Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-11-21

There has always been Ruy Penrith.
Promise me this, my child
The perfume OF orange and pomc-
granate blossoms commingled; the
about the veranda, fioated subtly into
about the yeranda, floating subtly into
the room from the fragrant villa gar
den. A clock somewhere down by the
quay was striking eight. The young
May moon had risen over the harbor
and was smiling at her pale reflection
entombed in the still bosom of the
sea.
IL shall never marry, grand
| mother" said Alicia, in low. choked
voice at last
Nonsense, dearest! Promise.
IT. answered the girl, after am
other pause, with forlorn little smile
-"if such an unlikely thing should
ever happen to me, II will remem-
Der your wishes, grandmother"
continued.
Thank you, my own dear child
with peaceful sigh. And now will
YOU go and watch for Herman? lie
will like to see you, Alicia, leaning
over the gate as he comes up the road
in the cleaning"
Imprinting kiss on the pale brow,
Alicia went out into the sweet-scented
garden She felt unutterably sad
she hardly knew why. 1t was wrong
to feel SO melancholy, she told herself,
on the night OF Herman's arrival.
Listlessly she leaned over the garden
gate and looked down the steep white
road, dewy tendril from the vine on
the trellis near just touching her soft,
dark hair.
Stars were in the heavens. stars in
the sleeping, shimmering sea; lights
were already cleaning through the
purple shadows in the wonderful city
below; voices laughter, and the tinkle
Of mandolin came up to her dis
tinctly as she stood there waiting at
the gate.
Presently she heard the we'll beloved
step, and saw the well-known, stall
wart form coming tiredly up the twi-
light road. How her whole heart went
out to him then-how glad she was to
see him
He joined her, and took her hand.
How cold it felt, how delicate and
small, when clasped and hidden
within his own, he was thinking in
sensibly in his great, tender, plying,
! passionate love-how pale and beauti-
full she looked. in the dusky, mysteri-
GUS, evening light!
Were you watching for me?" he
asked, inyoluntarily.
YES" she said, simply.
He was silent. He would not trust
himself to speak again just yet.
Come" Alicia went on softly, clos
ing the gate as she spoke; my grand
mother is waiting for you, too. She
has done little save talk of you, watch
for you through the live long day"
So they went indoors together, and
in silence entered the cool salon. 1t
was all very still there. The moon
light lay upon the floor.
Grandmother" said Alicia, lightly
touching her shoulder, "Mr. Merry
weather IL here See. he Is standing
by your side"
But there was no reply; and, to-
gether. bending down and peering
through the gloom, they saw in an in
slant that her trouble had ceased for
ever--that she had passed away with a
smile on her face
"To where beyond these voices there
Is peace"
They buried her in the beautiful
cemetery at Genoa, and marked her
grave with fine white marble cross.
On It they inscribed her name and
age, and underneath, the penitents
passionate prayer:
"Deus miserere mel"
This done. Herman Merryweather
in that kind, protecting guardian-like
fashion which Alicia Penrith had
grown to know so well In him. set
about making the necessary prepare
ton for their immediate return to
England. Never would she forget his
wonderful goodness, Alicia told her-
self emphatically tact, the fore
thought, the rare consideration, by
which she felt heself surrounded al
every turn during this dark. calami-
tous hour which had oyertaken her 80
far from home,
Had he been her father, or she his
ward in reality, he could not have been
kinder or more solicitous of her wei
fare. Never, never, she cried out
desolately. could she repay him for al
that he had donel In her somher
robes of mourning he brought her back
to Garth, sole mistress Of 0ldfriars-
to reign there alone.
OH AIoTER TX