Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-06-04

wife | knew that letter ana i knew my
brother.
And the devil knew me in the hour
of my wicked weakness The letter !
intercepted and hid.
Il knew his spirit Of sensitive pride
so well that when the tempter whis-
pcrcd He Will never write but once, |
knew 1t well.
Il knew If he never had an answer
from you that there would be no other
word from him 10 You
II have lived with the torture Of
that stolen letter which your heart has
wrung from mine a thousand times in
our silent spirits war with you even
conquerEg | am dying, but the
home and tine brother are here
Come lii unto INN and dwell with
him
Preside at my chair, sit al my plate
drink frcm my cup and may God grant
you double blessing and me double
mercy Amen
And SO Eunicc wcpt Not for herself;
her suffering had been years in dark
ness, and here was hight And through
such she looked INTO the soul of that
other woman
And thCn she prayed She was beyond
the dear Thcmas-a-Kcmpl5 and TIiesto.
gems Of her agony hours
She went 10 God with that other
woman
And when she arose from her knees,
instead # opening that letter she dried
hCr eyes and smoothcd her hair for the
tea table.
When gentle little old lady put her
head with jerk in al the door and
said, Tea is rc,dy, Miss Eunice, " she
followed Len without word and drank
tea with her same daily precision. And
when, tea being over, she and the gentle
little old lady sat out on the quiet
piazza together, with only the song Of
sleepy insects and the great beauty Of
mountain night, She said:
Miss Annie, | have "A story to tell
Won.
And the gentle little old lady heard
with an amused interest Eunice Raven :
romance.
"Ncw, Miss Annie, what ought to
do? Pray for me tonight and tell me
when you call me III the morning, fin.
ishcd Eunice.
Tell you what you ought to dol
Why, Miss Eunice, marry himl Just to
think, you poor dear as much as | have
liked your quiet way as boardcr, and
that bad, too rs | dreaded taking you
You have never given the trouble Of y
kitten, though. / should miss you more
than a hull orphan asylum.
Remember, Miss Annie, it is 10
years, and have not read his letter
yet, " returned Eunice.
"Not read the letter yctr' exclaimed
the gentle little old lady well. you
do beat all. But one beau, and never
had but one letter. being 10 years COM
ing, and you not read it yet Land o.
love, Miss Eunicc, IN amazed. | should
60 right up stairs and read that there
letter this very minute. "
Eunice Raven went slowly to her
little room. but as soon as she entered
the very dots i'll the curtains began TO
dance before her, and the white chair
covers and bedspread all seemed shrouds
that gave her shivers
Going 10 her trunk, she unpacked
picture Of herself in youth. She held ii
critically before the candle glare IL
mirrored fresh, bright, happy face.
She compared it with her poor worn
one. The significance Of the act was the
last and saddest truth of her wretched
misery. Sorrow beauties only the
heart, not the face Of woman.
"Ahl' exclaimed Eunice holding the
image of her girlhood at arms length.
That night there was disorder in the
chamber Of Eunice Raven, and the tu-
multi of her soul was great, but as the
gray dawn Crept gently about her the
woman arose from her knees and bear
ing herself erect and firmly poised, stood
beside the writing table at her eastern
window
Beneath her lay the unopened letter
that had awaited her hand these 10
years. She smiled at some grim thought
III abstract and looked out over the sun
tinted mountains.
In the shadow Of their quiet, mighty
grandeur there lay strength. With cold
narrow lips she pressed the letter-once.
twice-and then, with steady, unerring
pen, she wrote across its surface
only a heart, face and name -
She laid 1T and locked it away in the
very bottom of her trunk And when
she had done that she simply went on
with the life Of Eunice Raven
"Larks -