Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1902-01-25
Tie
Retire atlantis
Story



shree-dsys' retreat annually given
to associates end other ladies" by |
the Sisters OF St. Martha. The period |
OF unwonted silence had done its work |
well for the retreatsnss. Worldly faces
were quiet and less anxious. tired ones
had lost something Of their wesriness.
sweet young girl-devotess had ae-
Quired a look Of sanity calm Only the
conductor OF the retreat. Father John
Burton. $. J.. seemed weary. IL is no;
easy 20 pour out spiritual Inspiration
and encouragement four times daily
TO say nothing OF three services snc
innumersble private interviews. Fa-
Their John Burton. resting his head on
his hssd IN an unexpectedly idle mo-
me1t. tried not 20 feel jaded. But he
aroused himself with an EFFORT when
the brief interval OF quiet was broken
by tap at the door. ... e..
he swung il open cordially and Sis
ter Aloe Ambrose. the sister in charge
OF the retreat. entered. leading a
young gsrl whom the Priest remem-
bered to- have seen before him con-
tinually during the past three days
He had noticed her particularly be-
cause-for reasons most human but
quite unbeeoming vowed religious~
| she had awakened poignant memo
ries OF the earlier days passed in the
world" and OF some one for love OF
whom he ha6 been led 20 follow the
pre- thood. This girl-but he shook
the wrong thoughts from him roughly.
II shall be very glad 20 hear you"
he said. In response 20 the soft muir
muir whereuzth Sister Alice Ambrose
conveyed 20 him that the girl was sore
troubled over some bygons expert
ence. "Win you not sit down and lei
me see II can help your"
A moment later. when the door
had closed softly behind Sister Alice
| Ambrose. his quiet eyes and sympa-
tbetic manner drew out the begin
ming OF the story. The small hands
OF the speaker clasPed and uneiasped
nervously as she told 10.
"a long time sRo-when I was q
| child ruined nv sisters life and
happiness. I didn't quite know What
I was doing. but-but was jealous.
and I knew ] was doing wrong. Nv
sister. who is nine yeGrs older than
myself. had always been devoted 20
me. After she was engaged 20 be mar
ried I was less with her. So hated
her lover bitterly. although he was
very kind 20 me. and ! think no enc
never suspected my feeling. and ]
longsd, in childish fashion. 20 part
them. One day. when they were "a
have been married shortly. Z"
sYsE7" said the priest. encouraging
". seeing that she found IL difficult "a
continue. zone cay you"
my sister had promised 10 take me
out that afternoon" came the recital
told 20 the accompaniment OF those
restless. haunting. nervous movement
} OF the fingers. but when John-hei
l0v~--srnt q uessaO.. aEktoC her ~
accompany nim somewhere, she pu'
ne OF with promises Of some future
, pleasure. / was mad with anger ans
jealousy. and when she sent me dowI
? 20 the parlor. that afternoon. 20 en-
? terrain him while she finished dress
| ing, IL told him that she had gone
out with a cousin known 20 admir-
, | her. and 7 destroyed the hastily writ
, ten note he asked me 10 hand her
! ! soon as she came in. The note toll
her that he must leave the city. ths
. 1 evening. for an absence Of seyera
4 months; Il asked her. since they ha
: missed each other at that time. &
meet hin at the depot. I told Juli
z that he had left the house In imps
!. tient anger. refusing 90 wait longe
; | for her. and when I heard that IN
n engagement had been broken. som
Z weeks later. because OF johns Inc,
Z | plicable conduct and persistent silene'
n | ] reioiced.
. my sister WAS 81 for months. an
p 7 feared 20 tell her. Then I was ser
r 10 boarding school while our moths
e accompanied julie 20 the mountain
d and only returned home in time 70
n her wedding 10 Charlie. the cousin VIII
had loved her so long felt then. b
? ing a little older. that mast hold N
u peace for ever. and. gradually. 70
- got all about my wrongdoing. sa'
a for occasional recoliections now ar
y then. But now-I am 20 be marri.
= myself. shortly. and last week my 81
Q ter. in urging me TO be sure that
- really loved my lover. let me kno
% something OF what she herself hi
p missed and suffered through my dece'
8 ton"
!" "Her marriage. then. has not bel
- a happy one?" asked the priest. n
. face pale. HIS msnaer strangely quie
= Yes and no." was the troubled n
:. swer. "Her husband IS n good ma
!. and he loves her. but she can only r
- spect and admire him. She marri,
:. him out Of pique. and for loneline
and heartache. She told me last we,
that che o~fv man shs shcu1d ~