The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-06-08


ting and the rising Of the sun. But
with Frances this change was not the
shrinking Of the soul into forgetful-
ness; il was an enlargement of view
and perspective In which old headlands
assumed smaller proportions. New
imperative duties they seemed. arose
anu met hers new responsibilities pre-
sented themselves; she faced them all
bravely, hopefully, lovingly. The fine
quality of her soul proved itself in the
casting out Of all the Bitterness which
had in the first hours of her misfor-
tune stormed its citadel and raised
somber banners there The victory
over self won by this frail girl was SO
maryelously complete that no cynicism
supplanted her innocent faith in the
eternal existence of truth and good
ness and their ultimate triumph over
evil. Her touching acceptance of life
In Its new aspect was not born In
day. There were weeks of anguish;
there were months of dull heartache
and loneliness; there were tear-wet
pillows and nights OF crying out against
fac; for the death of an ideal is the
saGdest death IN all the universe, since
for this there is no resurrection. The
girish ideal Of Frances Broolxin was
dead az last, and slept under the petals
OF faded white rose Richard Somers
was out Of her life. out OF her heart.
The man She loved had never existed,
! she told herself. lle was a dream.
I romance, an immaculate conception OF
a virgin mind The real man was the
unworthy offspring Of base, worldly
passions; he was nothing to her bat
a name.
Political events hastened the girl
into womanhood and towards that
LARGE tolerance with which the strong
soul n last invariably cncysts the in
explicable and unwelcome fncts il can
nor avoid. With one leap the fierce
south entered the arena 81 war, and
Virginia hills echoed the mingled
cheers Of contendug armies and the
thunder OF mighty GUNS. Richmond
seemed 20 have become. as in day.
the center of intrigue and % action.
On every side flashed the gold and sill
yer Of wars rich trappings. Plumes
danced In the breezes and the ccnfed-
crate gray met the eye. rest whore IL
would From the capitol the banner
Of new nation foated proudly. and
beneath il echoed the tramp OF march
ing legioHs, the galloping hoof-beatS
Of horses. through all hours OF day and
night. Men, in this hitherto staid old
southern city, hurried. under the spur
OF emotions that seemed born Of con-
tagion in the air. and anxious women
went about with willing hands 10 aid
in every department they might in
wade Among these, her life adjusting
itself easily and gratefully to the new
demands, was Frances Brooltin, the
tenderness Of her fine face softened
and deepened into divine womanliness,
the love-ray eloquent in her melting
eyes
Swiftly the holiday side Of the war
had faded out Of view. Agonized 81
lence swallowed up laughter. For the
drift was coming IN from where the
storm Of battle ragged, wrecks Of hui
man forms once freghted with life's
rarest MERCHANDISE. Soon every hos
pital, every available space in church
and public building and the most spa
their quota OF the wounded, the dying,
and thcdead. The southern woman was
entering upon that field Of labor in
which she achieved her noblest dignity,
her fame It's Immortality. Foremost
among those Who first gave their en-
ergies, their whole lives 20 the alleyia-
tiou az suffering. the inspiration Of the
hopeless and the despairiHg, was Fran
ces Brookin. Free 20 dispose Of her
time as she would and with an album
danf means az her disposal, she made
, herself ministering angel wherever
soldier suffered. Day and night she
, labored, sustained by boundless patri-
otism and an elation for which she
: could not account. try as she would.
! She failed IN her self-analysis from
, ignorance Of the fact that voice that
has once spoken 90 the heart Is never
quite silent afterwards, and that
youth when IL burics its dead tramples
not the sod above it. Fiery hatred OF
: the invader possessed her, as 10 did
her sisters; bred in the bone and nour-
+. ishcd with the mothers milk. IL could
: not be quelled except by years OF gentle
7 association and common cause, but
, by strange paradox this bitterness
excluded every stained and bloody
: blue uniform or haggard northern face
! Out OF the fight, these were ever out OF
the sweep OF southern woman's ven.
: geance. Upon the suffering prisoners
, . Co.