The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-23

his keeping its golden key. And thus h
set himself to WOO. so ardently. so be.
guilingly, knew not how to say him nay
or hold him back
The night before the nuptiaI day we
held royal banquet. The table spanked
In sea OF light and foam Of mirth AMI
wit Love sat at my right hand. wooing
with his lips and eyes, a radiant con-
queror when the portal crashed open, the
lights hickered and a cold win swept
through the hall. and y. in our midst
a strange and dismal group of hooded
figures.
What mummery is this?'' cried Love
springing TO his feet. Speak, or be gomez
A dull and lifelss voice stole on our ears
like chilling wind. Il am Poverty il
said, and these my henchmen-Cold, Hun.
ger. Melancholy and Heartache." As he
spoke, the cOwls fell from their faces
and they stood revealed, a hideous COM
pany of deaths headsl Duller and duller
waXed the lights, colder and colder grew
the hall; the triumph faded from Loves
face, the luster from his eyes and pale and
haggard he turned away
stay cried. stay and save me from
this deathly crew.
He needed not. but. reckoning his fol
lowers. hurried from the hall. and I heard
the flying beat of their horses hoofs across
the bridge. / was as one gone mad. ]
called on Love with passion, anger. ten
derness and pain; 1 besOught his mercy,
his faithfulness. his oaths. I would have
thrown myself after him, but Poverty laid
his cold hand on my arm Stay" he said;
they are best gone; they are but high
waymen disguised. False Love they are.
and Flattery. Deceit. Falsehood and
Heartbreak. They stole thy heart for the
gift of thy gold and castle. Whenever my
face confronts them they fly before. me
as before plague; 1 am the touch-stone
snEN NNnHr 4 Eaa.u
destruction; henceforth thou art mine, but
fear not. thy destiny is in thy own hands.
To those that mouth upon and mock and
curse me l am Death and Damnation; TO
those that smiling, take my hand and
call me friend. I am Life and all things.
Go to Fame's Temple and, reading the
names written upon the walls with bold
or dying hand, ask of the Oracle of their
Youth and thou wilt hear that all. all who
have climbed the weary hill and passed
within the glorious portal, all have come
out of the House of Poverty and bear its
seal upon their brow. o, blessed be such,
and Immortality their crown
Thus II came to pass that Poverty be-
came my master. I loathed my captor.
and his henchmen daily grew more hid
eous TO my sight. OF all the merry house
hold I alone was left, some fleeing, and
those that loved me most. feeling the bur-
den fall too heavy on their hearts, sank
into the grave, stricken by Hunger and
Cold. And thus Sorrow came into the
company.
Daily I grew more and more rebellious
and more wrathful. / rallied at Poverty
and cursed him and his henchmen, and
their faces grew yet more awful, and they
hedged me in so closely that I cried for
breath. And then Poverty degraded me
yet more and bent my pride until it
groaned in anguish, driving me forth from
80 10 to Of g..
of the Hill. l wept and beat my hands
and pleaded, aye, pleaded! but they
laughed and pricked my spirit, and ],
whose hands had only brushed against
ermine and silk, must sweep and garnish
the miserable hut. be daubed with dust
and choked with Times cobwebs! But
said to myself in comfort: Now Poverty
and all will flee away; there is naught left
of which TO rob me, and there is scant
room for all" But, no, they crowded in,
seeing my tears, giving me no kindly
help or word, and then, as l worked, my
bitter railing tongue grew silent and I
thought of many things planning how
the cottage might be cleaner and fairer,
and as l saw my plans take shape and
some simple beauty grow around me.
would forget Poverty for a time, and that
Melancholy and Sorrow were ever near.
And. 10! one day ! found that Cold and
Hunger had taken flight, and when the
Spring came and / planted me vines and
roses, and pressed the violets to my breast
Melancholy babe me farewell, and Sor-
rows face grew sweet and gentle as the
face of a friend. Under the flowers lay
Heartache, buried so deep that hence
forth he might know no resurrection to
darlen the cottage door
Thus Poverty and ] were left alone and
face to face. Yet not alone, for as 1 looked
out on the world once more found there
were other cottages built about that we
in the castle on the hill had never seen,
and from these cottages cheerful faces
always greeted my coming with happy
smiles. Charity dwelt in one. and in the
others were Sympathy, Courtesy, Cheer
fulness, Sincerity and the large family of
Kindly Hearts, and all it's kith and kin
Friendly we grew sharing our joys and
sorrows, making merry over small things
and braVely bearing great. And when the
Yuletide came again, We gathered about
the Yule-log blazing on our hearth and
each gave to each simple gifts, made of
love and infinite patience and toll, but
full of kindly thought, and none knew
envy nor longing for what had been or was
not.
When all had gone their merry voices
dying away on the frosty air, l turned
me to Poverty, who sat by the hearth
gazing in at the flames, and laying my
hand on his arm. said:
" 1ONGIlNs lilOu mas Taught HE NluCn
and given me more, Thou has given me
eyes and understanding and-a heart!
thank and bless thee"
Even as 1 spake a change came over
Poverty. his cowl fell from. him into the
flames and behold. he stood before me
a radiant youth. eternally beautiful, eter-
nally young!
Behold thy miracler' he said Wrought
by thy womans courage and thy womans
truth. I am True Love, seen only by
the eyes that have gazed bravely on Pow
ertys face, known only to the heart that
has warmed al Poverty's hearth Thou
hast spoken and blessed, and behold! thy
blessing returns unto thee threefold"
The door opened and three beautiful
figures crossed the Threshold radantly
crowned with the glory of the eternal
stars.
"These are thy handmaids-Happin
Content and Hope
AS he ceased speaking it was as though
a chord of tenderest music vibrated
through the room.
My heart was full But my dead?"
murmured Thou canst not give me
back my deadr
His face shown with the light of con-
fdence serene.
''Hark!' he cried.
Far from the distance came the sound
of MANY feet marching mar and pao.or