The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-09-25

tuous chaos; everywhere floating frag.
ments AZ wreck and the stain Of earth
torn frOss. It's parent shore; ruin and de-
struction and nothing that was fair to
look upon.
Far ont TO sea a woman, with a child
in her arms. floatod alone Ia q small
open boat. Alone they had been saved
from q wrecked and snnken ship-saved
from drowning, as liz seemed, but to die
Of hunger, and for hours they had tossed
helpless at the mercy of the waves.
Many a ship had come near them, but
the woman's cries were not heard in
the bowling of the tempest, and be-
meath the darkened sky the fiuttering
rag she waved was lost in the spray
which enveloped her. So the ships went
Il. The woman's voice grew faint, and
despair was in her heart. "Let death
but come quickly, I" she cried, land but
for my child it would be welcome-but
for my child and for his father await
ing him at home. I have cried. / have
prayed In vain. No help is left in earth
or LIN heaven"
But the little ray wandered on toward
her over the sea, and the woman, lift
ing her heavy lids, saw the coming
glimmer ON the water. Her breath came
quicker, her pale lips trembled, her
glance followed swiftly up TO the patch
of blue sky above, while over her death
like face and in her dulled eyes there
broke q light such as the ray had never
seen before. At the sight of it now he
flashed back up to the heavens beyond
the clouds. Come" he cried to his
| comrades, come and see, for there is
something fairer than aught that has
been before, fairer than the sunlit sea
or than the laughter ON children's lips. !"
His comrades focked to his call and
poured down through the crevice in the
clouds, widening ii as they went. Then
they stretched themselves, q broad path
| OF light, from the sky above to the lone
ly boat, which they bathed in their soft
radiance.
Across the storm driven sea, cleaving
the waves asunder with stately motion,
q great ship came. The eyes of those
ON board her, wearied with gloom, turn
ed gladly to that bright spot on sky
and sea, and turning saw the boat, saw
the white face of the woman and her
waving signal. So the ship altered her
course, and soon the mother and her
burden stood safe upon the decks.
Evening drew near. The tempest had
fed now, and thus left alone the tired,
gray waves, their strength failing and
their fury spent, were heaying in sullen
impotence to rest. The clouds, falling
away from the sky, gathered themselves
in soft, changing masses of vapor
around the edge of the sea. The sun,
sinking lower and lower, called to the
rays to come. Sadly they heard the call.
They babe farewell to their beloved
earth in a passion of fervid color. Upon
wave and cliff, mountain and cloud,
they rained their glowing kisses, and
earth's beauty quiyered into new glory,
as does q maiden's in her lovers en-
brace. Then they drew together, a road
of golden splendor ON the sea as they
crowded westward after their depart.
ing king. With slow, majestic motion
he sank to rest.
But the little ray hung back. He had
found the cloud who had stood his
friend that morning, and he waited to
give her goodby. He was filing her
now with his own golden glory Of light
as he whispered to her of all the beauty
which was in the world. Alas, she
would stay with it still in the wonder
of the night, the great dark peace which
he never might know. He thanked her,
too, in loving words and kisses till she
blushed red with pleasure, and Their
with tender, slow reluctance he drew
away from her. AS he went the fiusL
faded, passing in gentle change through
every shade of russell and purple till the
cloud was left alone, resting soft and
gray on her twilight couch.
But the little ray was thinking Of thu
light of hope which he had seen in thu
woman's eyes that day. "Ah," said hi
to himself, "if / could only shine like
thatis And with this wish in him hi
fingered still in the sky beneath, color
ing it q green so pure and SO tender thaI
to the woman watching from the Ship
deck it seemed as III heaven 3 own sprins
were bursting into blossom In her sight
But the light Iessened, and the cello
faded, and she remembered that it wa
but sun tinted vapor after all. She sigh
cd, but the sigh left her lips in q smile
for the child laughing stretched hi
hands to her face. Lovingly she presset
him closer to her and drew her shaw
more warmly round him. GOOD night
little one, " she whispered. "You mus
sleep now, for the day ID ended. TO
morrow, when the light comes back
you shall wake again." Then she ben
her head down toward his face and min
gled her smiles with his i'm a long, sof
kiss.
That was the last thing which tn
little ray saw before he, too, folloWet
the sun to rest.-Pal Mall Magazine.
A big Dress Order.
GWomeY nlav odd tricks IN one an