The leader., 1904-04-02
to melody? No more could she sing with
a heart that throbbed only to pain.

to melody? No more could she sing with
a heart that throbbed only to pain.
A ray of spring sunshine crept in
between the folds Of the window cur
tain. She arose and drew the shade.
Agnes Norwood had once been a
part of that world of brightness and
beauty to which she seemed to belong;
but her Gethsemane had come at the
supreme hour of her life-at time
when she was radiantly happy-and
it's dark shadows had wrapped them
selves so closely about her that
she had not since been able to pene-
trate their gloom. 1t was in May that
she had promised to be Arthur Came
ron's wife. Before the June roses were
gone death had claimed him. There
had been a short illness, a sudden
alarm and then the end. The brilliant
young life had gone out.
When Agnes stroye to recall what
had taken place in those awful days
of darkness and hopelessness she had
a confused sense of the solemn hush,
the sorrowful faces, and kind voice
that tried to point her to the "stars
shining through the cypress trees"
The only reality was the great wave
of desolation that had settled down into
her heart when that which represented
of her sight.
Since then the days had come and
gone alike, as one long painful dream.
In vain had the anxious parents and SYM
pathetic friends tried every expedient
to waken within her the old passion
for music In those other days Agnes
sweet voice had thrilled large audiences.
The congregation of the First church had
not forgotten the Easter solo of last
year. They were eager to secure the
same singer for the coming Easter But
Agnes refused to see any one, and in an
swer to all entreating letters on the sub
ject wrote a firm refusal-it was impos-
sible for her to sing.
When the church bells rang on Easter
morning there was no music in the
chimes to the heavy-hearted girl. Their
notes Jared upon her sorrow. The per-
fume of the Easter lilies in the sunny
bay window of the breakfast room OPP
pressed her. When a robin. one of the
earliest of the season, alighted in a tree
by the open easement and poured forth
his little soul in burst of melody, Ag-
mes involuntarily put her hands to her
ears. At last she impulsively donned
ner wraps and fed from the house.
The home of the Norwoods was well
out on the outskirts of the city. Only
/ mile away was beautiful Woodvale
cemetery. Spring had como es.iy. The
snow was nearly gone, and in places the
ground was already quite dry. This
Easter morning south wind blew softly
and the warm SUI fingered lovingly on
The low mounds in the sacred city of the
lead It shone with particular bright
aess on one marked by a slender gram
tie shaft.
Agnes entered the cemetery and walked
rapidly down the avenue that lay nearest
his mound Leaning her head YEARLY
against its monument. she remained mo-
.ionless, with closed eyes and drawn
orows. What though the south wind
.aressed so lightly the silent home Of
he sleepers? It would pass on to riot
among scenes of gaiety. The sunshine,
90, would soon desert them for some
ess lonely spot Darkness would come
is the darkness that had settled over her
ife How could there be light hearts
Ind songs and gladness In this sad, sad