The morning call., 1892-05-22

| spirit of stiffness had wrapped the world in
| its cold embrace and my soul was at rest
| within its arms. l did not mind the delay !;
l did not feel impatient for her return !;
| only wished the horses would stand still
and the bells not jingle so.
Then, all at once, through the silence stole
| q beautiful sound, falling like golden snow
! from somewhere above ME. A w0man'S
yoicel Singing softly, tenderly, glOri0uslyl
l held my breath 10 listen. No words
reached me-only the sweet, clear notes, and
even they seemed TO come from the voice Of
q singer in dream. The voice ceased. A
little wind uDrOSe and SWaYed the trees, as
If protesting against the cessation of the
wonderful music - then suddenly there
| came to me over the snow the sound Of
| bells
The door opened gently-closed; and, to
the music Of tile bells, white figure moved
toward me through the whiteneSs. Under
the arch of black yews she stopped Did
she DO it on purpose? Did she know that
the light of the carriage lamp fell full upon
her? Did she dream how beautiful she was
with the spirit of her song still on her lips,
with the light of her tender action still in
her eyes9 She stopped and listened. How
sweety. ghostly, sounded those far-otf bells,
those strange dream-bells. Not sound.
but their thin beauty dying and growing and
dying againl And there she stood and lis
tened with the wonder growing in her
face"
"Peace and good-wil-peace," and then
she looked at me, and came quickly forward
next moment she was beside me in the
sledge."
''She is asleep" she whispered. 81 think
she will get we'll"
"Then let us get home" l answered, and
that was ALL
Jangle. jangle. jangle went the sleigh
bells, and once more we moved through the
silent world. But we went slowly now.
Why? Was it because of the surrounding
stiffness which one feared to disturb? Or
was 1t because my whole soul was filed and
thrilled with the knowledge of her neaTu ess,
with the knowledge that here were she and
l alone in this sleeping, this dead world, the
only living creatures in this great silencel
Slower and slower went the horses, and
yet the road seemed to melt before US, and
ever nearer came "home" and parting. But
yet we did not speak The sweet. precious
moments slipped by; and once more my
heart came alive and beat. and throhbed,
ana suffered. Il0nged to throw myself down
in the snow before her and humble myself
utterly, if only by my doing so we might be
again as once we had been. But still | could
not do it. She had been wrong, too. She
must meet me half way. Ohl she must feel
It. Why would she not confess it? Could
she not see how much drawer, nopler,
worther of herself it would be than this
Indifferent unconcern, this obstinate ST.
lence?
i've dropped my muff," the clear voice
suddenly said quietly.
started as II had been shot and came
back from my world Of thought to gaze with
unc0mprehending eyes on the sweet face at
mr. side. How sweet 1t was, how calm. how
cOntented! Why was 1t not full of shame
and contritIon? 1t ought to have been, but
no. not bit of 1t. The blue eyes were
looking up at ME with the utmost friendli-
ness, the rosy mouth had smile on 1t.
HPlpagpp ShA cried. a'DlaASn stnn tho
horses I've dropped my muff."
l stopped the horses.
"Will you please get out and find 1t for
me?" went on the purring voice. II will
hold the horses"
II may not be able to find it in the dark"
said |, ut is white like the snow"
'Its whiter," she answered. still smiling.
l got out and strobe along the way that
we had come. My heart was vexed within
me. for. | knew she had dropped that
wretched muff on purpose that she might
order me to 60 back and fetch it.
AT that moment my foot touched some-
| thing soft The little white mutfl | picked
1t up; and something dropped out. / stopped
aud lifted 1t from the snow. A glove |
Such little gloveI Not thinking what
| did, l spread 1t out on my broad palm and
l laughed a bitter laugh, as words that
| had read somewhere cana to my mind ::
That hand withal looketh somewhat soft
and small for SO large VIII in sooth."
L walked BACK To the stedge. The lamps
were shining with two golden eyes over the
| snow the horses bells were jangling; but
the little white lady was sitting very still
| came to her side of the sledge WHAT a
| great fellow | seemed! for standing there
on the road my head was on q level with
| hers as she sat in tile sledge.
| held out the mutf. She did not take it,
Her face was turned away. Was she cry
| ing? Was that why she kept her face hid
| den? Was she ashamed at last? This was
| well, alb this was we'll. l was glad she
had come to see the error of her ways. She
but still would be generous; l would par
| don her at once.