The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-04-14


eternity. Shivering and trembling, she
chung to him with the confidence of a
child.
"Thank Cod" he murmured with pale
lips, life of thankfulness vibrating in
his voice.
Merabel heard the words. Then loud
er than the dash of spray or roaring
wind, a new music struck the keynote OF
strange melody within her. Only the
first strain rang out its sweetness, but
Walters watchful eye detected it, though
he said no more. At last, after hours of
fear and suffering they outrode the blast:
the really short distance was crossed,
and they landed safely in Appledore for
the night. No dory could reach Gosport
in such sea. But ON the morrow, with
the sunlight all about them, the glad
party surprised their friends across the
way with an early morning salutation.
"Why, Merabel" Mrs. Dayton ex-
claimed. Il supposed you were safe at
home. We were ahead of the wind.
How dared you Start against warning?'
Merabel smiled and declared, that now
they were out of it alive, it was grand
experience. And then the little church
was made shrine of loneliness; the
fisher folk both great and small were
rendered happy with kindly remem-
ORANGES.
81 dare say they have never had a
really beautiful Easter BEFORE" Merabel
exclaimed, beautiful without and with
in and with so much sunshine in their
hearts. How dreary these bare, desolate
rocks must be through all the long win
ter. 1t is almost dreary now, in this un-
usually fine April. do not believe this
island was ever intended to be in
habited.n
''It is anything but dreary now" the
old pastor declared, with all this bright
ness come into ii"
'And the inside of this modest cathe-
dral is ad-eam of beauty" Walter added.
Fortunate the gale did not sweep it all
away
Merabels face, as she stood among the
lilies so radiant with happin ,ss, shone
out like star. When her voice rose
clear and full, singing of the joy of that
Easter morn 1000 years ago, it trembled
with the burden of joy that had suddenly
come into her own heart. AS the lips
softly breathed the great love that com
passed world, the new melody of her
soul chimed with it, completed. 1t
might have been the still, heavy thud of
the waves outside, making her shudder
at the memory of the night before; it
might have been the music incarnate
within herself, pulsing with a new rhym-
ic story of love, joy, sorrow, as she rip
pied the Easter strains; but, as SHE stood
so fresh and fair, the sunlight making
brilliant The changing lights and graces
of her face, love silently crept into her
heart, transferring her and browning
her with glory. Involuntary she gave
one swift glance at Walter Martindale.
And he, with soul all aglow in response,
saw the quick flush of her cheek, the
new light in her eyes, as they sent one
brief message of love and trust through
threatened tear. He heard the new
tender intonations of the sweet voice
like the echo of silver bells-and knew
he had won.
Not till the fresh evening air with the
breath of spring in it called them out
for one more draft of its invigorating
tonic, just as the stars were taking their
places, one by one, did Walter adroitly
lead Merabel little apart from the rest
THE silent stars, the silent mountains,
and the moaning of the never silent sea-"
he quoted. .'They typify life. The
stars are worlds of brightness tantaliz-
ing us, but which we can never reach.
The mountains are huge obstacles in our
pathway, often too steep and rough for
weary feet to scale; and the meanings
are the moaniugs of our souls because
we cannot"
And then, with the memory of the
night before lingering in her heart, softly
"Merabel," and the bright
ness of the morning singing in his, for
a time the music of the waves, the stars,
the earth, were all forgotten.
Your love would not have come to
me now" he said later, as they were
turning homeward, "had it not been for
the wickedness of the sea. 1t was born
of the tempest"
And may partake of il" she smiled,
with touch of her old coquetry.
Great good may come through great
was always narrowing con-
ISOLATION to my SOUL" he went on, "but,
dear, this time it is worth much more
than cost, thank God. May he grant
that nothing but good come of it," he
ended earnestly.
When Ralph met them-for immedi-
ltely on his return from friend who
was i'll, on Sunday afternoon, he hired
! boat to take him to the Shoals, |
fearful lest the schooner had not lived
through the tempest-Merabel's bushes,
5he proud light in Walters eyes, the |
stately poise of his head, the great Joy
written all over both their faces, told him |
t was too late fer any word from him;
md with few remarks of his anxiety |
or them he passed on.
"Your name means beautiful sea-" |
Walter said, as they turned for one more
glance at its now calm waters. did you
,ver think of it? Merbella! But you
IRE not the cold, wrecking sea of the |
North; but rather of some sunny land of |
he South, where all is peace and warmth |
md beauty; a sea that saves life instead |
If destroying it,"
The days and weeks passed quickly,
eaving only gladness in their train. But !
las Let him that standeth take heed |
est he fall" After a time the old life
launted Walter like a hideons thing.
The taste for the old pleasures was not
IuIte dead after all. A slip here, dip
here, nights revel with the members
# the club whittier he could not take
Ierabel, and then, one dreadful day the
un of her world was blottid out A ru-
nor came that Walter had entered the
curt room in no condition to conduct
lis case, and it was postponed. Too oft
n he could be found in places where he
hould not be.
"Merabe's brightness has begun to
arken," Ralph said to him one day, ex-
with him.
but l can't give her up, you know. l
-. IL