The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-06-05
VOL. XLVIII--NO 20

husband-to see her die The wasted
form, the paid check, they needed not; it
was Darling, the pride of their hearts
and light of their eyes.
The last rays of the setting sun streamed
through the window and cast radiance
upon the opposite wall; without, miles of
green fields faded away in the distance
Southwark, as the eyes turned, belt of
timber, glowing with the first delicate
tints of autumn, kissed by the setting
sun, shed a glory upon the scene.
Darling turned her head toward the
window and 9azed long upon the invit-
ing prospect, then softly murmured,-
1T is the last time; the sun does not
set in heaven
She seemed to slumber few moments;
then, raising herself suddenly, said,-
Mother, name my babe; if the little
one should die could not know her face
among all the tiny angels. but if call her
name she will know a mothers voice and
fly to my embrace"
Little Darling is her name, sobbed the
mother. "Shc shall be mine on earth, and
yours in heaven"
The breath fluttered very feebly now;
the end had almost come. She gazed
into the brothers face with a silent and
tender farewell, laid one wasted hand
upon the mothers bowed head and
whispered to him who bent above the
pillow
1.-The time has come, dear love; have
you forgotten our Vow"
All, if he had-if, in the cares and per.
plexities of his profession, in the sordid
realities of busy life, this bit ofromantic
sentiment had faded from his mind! But
it had not. Thank God that no cloud of
distrust Swallowed the last moment of
that tender, trusting heart So gently
and tenderly he lifted the wasted form
and pillowed the head upon his breast
none too soon; look of calm repose, a
tiuttering breath, and, sweetly as tired
child, she fell asleep.
Is this all? Not quite. In a few weeks
the little babe followed the mother into
realms of light.
That is the end, then. Not so; think
we cannot know the end. Do you not
suppose that an angel with huttering
wings hovers often near the confines of
the unseen world, watching through the
gloom for one who tarries long?
Then her husband remained faithful
to her memory-never married again."
No; candor compels me to say that in
a few years he married rich widow. He
has prospered finely; they have two sons
and live in ease and plenty.
Do YOU think the gentle being who
loved so fondly in this world would wish
the dear object other affections to wander
in loneliness through the fading years OF
his life; to live without the joys of home,
and die uncared for and unwept? All,
no, he was kind to her, and made the
measure OF her life complete; and there is
a sealed tomb within his heart upon
which is subscribed, Sacred to the memory
OF little Darling.
| met him the other day for the first
time since we said farewell by the new
made grave dear to us both. He seemed
an old man, with bent form and withered
face, and there were silver threads among
the raven tresses Darling used to caress.
At sight of me a change passed over his
features, as though the tide of memory
and of sorrow would find vent in tears.
Only for moment, however; he came for
ward, and with a warm hand-clasp spoke
gentle and courteously, as one friend
speaks to another after years of separa-
ton. Neither of us said aught to what
we thought and felt.
Not very sentimental story. No, it's
4 plain, unvarnishedstale, save for the
little bit of sentiment that made Darling's
asst moments on earth happy one;
nevertheless it is story of true, pure
owe