Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-05-17
Miss Ends Present.

Tor and gszsd Into The bright flames as
If she saw there some lovely picture OF
the past.
Pretty Miss Enid they sometimes
called her in the psr.sh, aud The aeJrct-
i've was well applied, 50 sweet WAS her
smile and so tender and gentle were
the soft tones of her voice. And she
was not really old. nothing like the con-
ventional old maid OF story book tame.
She was simply ''Miss End no
longer very young, but with II past ta@t
had brought to her gadness and tnen
sorrow. aud had taught her Lifelong
lesson of the tenderost, purest 81 mpa-
Thy in and with tie smiles and tears OF
others.
No one came to Miss Enid for help
and went away confortess; no one
ever told her some heal ttelt story Of
grief and WEAKNESS. and did not re-
ceIve sweet consolation IN return.
Miss Ends great heart was ever open,
ever ready 10 condole with the bereav-
ed 10 smile hopefully upon the young
and the ardent toiler, to bring a mess
age of patience for the sick and the sor-
sowing-in fact, TO minister 20 each snd
everyone as they needed her sweet help
fulness. And yet and yet-Miss Enid
had known borrow. The greatest and
the deepest sorrow that can come into
a woman's life and blot ont the sun
shine from the pathway for evermore.
And she was thinking of the past to-
night. this Christmas time, when every
one was happy IN the society Of their
daar opao ami IN hon Ioxa aud inv ware
the theme of every hymn and anthem,
that was sung in the great church yon-
der, the church she had so recently
left She had been twining beautiful
wresthes for pillar and pulplt--wreaths
Of holly and ivy and box, and the vica-
rage children had helped her, pricking
their small fingers with the sharp holly
leaves, and tying her string into IN
Vulnerable tangled knots. Yet she
loved them so much, the darling. that
she was only too happy to have them
near her, to hear their little bright vol
ces, to see their rosy faces, and to feel
the soft touch of their soft hands as
they hung about her trying so hard to
help dear Miss Enid.
ave love you 50 much, you know"
grey.eyed Angela had said, "that we
want 10 do all we can, and it isn't very
much. but we do our best"
And Bobby had broken in with an ac-
count Of the Christmas card that he
meant to send TO Miss Enid-ayery q r
geous production from the village shop.
in the purchase of which and similar
treasures the chiidren's morning had
been happily spent. And Miss Enid
thanked him, beforehand, stloping down
to kiss the bonny little face, and assur
ing him that she would like il very
much and would keep il always 10
memory Of him.
That's right" the little boz said,
heartily. lis quite the proper thing
to say, isn't if, MarjorieP'
And Marjorie and Angela nodded
assent as the purse came 10 carry them
off home to the vicarage tea.
Miss Euid had declined their enthus-
astic invitation to accompany them
something bad sent back ner thoughts
back with a sudden rush OF memory,
aud the scene around seemed strangely
dream.llke and unreal. She fastened
up the long ends OF her wreath snd
put on her cloak, and then, before her
flight was noticed, she slipped away
ont into the darkness and the stiffness
of the winters evening. She wanted
To be alone TO think she bad not had
much time 10 think lately, there was
always so much to do; and then she
had been glad of it before, for the mem
Dries of Christmas time were generally
sad ones. But now she longed for
quietude for the sympathy OF her own
thoughts and of the dreams OF that Bit
ter-sweet past, the past that had 50
strangely affected all her life.
And once in her cosy oak parlor, in
her own chair by the brigh, fireside.
she lay back with halt-closed eyes ana
gave herself up. for brief time at any
rate. to the memory of the past.
II was not very beautiful past, after
all. that the childTen's talk of Christ
mas had brought back To her
She was young then. that was all.
and life was rose tinted with health and
happiness, and should she confess it,
even TO herselfp-lovel Yes, she be-
lieved that love had come to her, as it
comes once. and only once in life
time, to everyone. And yet no voice
had ever whispered 10 her that true
heart was hers for always-no lips had
ever pressed her own in the glad rap
ture of a lovers kiss-no sweet, strong
arms had EMBODIED her and held her
captive-ah. me. no. And yet. and
vet! There were half spoken words
imprinted in her memory, there were
tender glances and wonderful bright
smiles, such as love, and love alone,
could awaken. there was face a
beautiful brave face that dwell safely
shrined forever in the depths of Miss
Ends heart-the face of one, who had
surely, surely loved her onca, in the
long ago!
And she fancied sometimes that he
meant to tell her so. that the words
uembed on his lips. the words that
would have changed her life and his 50
greatly, She bad read part Of his
story in his eyes clear grave eyes thar
were truth and honesty itself-aud yet
he bad never uttered what his heart
surely knew veil. sud She bad never