said.
Then the papers were distributed.
ssGone down with all on board in ter
rife storm off Borneo!' 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 q
kind word even. Oh, it was terrible!,
Once again the glad Easter morning
dawned on the quiet village in its nook
on the shore. The little white chapel
was already open, though so very early.
The dark memorial window with its in
scription: 1.-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
si1very tones of the old bell had called
them together, a stranger entered the
shadowy place.
Evidently he had come for worship;
but he wandered here and there and
finally paused before the memorial win