Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-10-17

Your heart will change-is will re-
spond, you viii learn TO love me.
Say. Edith, say that you will be
mine.
No, never, | cannot, not without
love. | would make your life un-
happy-buf, Benton, said Edith,
forcing sweet smile ON her tear
stained face, Il can--I will pray God
10 change my heart, 10 give 1t 10 you,
and then-',.-.-..'
And then, heerief frapturously.
"and then you win become my own
dear little wife. ?''
Yes, then, softly whispered
Edith.
Benton detached a heart-shaped
pendant from his watch chain and
placing il in her hands, said, "Darl-
ing Edith, here is my heart for you,
TO have and to hold. Let il be un-
derstood that should you for any
reason wish to end all between us.
you viii return it to me and | will
know its significance
But. he went on, Edith hardly
understanding his words, so great
was the torrent of emotion working
within her, this will never be,
dearest one, when your prayers and
mine are answered, as they will be,
send me, Edith, the little golden
heart there on your necklace. Ed
ith, do you hear me? viii you send
me that little heart when our pray
ers are answered? Then with what
JOY will | hasten To calm my darl-
ing.
Edith promised and thus they
parted. She begging that for the
immediate future while she thought
and prayed there be no corrcspon-
dence between. them, he Ia remain
silent until she wrote him. Benton
thought this cruel but reluctantly
acquiesced to this arrangement.
Two or three months elapsed during
which time Benton was sorely tempt
ed 10 break his promise and write.
Has condition can better be imagined
than described during this interval.
Then one day came letter and
package in the familiar handwriting
her handwriting.
Trembling, he tore open the enve-
lope and read
Dear Benton II send you a box.
in which you will find the heart you
covet. As ever, EDITH.
Hastily opening the package, he
saw-hiS o'cB ,coich charm. Enough
The sight sickened him, he reeled
and fell His sister, hearing from
her room below the noise of heavy
fall, ran up the steps and entering
the room found him in a dead faint.
Under the physician 5 skill and
the healing influence of time he grad
ually recovered and in a year or so,
Benton was himself again.
Ten years have passed, and Ben
ton Rexfofd is sitting at his desk
perusing some old papers he has just
taken from a trunk i'm the far corner
of the room, the lid of which hc has
LETT raised
LATHE golden haired Mildred is
playing about the room.
Suddenly she approaches him, ex-
claiming in childish glee, oh, papa,
look! see, what found in the trunk!
May | keep it, please p Turning
his head slowly to- see the object Of
his daughters discovery, Benton
behOlds ON the extended palm Of lit
tie Mildred :, ,outstretched hand. his
old heart watch charm, opened by
the child, and disclosing therein
the little glittering golden heart from
Edith Mason : necklace, and slip
of linen paper upon which he read
Dearest Benton Our prayers are
answered. My heart il yours for
ever. You may come and claim
Your own, EDITH.
What delays you so, my dear,
said Mrs. May Rexford, entering the
room with Doroshy-anothe golden
headed Rexford placing her
arm around her husband $ neck.
Come, she said, dinner is get
ing cold We have been calling you
for ten minutes.
Well, May, darling, we will dine
at once, said Benton.
Come. children. let mamma help
YOU down stairs. Run along, | will
follow in a moment | must put
these papers away.
Was il the papers that engaged
his attention 80 long afterward OR
was he thinking of poor Edith Ma
son-why she had never married -
why her heart had been true TO him
while hfz-Ha.a s-a4te.