Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-09-20
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standing in the room.
Constance Sinclair sat by the piano,
her arms folded on the habby old
mahogany lid, her dropping head rest
ing on her arms, her face hidden. She
was too deeply lost in that agony Of
hoIeless grief to hear the rafting Of
the frail easement, the fCo'step on the
hoor,
Consumer
She started up and confronted him,
pale as ashes, with q 5mothered
scream
any dearest, heard your grief l
could not keep away. Only a few
minutes, Constance, only few words,
and | will cave you Oh, my love,
how changed how changed"
A flood Of crimson rushed into the
pale ace, and as quickly faded. Then
she gave him her hand, with an inno-
cent franknejs that went to his heart,
so like the Con lance Of old-the pure
and perfect type of gi"lhood that
knows not sin
AZ do not mind your hearing me in
my sorrow" she said, sadly. Il come
here because feel myself away from
all the world At the house servants
come to my room with messages, and
worry me. Would | like this? viii |
do the other? What carriage will |
drive in? At what time? A hundred
questions that are 50 tiresome when
one is tired Of life Here can lock
my door, and feel as much alone as in a
desert.
"But, dear Mrs. Sine air, it is not
good for you to aband n yourself to
such grief"
room up of my absent child" with q
sad smile. "You heard of my loss, did
you not? The darling who made life
so bright for me-snatched away in a
momeht-not an hours warning.
woke that morning proud and happy
mother, and at night No, no one
can ina zine such a grief as that"
Il have heard the sad story, But be
sure Heaven will send comfort-new
hopes"
Don't talk to me like that. Oh, if
you knew how have had Heaven and
the Bible thrown at my head by peo-
pie who talk by rote. | can read my
Bible. read Of David and his great
despair: how he turned his fac to the
wall, how he wept again for Absaiom;
and Of the Shunamite woman who said:
1t is well, but David had many chill
dren, and the Summarizes child was
given back to her. Cd will not give
my darling back to me.
ale will-in heaven"
but my heart is breaking for want
of her here. She will bo an angel be-
fore the throne of GOd-not my Chris
label, Iwdnt nv darling as She was
on earth, with her soft, clinging arms
not always good 49, naughty some
times always dearer than my
life.
What could Sir Cyprian say to com
fort this bereayed heart? He could
only sit down quietly by Constance
side, and win her to talk of
her sorrow far more freely and con-
hdingly than she had talked to her
father; and this he felt was something
gained. There was comfort in this free
speech comfort in pouring her sorrow
lubO UlC Gdl vi u lIlClu VIII COulu
verify sympathlze,
Dear Mrs. Sinclair" said Sir Cyp-
rian, gravely, when he had allowed her
TO tell the story of her bereavement,
AS very old friend-one who has
your welfare deep at heart must en-
treat you to struggle against this alb
sorbing grief. | have seen your old
friend Doctor Webb, and he assures me
that unless you make an effort to over
come this melancholy, your mind as
we'll as your body will suffer. Yes,
Con stance, reason itself may give way
under the burden you impose upon
it. Perhaps no one else would have
the courage to speak to you so plainly,
but venture to speak as q brother
might to a fondly loved sister. This
may be our last meeting, for shall go
back to Africa as sCOl a. can get my
party together again You will try,
dear friend, will YOU not, for my sake,
for the sake of your husband"
MY husband" she exclaimed with
a shudder. He has billiards, and
guns, and racehorses, and friends
number. What can it matter
to h m that | grieve for my child?
somebody had need be sorry. He does
not care. ="
. Constance, it would matter very
much to your father, to all Wh) have
ever loved you, to yourself most of all,
if you should end your life in a lunatic
asylum.
This startled her, and she looked up
at him earnestly.
Unreasonable grief sometimes leads
to madness. Despair j. rebellion
against God. If the Shunamite in that
dark day could say 1T shall be WE'LL
shall Christian have le IS patience-a
Christian who has been taught that
those who mourn are blessed, and shall
be comforted Have faith in that di-
vine promise, and all will be we'll"
81 will try" she answered gently.
at is very good of you to reason with
me. No one else has spoken so frankly.
They have only talked platitudes, and
begged me to divert my mind, AS if
acted charades, or billiards, or bezique,
could fill up the gap in my life. Are
you really going to Africa very soon?"
EARLY in the new year, perhaps; but
| shall not go till l have heard from
some reliable source that you are
happy"
"You must not wait for that. l shall
never know happiness again in this
world. At most l can but try to bear
my lot patiently and put on cheerful
looks, | shall try to do that, believe
me. Your lessons shall not be wasted.
And now, suppose, we must say good
by" looking at her watch; "it is time
for me to go back to the house..
Il will not detain you; but before | go
| mist aDOlOUiZe for my burplariOus