The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-08-18

StihC duO Aly DtloiCo.
The weak voice broke, and Margaret,
incapable of word, could only press
tho hot hand between her own cool ones
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 her
emotion and write tho following note to
Brian:
DEAR BR1AN-Do not expect me
homo to dinner. Mrs. Ivens is very i'll.
Will you come here this afternoon? I
am anxious TO see you"
Finding boy, Margaret dire cted him
to leave the note at Elmwood.
CHAPTER XIII.
BRIANs CHRISTMAS GIFT.
| When Brian came to tho rectory that
afternoon Margaret asked him to go up
and see Mrs. Ivens.
Il wish your candid opinion" she
said. Il think she is very i'll, for Ellen
is not tho one to give up until forced to
do so"
From his brief visit Brian came down
with a 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" sho 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-
ciled 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.
"Ah! don't. 1t is cruel to talk Of
being reconc!led. I'd never be 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, quick to detect her weakness,
caught her in his arms.
"This will not dc, Margaret" he said,
with some authority. Il think you had
better so homo with mo. You will mako
yourself i'll"
What nonsense, Brian! III from
watching u 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 exaspcrate me! OF course
there are others. Plenty Of them.
Everybody loves her, but for some rea-
s Il she likes to have me with her. And
with her intend to stay"
Then stay you may" he answered,
meeting her defiant eye. L sha'n't
carry you away by bodily force, though
l don't think you should have your own
way in every case. I 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 upstairs. 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
l dying-from no special disease, but from
, O gradual giving away Of tho vita
I forces. A life of care and anxiety, vex,
atoms and privations, and wearyine
1 struggles to make both ends meet, had
J told at last on the delicate constitution
Many who fall by the wayside are MOI
less brave than those who reach thu
8 martyrs stake, and, if the truest heroes
i are those who bear LIES burdens un
complainingly, Mrs. 1vens might justl!
: wear the crown Of Eeroism.
Margaret was faithful to her trust
J, Others came and went, but she remained
o by the SIGH bed. Brian exhausted hi
G treaties in vain, and even Christina
1t Eve could not tempt her to leave he
: friend.
"You tell me her hours are numbered
. Let me stay until the end. It cannot b.
y very long now"
And Brian said no more.
J. Mrs. Iyens' hours were, indeed, mum
1T bered. The flame Of life burnt fainte
Y. and fainter, and when the night c
10 Christmas Eve passed into the dawn c
is Christmas Day, the angels Of life an
I'd death crossed in their pathway, and tn
tired soul found the land Of perpetus
IS rest-the joys of an eternal morning
lie The incidents Of those closing moment
in were indelibly photographed on Nal
1T garet's mind.
S. She had to be brave and strong fc
the sake Of those so sadly bereavet
ct Mary had sobbed and the rector ha
8 bowed his head in ansuished grief, b,
Nv she had shed no tear. She had brOugl
+. the solemn, awe-struck children to the
he mothers side she had seen the kiss
err infinite tenderness pressed upon eat
nv sad little face; her heart had echoe
Elsie's cry of anguish when for the. la
ho time that little head was pillowed on
ST diving mothers breast; yet her eyes he
e. been hard and dry, though the paint
in tightening at her throat had made h
promise to be q friend to these mothe
nd less little ones, so hard to speak. Al
ITS even now the tears would not com
by though she hal thought and thong
,es until her mind was weary.
ed The sunshine lay all about her, tt
bright, glad sunshine of Christmas; {
,es the floor, where the carpet looked
id. faded and worn; on the very spot tn
on Ellen fingers had mended so often a.
nat so patiently in their old busy days; on t
lad old chintz sofa, where she was lyl
zen now-so carelessly SO thoughtlessly
while the heart whose tender, unselfi
wv. love had made this house home, in
is that gives that word it's highest, hole
the meaning, was forever stilled in its Ii
sleep, and the tired, patient hands !
folded in the calm lest to be brok
ed. never again.
Of A sound in the hall! She started
I to listen. The long period Of WATCH
TX had made her nervous and sensiti'
# I and the house had been so still. Ev
,le- the baby voices were awed to silence