Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-10-15
HIS FIRST'S ASHES.

the One Hundred and Twelfth cufras-
sicrs of the line. died, he was sorely
stricken with sorrow, d.would not be
comfortel Ia fact, he had hardly had
timo to enjoy his happiness or appre-
ciate his treasure, for they had been
married only month. when She was
taken from him in the midst Of their
wedding tour in Italy.
Just about returning to Paris, she fell
i'll in Rome and died Of fever, Id spite
of the many physicians called to attend
her and the devoted careof her husband,
who never left her side till she breathed
her last. 1888.
Conscious to the end. she bravely
sought to console him.
at WAS not given to mortals, ;" she
said, ito be- happy for long. Our JOY
has been too great; itscould not last.
Do not weep. dearest she cried; "let
me pass away i'll peace, without the
memory Of your distressed face. Smile;
do not look SO sadl" and she raised her
trembling hand and caressingly laid it
on his cheek.
..You are a soldier" pursued she;
death should have no terrurs for you.
have loved You only; do me, then. one
last little favor wish to be near You
always, even in death. beseech you,
cre!nate me. then; reduce me to little
heap of ashes that you can carry always
with you. shall never disturb you.
How strange 1t seems to call q heap Of
ashes 'I-yet SO it will be. You will
sometimes glance at me- thus, and can
never entirely forget mel'
Nevertheless when Durande returned
to Paris he was n changed man. He was
thin and haggard; his eyes had lost their
luster, his step its elastic spring and
confidence.
Courage. courage, my boy!" his colo
mel would say to him.
BE brave. my friendlr repeated his
brother officers.
But JOY and brightness had gone out
of Durande's life. The once brilliant
soldier was q broken man.
No one on arrival was allowed to
touch his luggage, and lie himself. with
care and weeping. drew from his satchel
IN artistic little vase that he solemnly
charged mis- brosseur nevor on any ac-
count to lay hands upon.
"a token OF poor madame" the man
ventured to ask.
Yes. token" Durande responded:
before which, tho slim Roman urn that
held all that was left of his poor wife's re-
mains, he krel5 and wept bitterly when
alone again. At night it stood in full
view Upon IL cabinet beside his bed, that
lis eyes might rest upon it when not
closed in sleep and by day. When his
leave had expired and he had returned
to duty, he was distract. "a stranger to his
comrades. joining i'll none of their pleas
nres or alausements, seeming TO live only
III the memory Of his lost wife and that
urli-which might be knocked over.
lie had placed her portrait in every
room III his house, and by strange para
dox Of sentiment it was here, among all
these tender recollections, that he passed
his least miserable hours.
Cy degrees. through steady contem-
plation. perhaps, the sight of the Roman
urn produced less painful effect upon
tile disconsolate widower, and no longer
caused him the cruel heart pangs of the
first days of bereavement.
He was now able to picture his dar-
ling as she had been in the zenith OF
strength and beauty, gay, smiling charm
ing Again and again he recalled and
lived over the moments Of that honey
moon journey, and grew happy himself
in this sweet. posthulnous revival Of
radiant hours.
When at work the urn stood on his
writing table, and he thought how in
life and il that bygone time he had writ
ten and puIdered and she had sat quiz
city beside him reading or sewing tran
gully. silently, without disturbing him.
Six months passed, heightened to a
year, and now and then it happened that
Durande forgot the urn and left it on his
table at night instead Of carrying it to
lis bedroom. Finally he enshrined it
for good ON his Office table. Not that
the memory of his wife was less than at
FIST. but because in time it was borne
in upon him that funeral deposit like
tiiis was unsanitary. unhealthy in
sleeping room.
Nevertheless every day it was sur
rounded, IS usual, wittlilies and roses.
/ IS wifes favorite flowers.
The one year heightened to two, and
!>uraude had returned to his bachelor
LIE.
IT'S wrong to bury yourself alive
Las" said lis friends and his wife's re-
! iiuns: begin. so into the world
;..::ain."
Durande yielded, once more went out.
f.euuented the. quarters Of his brother
Ulcers, Joined in their jollifying, and
actually QUE evening carried them all
LONE with him to a banquetin his own
apartments. The wine was good, the
champagne sparkling, laughter. songs,
,=lroar the order OF the night; when the
supper ended they all adjourned to the
private Office, where the ,nortuary
s:irine stood alone upon the table, severe
;::.d mournful.
l:rvelry ran riot, in the midst of
which Durande suddenly recalled ths
''presence of the dead."' as he was wont
to call the urn. caught it UP hurriedly.
- -.
why .h. North Sea Is Green.