The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-02
CHAPTER VII.
(By Miss Eva Dewey

God keeps his holy mysteries, just
on the outside of mans dreams"
Dire confusion reigned, cries and
| groanS of distress were heard on all
sides. Kind hands ministered to those
| unfortunate ones. The heart and
| homes of the kindly farmers are open
ed to the suffering. A messenger is dis
| patched to the little village ahead
| kilograms bring relief trains. From the
| city comes the best medical talent.
The loss of live is terrible. Everything
possible is done for the relief of the
wounded.
On an improvised couch in neat
farm house whittier number Of the
wounded had been conveyed, lay Mar
garet, pale unto death, the lovely eyes
closed, the fringed lashes resting in
vivid contrast upon the ivory cheeks.
Near by sits Mrs. Thurston sobbing I'M
reStrainedly. Providence had decreed
that n that fatal crush no harm should
come TO her. This thought seemed to
rise in her soul. 40, Margaret-Mar-
garet-why should you be so smitten
while /, whose sands Of life are nearly
run, have been spared?'
Doctor, tell me, is there any hope?"
MY dear madam, calm yourself"
DR.. Graves. an eminent specialist, re-
piled, while there is life there is hope.
Have her friends been summoned?"
y
tell me anything of the fate of friend
who was near us when the dreadful
accident came? \ Mr.. Laird. Surely
he must be injured, and seriously, or
he would have come to us"
1T is impossible, my dear madam, at
this juncture, to do much toward iden-
tifying any one" So replying DR..
Graves again approached the couch and
leaning over, scaned the face closely
while endeavoring TO discover If only
a fiuttering pulse, 10 indicate that the
true joyous heart of Margaret St. Clair
was not, as yet, stilled to all the noble
promptings of that generous nature.
and would once again thrill with life
and love. AS the doctor turns medta-
softly and inquired: rs there any
change, doctor; will she live? O, If her
friends would only come
\ few hours later. with agonized
faces and fearful eyes, the father and
mother of Margaret st. Clair gazed
with aching hearts. az the still
unconscious form OF her. who had
made such sunshine in their lives,
from that hour when baby lips first
Hsped the sacred name OF mother. and
tiny hands were placed cOnfidingly in
fathers strong grasp, TO support the
trembling baby steps.
Mastering, in measure, his emo
tons. Mr.. 81 1idlE turned 10 Dr.
Graves. who a moment before had en-
tered silently. and extending his hand
said in tones that trembled with re-
pressed grief. Doctor save my daugh-
teri
But what Of Phillip Laird. the man
between whom and Margaret ST. Clair
had come a bliSSful moment OF meet
ing, recognition, and the Fate? The
man whose last act had been one OF
courtesy TO the woman he loved, the
woman whose image had been cherish
ed all these years in his heart as a
guiding star OF a destiny whose end
was fast approaching. Stretched upon.
a rude litter side by side with other
suffering victims, sheltered under the
roof OF a kind-hearted farmer. lay
the form Of him whose last battle had
been fought and lost Nearer and
nearer the mystic shadows are ap-
preaching. Invisible wings gently fan
the fevered cheeks, where burns the
vivid scar gained on the battlefield.
and seem TO touch and inEer lovin civ
pityingiy Ger the empty sleeve pathetic
token OF valor's unjust reward. \
faint moan escapes his lips. he stirs.
glad cry % Margaret Margaret"
sinks back upon the pillow and the soul
of Phillip Laird has winged its flight
TO that realm OF eternal bliss
Heaven opened wide her ever dur
ing gates Harmonious sounds Of gold
en- hinges turning. And through those
pea-ly portals into rest he entered
The night advanced. the shadows