Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-10-13

Mercy Elliston, in spite of her hys-
terical entreaties to be allowed to go to
Reuben, was taken up stairs by Mrs.
Doris, not, however, to know the bless
ing of forgetfulness, but to lie in half
| conscious state upon the widows bed
and moan away the night. The Judge
and Amos sat in the parlor, the latter
frequently sobbing like child, in spite
of the landlady's reassuring bulletins.
ooh, how can it be true" sobbed
Mercy, "how can one so gentle as he
who saved me from the snowdrift have
done murderl You do not know him
as l do, or you would not hear them
say itr'
'Hushw said her companion, eve do
not believe it, dear"
But the grave-the grave" she
cried, land the beautiful flowers that
he has always grown for it, and the
dark shadow on his heart that l have
so long seen but never understood"
Presently, however, Mercy slept, and
Mrs. Doris stepped down stairs with
words of comfort for Amos, in whom
she had begun TO take warm interest.
Giles Raven crept from the little
room over the tap" and entered the
chamber. Making sure that the young
woman was asleep he pressed KISS
upon her forehead, and then, with
wildly beating heart, as silently left
the room.
He had overheard Mercy's mention
of the flowers.
1t was morning. Far over the black
ness of the weeping forest thai
stretches almost to the princely Hug
son glows the cold light of new gay
while west and south and north, from
Overlook to the Black Dome, galaxy
of granite monarchs have already put
on their crowns of molten gold. In
the dawns increasing glory the somDre
night clouds that move upon the lower
hills seem like strange monsters from
some yaster and still more gloomy
world. The robin wakes and chirps
his greeting TO the morning; the trees
shake off their REPETITION OF moisture;
overhead a silver star tells of clearer
heaven. The face of nature wears a
smile once more as the radiant sun
kisses away her tears.
But it is Gsier to charm harvest
from the eaJth than to put gladness IN
a conscieDce stricken heart. Over the
heavy road. in the early light, tolls
care bent aged man. He is bound on |
an Grand so strange that he half |
doubts his own identity and looks be-
hind him now and again, as though ex-
vecting his true self TO overtake him |
and drag him back.
On his left lies the Stone House farm |
here is the turnstile-unchanged in |
half a century. a hundred PAGES from |
the mountain road there is small |
raised bit Of earth; it is covered with
dead flowers.
Il have laid no blossoms here!" he
says, and he kneels upon the wet grass
and lays his face upon them.
A well trodden path, terminating at
the grave, leads toward the rear OF the |
house. Giles takes this path. There |
is 10 bar upon the door, yet for a mo-
ment he feels unable to enter. He |
must not turn away! To kneel at the
feet of the man whose life has been !
passed in penitence, to confess his own !
misdirected life and obtain Reuben's |
blessing, is to give his strength TO ask
forgiveness of one 10 whom alone ven |
gence belongs.
The gorgeous hills throw a ray of
light into the gloomy place. Here is
the room of the dream feast; the
dreamer knows now that no guest but
sorrow has sat at this board for de-
cades. Giles turns the handle of the
parlor door An aged figure kneels at
the easement; upon this weary, up
turned face is cast the first CLEAN OF
the morning. Perhaps it is given to
those dim eyes to see the orb of light
once more. for on the gentle lips there
rests a smile of wonder, and yet of in
effable peace.
Reuben Reubenr
Slowly the eyelids droop, and slowly
the head falls upon the breast.
It is broad day-Springfeld Repub-
lican.