The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-06-26
1W0MAN5 FLUENCE.

lHcdpdple VI WOru, cOulu only press
the hot hand between her own cool on es
while her eyes burned with the tears
she found so hard to withhold.
She was very glad when the rector
came in few moments later and she
could leave the room to overcome heI
emotion and write the following note to
Brian:
DEAR BRIAN-Do not expect me
home to dinner. Mrs. Ivens is very ill
Will you come here this afternoon? l
am anxious TO see you"
Finding boy, Margaret dire cted him
to leave the note at Elmwood.
CHAPTER XIII.
BRIAN's CHRISTMAS GIFT
When Brian came to the rectory that
afternoon Margaret asked him to go I'D
and see Mrs. Ivens.
Il wish your candid opinion" she
said. Il think she is very ill, for Ellen
is not the one to give up until forced 10
do So"
From his brief visit Brian came down
with serious face. Margaret was
standing in the lower hall, and one
glance made her heart sink heavily.
The case is hopeless" he said, in
answer to the question she was trying
to frame. Il am so sorry for you"
Rather be sorry for them," she re-
! joined, trying to shut out the sympa-
thetic face, which made it more difficult
for her to be calm. who will tell him?
Do you suppose he can ever be recon-
cilei to her loss?"
Il don't know" interposed Brian. for
want of better answer. Il suppose
We must all be reconciled to whatever
! comes to Us.
ALI don't. 1t is cruel to talk of
| being reconciled. I'd never DO recon-
ciled. Never!"
! With these abrupt words, she started
to move away, but her tears blinded her,
and she would have fallen had not
Brian, Gu ok to detect her weakness,
caught her in his arms.
|. This will not do, Margaret" he said,
with some authority. Il think you had
better go home with me. You will make
yourself ill.
What nonsense, Brian! Ill from
watching few hours with sick
friend? I wouldn't be fit to live if that
were the case. Tbs is not physical
weakness"
Aren't there others to do for Mrs.
Ivens?" he asked, with some warmth.
Why should it all fall on your Shout
ders?"
"All fall on my shoulders? Oh, Brian,
how you do exasperate me! OF course
there are others. Plenty of them.
Everybody loves her, but for some rea-
she likes to have me with her. And
with her intend to stay"
Then stay you may" he answered,
meeting her defiant eye Il sha'n't
carry you away by bodily force, though
don't think you should have your own
way in every case. l have one request
TO make. Perhaps you will condescend
TO respect it, Don't kill yourself.
Il am not one Of the killing kind, re-
Joined Margaret, going up stairs. Good
by for the present. You may call to-
morrow, If you will"
Brian did call tomorrow, and this
second visit only confirmed the opinion
expressed in his first. Mrs. Ivens was
dying-from no special disease, but from
gradual giving away of the vital
forces. life of care and anxiety, vex-
ations and privations, and wearying
struggles to make both ends meet, had
told at last on the delicate constitution.
Many who fall by the wayside are not
less brave than those who reach the
martyrs stake, and, If the truest heroes
are those who bear life's burdens I'M
complainingly, Mrs. Tvens might justly |
wear the crown of heroism
Margaret was faithful to her trust. |
Others came and went, but she remained \
| y the SICK bed. Brian exhausted his |
treaties in vain, and even Christmas |
Eve could not tempt her to leave her |
friend.
You tell me her hours are numbered. |
Let me stay until the end. 1t cannot be
very long now"
And Brian said no more.
Mrs. Ivens' hours were, indeed, num-
bered. The fame of life burnt fainter
and fainter. and when the night of I
Christmas Eve passed into the dawn of
Christmas Day, the angels OF life and
death crossed in their pathway, and the
tired soul found the land of perpetual
rest-the joys Of an eternal morning.
The incidents Of those closing moments
were indelibly photographed on Mar
garet's mind.
She had to be brave and strong for
the sake Of those so sadly bere aved.
Mary had sobbed and the rector had
bowed his head in anguished grief, but
she'had shed no tear. She had brought
the solemn, awestruck children to their
mothers side; she had seen the kiss OF
infinite tenderness pressed upon each
sad little face; her heart had echoed
Elsie cry of anguish when for the last
time that little head was pillowed on a
dying mothers breast; yet her eyes had
been hard and dry, though The painful
at her throat had made her
promise to be friend to these mother
less little ones, so hard to speak. And
even now the tears would not come,
though she had thought and thought
until her mind was weary.
The sunshine lay all about her, the
bright. glad sunshine of Christmas; on
the floor, where the carpet looked SO
faded and worn; on the very spot that
Ellen's fingers had mended SO often and
50 patiently in their old busy days; on the
Did chintz sofa, where she WAS lying
now-so carelessly, SO thoughtlessly-
while the hearS whose tender, unselfish
owe had made this house a home, in all
hat gives that word its highest, hottest
meaning, was forever stilled in its last
sleep, and the tired, patient hands lay
olded in the calm lest TO be broken
never again.
A sound in the hall! She started up
% listen. The long period OF watching
lad made her nervous and sensitive,
Ind the house had been SO still. Even
he baby voices were awed to silence
Theheavy footsteps Jared sharply on.
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