Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-05

ting chilly"
As they walked back to the farm
house The brush fires on the foot
hills died TO a dull glow and bank OF
clouds swept across the sky. They part
ed as formal acquaintance might have
done.
Come. see the place where the Lord lay'
For He is risen, Is risen to-day;
Alelujah. Allelujah!
Jean Montgomery's voice rang out It's
clear, vibrant soprano In the SOLO ano'
as Its rich pathetic notes echoed through
the church. many turned TO look at the
singer More statuesque than usual. she
appeared. as she stood In the choir-loft,
the morning sun throwing her figure
into strong relief and making her hair
n veritable nlmbus about her head. Her
feIIoyr-meubers Of the choir had noticed
ber white face and the far-away look
In her eyes: but then Jean never was
Ike ANYBODY else, and 1t was just like
ber 70 be silent and constrained on
Faster morning. when every one else
was Joyous Certainly, her voice was
never better, thought Spencer Gregg,
and. as he looked longingly at her, he
wondered dreamily If it were possible this
was the same girl with whom he had
stood In the dream-lght of the night be-
fore.
Pshawl It was all dream. fantasty
at best. True. she had stirred his blood
and turned his head for the time being.
but II was impossible that he should
marry her. What did II matter IL his
blood iesped along his veins at sight of
her? 1t was a mere case OF propinquity.
After church he would bid her a formal
adieu. and then away to fresh fields and
pastures new.
The .dronlng sermon came TO an end az
last. Spencer Gregg was surrounded
by a number who knew of his intended
departure. when at last he freed him.
SELF from them and looked around for
Jean. she was nowhere TO be seen.
Miss Montgomery has gone home"
they said, and Spencer Gregg felt a
strange contraction at his heart.
"Ah, will you be so kind as to say au
revoir to her for me?' he said to a neigh
Dor II had intended TO do so in person.
but have missed that pleasure"
AS he walked home alone he wondered
when life would be so sweet again as
1t had been for the past three months.
III.
A year had passed.
Once more IL was the eve OF Easter.
He had forgotten the holiday, and as
afternoon he had been struck by the
great masses OF flowers and the white
lily bells that had met him everywhere.
"You have n very fine assortment" he
said to the fiower-woman in the market.
The woman looked surprised.
'It is Easter. sir" she said.
Spencer Gregg started as II he had
been struck. Easter! Was II a year
since -
~ -. . -. - l~n,,o,o IT,, tutn.
scarcely knowing what he did, and or
dered them sent to his apartments, and
after a while he went there himself.
II was dusk now, and as he sat in hts
lonely rooms no heard naught save the
muhied roar OF the city. like fhungry
wild beast. floating In at his windows.
The sweet cioying fragrance or the
lilies smote overpoweringly on his
senses. They had smelled just so last
Easter when she had sung "Allelujah!
Allelujahr and his senses had ached at
sight Of her.
Fool, fool that he had been. A year
ago he had been wealthy. courted, pulled
UP with the pride of life and the folly
of position. The lust of the world had
blinded his eyes and hardened his
heart. He had thrown away a jewel and
chosen the husks that the swine refused
instead. and now just Heaven had re-
Quilted him according TO his iniquity.
With the loss of his fortune. butterfly adj
herents and false friends had melted
away like snow in the sunshine, and
when his nature, purified by misfortunes
of some worldly dross, turned toward
more spiritual aspirations, the final blow
came.
Jean was dead Only to-day had he
heard the tidings. and since then he had
been like one demented. AS he sat In
the twilight, with only the discordant
noises of the city and his own miserable
reflection for company. memory torment
ed with a thousand ghosts.
Again he saw Jean. Again those Won
derful eyes met his and thrilled him
through and through again he heard
her voice. as he had heard 1t hundreds or
times in the happy old days, singing.
Again he saw her rare. sweet smile, and
like a breath out OF paradise came
wave Of that unforgotten magnetic In
fiuence that was part OF her and en-
veloped her wherever she went.
Oh II he could see her for one moment
as she stood in the twilight by the old
meadow bars a year ago! What mad
ness had possessed him then! How could
he have been so blind as not TO see that
deep divine. tender love that noble
woman's heart had lavlshed upon him
and that he had refused!
In one swift, lightning fash he saw her
purity and his own setishness. With
a man unrequited love means pursuit;
with woman it means renunciation.
Spencer Gregg groaned. Too late he
loved her. Too late would he have given
IN his life TO win the treasures of
love once his and now forever lost All
through the night he walked the floor
or sat In silence with MS head on his
hands. How he came TO get into
church the next morning he could not
tell. Mechanically. ne stood when others
stood and knelt when others knelt. The
air was heavy with the odor OF lilies,
tonnuils. yiolets, roses; the chancel was
one mass of fronds and blossoms. Jean
had been so fond of flowers; he wondered
IF they tended her grave carefully. lie
youId make a pilgrimage and adorn her
80 rae,ing Mace with the choicest bios
SONS THE bells broke into a loud peal,
was II a joyful chime or requiem? He
could not tell.
suddenly. as they died away, sweet,
soaring voice swelled through the arched
roof of the church aud SCARED heaVeh-
ward in full. noble tones:
Coma see the place where the Lord lay,
For He Is risen. risen TO-DAY
Anelujahl Allelujah!
spencer Gregg was pierced through and
,nrough lean was dead. he knew that.
but her voice had lived in another singer.
Presently he tried to see her. Use
less. the choir was invisible; lie shook
as though with an ague Jeans eyes
doomed at his from the lilies.
".
Finally the interminable service was
ever He listened for the voice, but 1t
came no more.
Avoiding the worshippers VINO ex-