The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1897-04-16

onaine upon your
When he was permitted to go down.
stairs he inquired for Mrs. Travis. II
would be but an set of propriety and
courtesy to thank her in person for her
kindness to sick mar.
She had gone away the evening be-
fore with her mother.
THE deuce take it," he said. regret
fully, ''am never to see her face?"
When next Easter day came Victor
Bradnor was in Rome and with thou
sands of others attended the magnificent
services at st. Peters, where all the
pomp and circumstances of stately
robes, grand professions and artistic
music combined to give emphasis Ia
this day of days in the calendar. Brad
nor listened pensively to the glory
strains of organ and the rich-toned
voices of the men and boys Of the choir.
His thoughts were far out and away in
the UNCOVERED Virginia church, and
he felt that the music of her voice was
sweeter than that of all the harmonieS
which echoed in st. Peters. While the
organ pealed and voices blended with
it in happy acclaim Of Resurrection
day, he thought he could hear her
divine vocalization above them all. soft
and gentle withal as the zephyr at even
tide.
He was glsd when the services were
ended, because their suggestions
brought too freshly before him the
recollections of the Easter day of the
previous year. He felt he must go
through life haunted by voice, the
owner of which he burst not look upon
even should he chance to meet her. be-
cause she was the wife of another.
Passing into the outer air. he walked
along aimlessly pursued by the object
of his love. the voice that continued to
haunt him. He was aroused out of his
abstraction by a sudden scream and
then another.
Just ahead of him great burly fell
low, a thievish beggar, 1t would seem,
had seized woman, an elegantly
dressed lady, by the arm, while her
companion, young and exquisitely
beautiful female, regarded the man
with looks of horror upon her refined
face.
Striding rapidly forward, Bradnor
reached out and grasped the knave,
who had not observed his approach, by
the throat and threw him heavily to the
ground. The rascal lay stunned for a
moment, and, then reviving, gathered
himself quickly together, and hurried
away. muttering imprccations as he
staggered along.
1--WE had given him money, sir" said
the older of the ladies, "but he de-
manded more, all we had, in fact, and,
and" she was greatly excited and was
so overcome that she broke fairly down.
"Many of the Roman beggars are very
bold" he said, reassuringly, "but you
will hear no more from him. But-here
is my card" he said, drawing out his
case and handing one to each. "You
are Americans and l am an American
also Permit me to see you to your
carriage"
Mamma, that is Mrs. Trenton. wished
us to take one, but the distance is so
short and the day so lovely, headstrong,
decided we had better walk. | am
Mrs. Travis, both of Ingleside, Tir-
ginia."
The owner of the divine voice! The
charm of it was as sweet in conversa-
tion as in song. Bradnor, as they pro-
ceeded on their way, regarded her
furtively from time to time.
Mrs. Trenton knew of the Bradnors,
of Baltimore, and invited Victor to call
upon them. This he readily agreed to
do.
One day he thanked Mrs. Travis for
the roses she had sent him. Then she
blushed crimson.
"Why, Mr.. Bradnor, what must you
have thought of my boldness? did not
know your name and really thought
you were the old gentleman-your
friend so spoke of you when you lay
upon the ground"
Bradnor laughed heartily. He and the
owner of the voice had become much
better acquainted by this time.
More than this, he had learned from
her mother that she was bride Of an
hour only, her husband having been
killed in a railroad accident within less
than the time named, after the marriage
ceremony had been performed. The
girl-wife escaped unnjured and re-
turned with his dead body from what
had been intended to be happy and ex-
tended tour. This was four years ago,
and Kitty was now %.
"The deuce take it'll" murmured Brad
nor, when the mother told him, that
was what that eonfounded landlord was
trying to tell me-"
They remained at Rome two months,
and Bradnor was almost continually
with them. He met them at Paris, and
at London. The grace and charm of the
young woman were equal to the melody
of her voice, and-well, when the next
Easter rolled around Kitty Bradnor sat
by the side of her husband in the little
UNCOVERED church, where, as he aft
erward declared, she sang more divinely
than ever.
WILLIAM RossER CoBBE.