Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-07-21

the despairing-oyerspread her lace,
and in that moment, if | loved her
not, there was something very sweet
in my soul-an atom of that bound
less compassion which is the closest
kin to love.
/ know not what led her during
the following days to doubt me, but
one afternoon she asked:
''But will you ever marry me ~
. / swore TO her that / would. She
smiled up at me with alteration. She
prayed aloud, thanking God for his
great goodness. One day I was so
moved by the depth of her love for
me that l wished to give her yet
more happiness, it would cost me SO
little. Alasl was she not irremedia-
bly, condemned
II am going to publish the banns, /"
I cried.
Her joy was almost terrible in its
intensity. Her face shonc with a
marvellous splendor, and while she
drew down my face to hers, while
she laughed and cried in reciting to
me in broken words the prayer OF
her love, while she spoke to me as
ferveAt devotees to God, l felt that
l had given to one human being the
equivalent of lifetime of happiness.
| will not tell you how l arranged
to obtain the consent ofmy guardian.
/ did not ask that of my fiancee-I
knew she would pardon ne after
ward. The banns were published,
and made all preparations for a
regular marriage.
During the weeks which followed
she lived in ectacy. Her malady
seemed relenting. A miraculous
beauty seemed to shine about her
like an aureole. She dazZled me
she filled my heart with sad love,
like that Of mothers for frail, beauti-
full children who cannot live. / had
her placed in special room at the
hospital, where she received the care
Of the best physicians and had sis
ter of charity 10 watch ever her
night and day. / passed the greater
pant of my time with her. | could
not satiate myself with that adoring
gaze, with that beatitude which each
word, each gesture ofmine bestowed.
How well l remember the twilight
hours when I would sit beside her,
watching her pale face blend har-
moniously with the shadows, while
she murmured to me her words of
love like the verses of song:
Better than God! Better than
the Virglnl Better than NY life and
the life of the universe ~
Thus time flowed by, and the we'd
ding day came. After the civil mar
riage they sat up an altar in her
chamber and dressed her in rich
bridal robes. She seemed to live in
an atmosphere of perfect bliss. She
was as beautiful as day in spring
time when it draws toward sunset
and misty glory rises over the
hills and lakes and the drowsy flow
ers droop their heads in sleep. She
lived twenty years in that hour. /
have but to close my eyes, and | see
her again. Her eyes were so large
and bright that they seemed 10 efface
her pale yisage. A sanity smile
played upon her lips. Her little
hands were clasped as she listened to
the voice OF the priest. Our fingers
joined, and she trembled when, at
last, she pronounced the great eyes, y
for she put in it all her religion, all
the force of her being then she
sank back, her strength exhausted.
But what delicious fatigue, what
blissful WEAKNESS! Tenderly she
whispered as she dreamed and drew
me near her lips. The murderous
shadow of death crept rapidly on
ward. Her spirit wandered in the
far-off land of twilight. / saw her
cheeks grow leaden hued and her
temples hollow. She felt not the APP
preach of death, but continued to
love, to be happy, to forget herself
in her dream divine. Her head was
pillowed on my arm, and | watched
her dark eyes grow wider, wider yet.
Her hair shone upon the pillow like
mesh of gold. The silken bridal
robe enveloped her like cloud.
The sun had set, and the daylight
was fading, when she murmured:
"Thou lowest me, Jacques Thou
lowest the poor girl 7 Mon Dieul
We will live long. / feel that ] can
not die | cannot die now"
Her voice sounded as if she had
turned back at the entrance of that
mysterious land to call to me once
more-it is like bells heard far of
upon the sea. Her body grows cold
in its rich winding sheet, but she no
longer suffers. She repeats:
81 cannot die!n
A vague smile hovers over her
face, which always wears that look
of infinite love, of happiness without
T. =