Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-02-26
Then she seemed to lose all con-

aWhere was she nowf Who werc
those 7" she asked one standing be-
side her.
aThey are the souls Of the dead
waiting till the day dawns and the
golden gates are opened 7
'Then ! must be dead, and those
must be the gates OF heaven, that
beautiful place used TO like reading
about when child. | will join the
throng and 60 in with them
And when the day dawned she al
SO pressed forward towards those
golden gates, guarded by angels.
but though many passed through
more were turned away.
At last only Hilda a:.d another
we're left.
That other was broken-hearted
woman, and the girl shrunk back
with loathing when she saw it was
Mrs. Chester
As she recoiled an angel beckoned
to the weeping woman, and she be-
held her no more. But now the
gates were closed.
Hilda sprang forward and stretch
ed out her hands to those white rob-
ed guardians.
"You have forgotten me"
''There is no forgetting here
came the answer.
Then why do you not let me
through r.
"Your sins expel you"
"My sinsl Ny sins ! What sins
have I committed !? What command
ment have / broken ?" questioned
the girl, with the surprise Of self
CoutluCtu iuHOC6uce.
"The sixth commandment. Thou
shalt do no MURDER
Hilda shrank back in horror,
amazement, anger.
81 commit murderl I,who could
not even bear to see bird shot"
Eyes, you are a murderess,' an
swered the angel, sternly. "You
who recoiled from that woman are
much more guilty. She, in great
temptation, in great provocation
killed but mortal bodies you in
mere vanity, in mere idleness, have
killed immortal souls.
"Thinkest thou there is no margin
to commandment Know you not
that though the text be brief, yet
does it overflow beyond the limits
of words on the broad margin Of
meaning labelling written sins, and
you have broken marginal com
mandment, Thou shalt do no MUIR
der.
"But have committed no MUIR
der" reiterated the trembling girl.
"Behold and see,'' and the angel
passed his hand over the eyes of the
belle of the London season.
x X
Yes, she knows that young, hand
some and manly face again. lie had
been one of her boyish suitors, whom
she bad flirted with and then laugh
ed at. He is holding dicebox now
in his shaking hand, and on that
dicebox is written one word
"Hilda.n
All WHO is that drunken man
glaring at her with bloodshot eyes 7
He lifts a glass OF spirits, and on
that glass is engraved enc word
"Hilda.'
All poor wife of loveless mar
riage, made by the husband in a mo.
ment of pique. Her tears as they
fall form one word-"Hi.da.n
Yet another face she sees-a face
of a last years Irritation. 1t is pale
with the anguish of death, and on
the pistol by his side is stamped in
blood one word-"Hilda.'
Then the girl falls ct the feet of
the angel with an exceeding bitter
cry.
81 am indeed a murderess."
Her own bitter cry awakens Hill
da, and she starts up trembling in
every limb, to find that the lace
scarf around her throat had caught
in the wicker chair, which perhaps
accounted for the choking sensation
of her dream.
The next day the bell of the sea-
son said eyes" to Jack Armstrong,
and sealed with two loving lips tue
death warrant Of the heartless CO.
0uette,