Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-05-08


hands. "Leave the roses here by
my side and go out of the room for
little while.'
"Tin dollars" cried Bridget, after
reaching the hall, am all bekase |
was afther refusin' the tellin av him
who sint them. Shure, the kind gin.
tleman's gone clane daft
Bradnor seized the cluster eagerly
and let his nostrils drink in their
grateful odor. While he did so the
memory of the heavenly voice fresh
ened, and he seemed to hear it sing
over and over again the hymns of
the Easter day service. Then he
listened for the dear words Of the
flower song,'' IT'S the Last Rose of
Summer" In deep revery be clos
ed his eyes for several moments. af.
ter which he opened them again, laid
the roses down with a profound sigh
and then said, aloud
"Victor Bradnor, you are deeply,
desperately and foolishly in love with
a human voice, and that voice
is the property Of a married woman
Shame upon you'll
When he was permitted to go
! downstairs, he inquired for Mrs.
Travis. 1t would be but an act of
! propriety and courtesy to thank her
in person for her kindness to sick
man.
She had gone away the evening
before with her mother.
x x X K X
When next Easter day came Vic
tor Bradnor was in Rome and with
thousands of others attended the
magnificent services at st. Peters,
where all the pomp and circum-
stances ofstately robes, grand process
sions and artistic music combined
to give emphasis to this day of
/ days in the calendar. Bradnor lis.
tened 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 ivy covered 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 glad when the services
were ended, because their sugges.
tions 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, because she WIS 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 q
| sudden scream and then another.
just ahead of him a great hurley
fellow, a thievish beggar, it would
seem, had seized an woman, an ele-
gantly dressed lady, by the arm,
while her companion, a young and
exquisitely beautiful female, regard
| ed the man with looks OF horror up
on her refined face.
Striding rapidly forward, Brad.
nor reached out and grasped the
knave, who had not observed his ap-
| proach, 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 lmprecations as be stag.
| gered along.
| 'We had given him money, sir,'
said the older of the ladies, "but he
demanded 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,
shut you will hear no more from
him. But--here is my cardu lie
said, drawing out his case and hand
ing one to each. "You are Ameri-
cans and l am en- American also.
Permit me to see you to your car
riage."
Mamma, that is Mrs. Trenton,
wished US to take one, but the dis
lance is SO short and the day so
lovely. | decided We had better
walk. I am Mrs. Travis, both Of
Ingleside, Virginia.
The owner of the divine voice
The charm of it was as sweet in
conversation as in song. Bradnor,
as they proceeded on their way, re-
garded her furtively from time to
time.
Mrs. Trenton knew of the Brad.
nors, of Baltimore, and invited Vic
tor to call upon them. This he
readily agreed to dc.
One day be thanked Mrs. Travis
for the roses she bad sent him.
| Then she hIushpd crimson