Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-07-19
WHITE VIOLETS.


tho old 6roOring willow on the rectory
lawn. The eldest son had come home,
wandorer, after three long years, and the
sunshine seemed more brilliant and the
opening flowers all the sweeter for that
kindly face, that happy presence in the.
nome world once moro.
"The violots are out in tho wood" said
Christabol, his youngest and fairest sister.
ave will go and gather the white ones for
you. You were always so fond Of them,
dear"
For a moment the mans face grew very
tender and dreamy as no thought of the
one who had loved the scented blossoms
evon more dearly than himself, the one to
whom before he went away he had ven
tured only to breathe hint of his great
secret, the ono Of whom he was longing
TO ask tidings. Then he submitted to be
led away from the adoring group under
the slowly budding willow, with tho sweet
faced sisters arm twining tenderly round
his own, down the messy garden ways to.
ward the little wood.
But the man, listening to tho merry
chatter Of his best loved sister, only wait
ed to ask the question that yearned to
come and yet was so long delayed. He was
nervous on the subject, among all his
hopes and plans. They had said nothing
to him of her, and surely they might have
gucssed-at any rate Christabel-and lat
tcrly, even in their letters, they had never
mentioned her name, though at first ii
dngs had come occasionally Of the doings
that they had had together, for they were
9cry true friends, his truo love and his
people at homo.
And he had even fancied sometimes that
she might have been there among his
pretty sisters and their still sweet and
graceful mother, ready to welcome the
sturdy son who had brought fame and
fortune from lands over the blue, blue sea
to lay at her feot.
So he had given one quick glance as he
ncarcd the quaint wicket, with tho proud
old father by his side, round the fair gar
den, with its golden sheaves of daffodils and
its pcarly posies of narcissuses, "all come
out as If in time to welcome you home"
as Christabcl said to him in her happy
voice. watching him tho while with eyes
full of love and contcntment. But the
beautiful face that he had longed so deeply
10 see was absent, though the greetings
rang true even without that enc sweet
voice. And of her they whispered no word
Mt all.
Now he stood watching tho girl as she
gathered a rosy Of the fragrant white v!o-
let's, knoeling on tho green moss ut his
feet, with tho sunlight striking throuFh
the lacing boughs on her pretty hair and
rosO leaf face. And suddenly as no watched
her the question came:
"Christabul,' 10 said quickly, "wbnt
Of hcr-of Violet, moany You have said
nothing about her yet TO me"
The flowers drOrpcd from the little
hands that had held them SO tondcrly, a."
the girls eyes took q very pitiful eXpr
sion as she stroye to speak uncOrCcrnCd!'
"Oh, sho Is well, very we'll, and hopp,
dear, " she answered gently. she liv,
farther of now, and we don see quite -
much of her as We used to do. / though,
the others would tell you about her. "
What about hcry" the man questioror.
feeling the vague doubts at his heart II.
tGnsiiied doubly by her anxious face.
"Why, where they have removed to and
all about 1t. the girl answered again.
gathering up her flowers and rising to her
'cet Come, it must bo nearly tearime,
Ehe went on, with relieved change "I
tonU, drawing her arm through his agaiu
with CnrcssinG, gentle movement, AS il
20 leave tho subject behind.
"Christab0l, do tell mo all, " the man
pleaded, taking tho violets in his cold
hands, but seeing nothing of their deli
cate beauty. Tell me the truth about
ior-tho woman loved"
And with paling face and misty eyes tho
girl told her little pathetic story of thar
other who had loved and then forgotten
in her inconsequent, unreflecting way,
and who had preferred money and position
to the waiting for a true heart and brave
to claim hor for his own one day.
And when the little commonplace tale
was dono and the gentle voice bushed it.
self amid a shower of very tender tears,
there was silence, while heart beat out
its agony alone.
This was the home coming to which no
had looked forward so long and so earnest
ly This was the welcome that he had SO
often pictured to himsolf-a few spring
flowers to lay above the void in his heart
and the hush of soft voices as they passed
him by.
But Christabel's soft lips were pressed
TO his aching brow, and her hands came
warmly into his cold embrace.
"Come and see mother again" she said
gently. "She has longed to SEQ you, dear,
and you haven't half satisfied her yet"
And they went into the homo world to-
gether, with "a posy Of white violcts to
mark the way that they had taken-from
the resting place of love.-Augusta Han.
cock in Lady.