Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-01-24


hospitable meal and was lingering UNI
easily about, shy ard strange, when
some one remarked that the English
monsieur ought certainly to climb o
Signale, and see what all travellers
knew, is one of the finest views in
Switzerland. But there was no one to
show him the way, except two little
boys, sons of the house, and Silence,
A sud len impulse, a of man who
is determined to have his way, con-
que ed Roderick's dilidence.
Madame, viii you trust her with me-?
tits not Swiss fashion, know, but in
England | should be thought good
knight enough to deserve the charge
of any fair damsel, If she would 50 far
condesclnd. Malamolsele ma cous-
ine;"
Silence looked up, looked down, and
smiled, The mother cast u penetrat-
ing glance at the two so innocently
happy in one another's company.
The good God makes it, not |, NUT
tered she to herself my daughter,
you, Adolphe and Henri will show the
view to our dear English cousin. He
will acknowledge there is scarcely q
more beautiful sight to be seen in this
world"
He did acknowledge it, when, hav-
ing climbed the steep mill alone-for
Silence mounted merrily with big
schoolboy at either hand-he saw the
whole lake from Geneva to MontreuX,
with its girdle of mountains from
Mont Blanc to the Rernese Alps,
spread before him like picture, as
still and as clear.
Suddenly, through the gray, cloudy
sky, the sun broke OUT poured down q
torre IT OF light, like cataract Of mol
ten gold, into the lake, then SPAWNED it
with bridge of rays from shore to
shore.
"Oh, how lovely" cried Roderick,
and both of them, shading their eyes
from the dazzling glory stood watch
ing it, till the descending sun, sud
denly touching the verge of the mist,
plunged into it and disappeared.
is all ended?"
Not quite" said Silence; wait q
minute more" And through the death
like grayness which had fallen in
simultaneously upon mountains, lake
and sky, he rerceived gradual, won
deriul change. See" She spoke in
English, and touching him-the light
est possible touch, yet it thrilled
through every nerve-pointed to the
mountains nearest the sunset.
What sight! Slowly faint color,
like blush, crept over the "everlast-
ing SHOWS deepening more and more
as it spread from summit to summit
along the whole range of Alps
1T looks as if an angel were STEP
ping from peak to peak with basket
OF roses"
YES" Roderick answered, also be-
meath his breath; only their color is
not like earthly roses. We shall never
see the like again till we see it in para
disc. Please God we may"
AS he said the we deliberately, mark
eddy, Intentionally, he saw faint
trembling in the sweet mouth, firmly
closed though it was; and coming q
little closer he took hold-not of her
hand, but of her dress. Like reve-
lation, which some will no more believe
in than q blind man could believe in
that wondrous sight before these two,
there came into him-perhaps into
both--the love, the one passionate, yet
pure and perfect love, Of one man for
one woman, which, if both have
strength to accept and be true to its
blesse mess, makes all life a joy, and
death it elf no longer fear. For even
then, standing close beside her, with
the mere touch of her garments and
the stirring of her hair giving him
rapture iudescribable, Roderick could
think of death, of his own dead.
Str NICELY enough, the first words he
said were
"Oh, if my father could but have
seen this sight"
Perhaps he does see it, and mine,
too They were friends when they
were young"
Eyes. And we? We must be friends
all our lives"
81 hope So"
''Friend was the only word he dared
to say-a wiser word than he was
aware of; for friends may be lovers
some day, but lovers who are not
friends will cease to be both.
The colonization" slowly faded, and
that cold, gray, deathly shade which
comes so suddenly after sunset here
and mountains even over Silence's
face; till there came into those far
away eyes of hers an eXpression-R
erick could have imagined it that OF an
angel standing by sealed grave, but
looking upward still, waiting for the
resurrection day.
A few minutes after Roderick fol-
lowed Hence down the hill. which she
descended as she mounted, with boy
on either hand, and all went back to
tea that simple Swis tea which he
had long since beg to prefer to the
grandest of Kicherden dinners.
Dull, to a certain extent, was the
iourne' home, for Hence had neither
eyes, ears nor thoughts for any creature
except her mother, and koderick, in
the reaction after strong suppressed
feeling, half fancied himself de trop.
Sh linking into corner, he scarcely
spoke to either, but soothed himself
by taking The tenderest silent care of
both m Their ard da ght4r till he de-
posted them at their own door.
That kindly lion S ir."-"Au re-
voir"-iust the ordinary adieu which
had taken place at the door so many
times is time it was almost briefer
than usual, Ior he saw Hence was
glad to get her mothe home and he,
too, was not orry to sh away, afraid
lest the strong self repression of the
last few hours might give way and be-
ray him by ONE unguarded look or