The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-30

ashore l drawed it home; twas all I'd
left of her l put it in her gyarden,
and filled it full O earth and planted
'er name in fiowers-them white kind
that never dies. It's all the grave she
has I've kept it CROWN fresh and
green"
The hating voice sank lower, then
ceased altogether. There was some
thing in the story. something infinitely
appealing in the stricken old man him
self, that afflicted the other strangely.
! The boat touched the shore and the
young man lcaped-out. Turning and
scrutinizing the boz va face, he said:
SIS your name Gregg"
The Old man looked up, surprised.
Never mind" the other answered,
moving nearer and laying his hand on
| Greg's arm. ST 1 come back to you
this evening--if have it in my power
to do you good-so much goodwill you
go home now and wait for me?"
! Greg shook his head. I'm past the
help o your money. sir, thanks to ye."
NO one is past the help of the Lord"
/ said his companion. "Ill count on your
being there. Here's for your trouble.
! Good-by."
, Greg saw him gain the station, and
watched the train arrive and disappear
as he tackled homeward. The revival of
! his grief overwhelmed him anew, and
! he felt a sudden president dread of HIM
! self He looked back over his life.
! Year after year had found him more
Il ,1,,,f%
depth in the seas of doubt, then strug-
gled to get back but the way was lost,
and he was vageuly conscious that he
was waiting for the divine hand to be
stretched out to him across the waters.
But now he felt only the cruelty of his
I. fate, and frenzied resolve seized him.
! Leaning over the railing, he peered
down into the gurgling. deep-voiced
water Then he raised himself, half
crouching, f-preparatory.
! HIS keen eye caught the downward
sweep of a gull. A pleasure boat
SKINNED past him, and faded to speck
in the sun-swept distance. He looked
long toward his home lying at the foot
of the jagged, pine-edged cliffs, which
stood out against the clouds in solemn
splendor of sly-lit heights, and he re-
'membered how he had watched his hap
pier days pass over them. beyond his
reach.
Once more he rose to leap over. His
hand was on the railing. He stopped
listened. 1t came again, ''fne thread
O sound He sat down. There was
plenty of time. Again the breeze
brought it fuller, and he caught the
sound of hymn. He shipped oars and
rOwed nearer the shore. Now it Swelled
clearly, and the words:
Pass me not. gentle Saviour"
reached out to him across the water
He drew to shore and walked to the
church in the village, seating himself
on a bench outside. A woman, coming
out with an unruly child, said to him,
sharply, that the inside was better for
such as he. He felt ashamed. What
weakness had brought him there after
all his avowed resistance to religion?
He would go away A young girl
called him back She had seen him,
for her bench was near. She took his
knotty hand as if TO lead him, saying:
Wont We come in? There's plenty O.
room on my bench"
Her ingenious anxiety to help him
touched the old man.
We'll, look here, he burst out. 'I'll
DO anything We like, if yell ask ZEN to
sing that there hymn again." and he
suffered himself to be led in.
To the worshipers it was as if one
had come TO them from the dead. He
felt the sting of their amazement, and
was half-minGed to rush out and plunge
headlong from the rocks. The words
of the text held him: ~ will heal
their backsliding; will love them free
ly, for Mine anger is turned away"
And again: Fear not, for / have re-
deemed thee: | have called thee by
name; thou art Mine" They fell into
his heart like grain into plowed field,
plowed deeply and narrowed for the
sowing.
At lasthe sank to mis- knees. When
the people We're gone the sexton closed
the windows and doors, leaving him
kneeling, unobserved and alone. A
solemn peace held the place. Only the
rattle of dead vine against the pane
and the groaning of the ocean reminded
him of the world outside.
Then the weary old man fell into
deep sleep. He was on the ocean,
drifting, drifting, drifting. 1t was
night. and far horizonward star was
shining that seemed to throw out
glittering chain of light and draw his
l. L.. 4
the deep to drag him down; he felt
their clutch, but he held the chain
until he reached the star. Then, in
what had been a star, he saw the face
of woman. radiant with light He
looked, and it was the face of his wife.
In her arms she held a child, who
stretched out its hands towards him.
Somewhere a door opened: he was
vaguely conscious of a sound. yet the
eyes held him spell-bound and the lips
moved Us If 70 speak. He listened.
Father" said gentle voice, and
hand rested on his head. His heart
leaped The vision spoke, and ne held
his breath to hear.
Father, dear father said the voice
open your eyes. It's Alice-your own
lAice."
Slowly the dream faded. Back again
came the growing twilight and the still
ness OF the church. There were arms
about his neck: face was near his
own. He saw her eyes. the very bits
o blue sky" bright fragments IN his
memory.
Father. dear. don't You know me?
I'm Aiiee-your own lost Alice
Starting up he looked wildly about
him Allie. my leetle Allie" he