The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-19

the adjective was well applied, SO
sweet was her smile, and sotender and
gentle were the soft tones OF her
voice. And she was not really old,
nothing like the conventional old
maid OF story.book fame. She was
simply "Miss Enid"-no longer very
young. but with a past that had
brought to her gladness and then sor-
row, and that had taught her q lite-
long lesson Of the tenderest, purest
sympathy in and with the smiles and
the tears Of others. No one came to
Miss Enid for help and went away
eomfortless; no one ever told her
some heartfelt story Of grief and
WEAKNESS, and did not receive sweet
consolation In return. Miss Ends
great heart was ever open. ever ready
TO condols With the bereaTed, to smile
hopefully upon the young and the
ardent toiler, TO bring . message Of
patience to the sick and the sorrowing
in fact, to minister to each and
every one ss they needed her sweet
helpfulness. And yet-andyet-Miss
Enid had known sorrow, the greatest
uni the Deepest Enrrov that can come
into q womsn's life and blot ont for
ever the sunshine from the pathway
And she was thinning OF the past
tonight, this Christmas time, when
every one was happy in the society OF
their dear ones, and when love and
JOY were the theme Of every hymn and
anthem that was sung in the great
church yonder, the church she had so
recently left. She had been twining
beautiful wresths for pillar and pulpit
-wreaths Of holly and ivy and boz,
and the viearage children had helped
her, pricking their small fingers with
the sharp holly leaves, and tying her
string into Innumerablet tangled knots.
let she loved them 80 much, the
darlings, that she was only too happy
10 have them near her, 10 hear their
little bright voices, 70 see their rosy
faces, and to feel the soft touch OF
their soft hands ~ they hung about
her trying 90 hard to help "dear Miss
Enid"
1--WE lore you 90 much. you know"
grsy.sysd Angela had said, "thst We
want TO do ell We can, aud II isn't very
much, but We does our best"
And Bobby had broken in with an
account Of the Christmas card that he
meant 10 send Miss Ends very gor.
geous produetion from the village
shop, In The purchase Of Shich and
similar treasures the children's morn.
ing had been happily spent. And
Misc Enid thanked him before and,
stopping down to kiss the bonny lit
lie face, IND assuring him that she
would like il very much, and would
keep IL always in memory Of him.
That's right, the little boy said,
heartily. "'Tis quite the proper
thing 70 say, isn't e, Marioriei"
And Marjorie and Angela nodded
assent a. the nurse came to carry them
Oh home 10 the vicarage tea.
Miss Enid bad declined their en-.
thusiastie invitation 70 accompany
them-somsthing had sent her
thoughts back 10 the past with sud.
den rush Of memory, and the scene
around seemed strangely dreamliks'
and unreal She fastened up the long
ends Of her wreath and pnt on her
cloak, and then, before her flight was
noticed, she clipped away, out into
the darkness and the stiffness Of the
winters evening. She wanted 10 be
alone, 10 think she had not had much
time 20 think lately, there was always
30 much 10 20; and then she had been
glad Of ii before, for the memories OF
Christmas time were generally sad
ones Butnog she longedf for quiesude,
for the sympathy Of her osn thoughts
and Of The creams Of that bitter sweet
past, the past that had 70 strangely
affected oil her life.
And once IN her cosy oak parlor, In
her own chair by the bright iireside.
che lay back with half closed eyes and
gave herself up, for . brief time at
any rate. TO tho memory Of tho past.
~ was not . very eyenstul past, alter
ell, that the ehildren's talk Of Chris.
mas bad brought back to her.
bbe was young then, that was alI,
and life vas f0Eestinted with health
and happiness and--sh0uId abe ron.
fess IL, even 10 berselfs-lovei Yes,
che believed that love bad come 20
her, as IL comes once, and only once
in 0 lifetime, 70 every one. And yet