Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-04-05
WOODBURY., N J, THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1900

B{anu III the VIZ or eacn others happi-
ness, strained their ears to listen. AL
most unconscious of the others pres
ence they both ran out at the mans
words and stood there with drawn
faces, deathlike in their awful pallor,
while he repeated the news that made
desoIate many happy fireside and
yelled with tears the light in loving
eyes.
The widows 1.-THE form swayed and
trembled, and she would have fallen
had not Zoritsa suddenly seemed to
realize that her mother was there
With quick catching of the breath
and a dry, choking sob in her throat,
she reached out her arm and caught
her.
Each read with anguish the truth in
the others eyes, and in each heart was
a momentary struggle for the victory
The painful quietness of despair seem
ed to enyelop the young girl, and, with
eyes heavy with unshed tears, she half
blindly led her mother into the house
This, then, was why Zoritsa had
claimed her freedom. Oh why had
she not told Zoritsa before that the
captain had already confessed his love
for her? And it was only last night
they We're to have told her of their
happiness. Today he is dead-dead!
Unable to control herself, she broke
into passionate weeping.
dearest" the girl said, drawing the
golden head to her breast, "did you
then love him so much?'
Love him? Better than lifer'
''There may be-there must be some
dreadful mistake" She did not know
her mother had seen the love light in
her eyes and had rightly interpreted
It. Though there was not quiyer of
an eyelid, her heart was breaking. Al
ready her light had gone out. Her
world was world of darkness.
Night came on. One by one the stars
appeared. A solemn hush lay over all.
Even the camp seemed deserted and
naught save the occasional sereech of
whippoorwill broke the dread silence.
Yearning for the sympathetic still
ness of the night and the companions
ship of the broad, calm sky, dotted
with it's myriads of stars, Zoritsa drew
her shawl about her, and with a heavy
heart went out into the darkness.
What was that? Sounds of rejoic-
ing? How they grated upon her nowi
But what were they saying? Hush!
Captain = alive prisoner = escap-
ed'-
Could it be true? Her heart gave
great leap. Yes, there was a loud
''Hurrahp' 1t was true! He was not
killed after all, then, and perhaps not
even woundedl Ah-but she was not
to think of herself Yet why should she
give up the hope hidden in her heart
so long and make the little mother I'M
happy? With a moan more heartrend-
ing than sobs, she threw herself upon
the ground.
"God. God! Thou who didst teach
US to love! Why didst thou give me
this chalice, only to withdraw it as
stopped to drinkY
In an agony of soul she wrestled
with her own desires, her own love
and it seemed to her her very life-and
conquered.
Quiet. resigned and calm, she found
her way home, softly unlatched the
door and went in.
The bright moonlight streamed in
silver bar through the long, low win
dow, and there in it's brightness, with
upraised face. almost transfgured with
happiness, was the "senorita" clasped
in the captains arms.
Without having been seen and sti-
fling a sigh, the noble girl turned away.
"And this is liberty? Aye. liberty to
follow thee, o Christ, to be bound to
thee with the chains Of thy love-liber-
ty to serve thee in serving others, to
spend and to be spent in thy seryice!'
On the field, In the hospitals and in
the filthy prisons her presence seems
to radiate a peace that the world can
not give. In her face can be traced the
story of battle fought and victory
won in the almost forgotten past, but
her quiet services tell of the outpour-
ing of heart of love to the sufferers
of the present.-Chicag Times Herald.