Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1906-07-21

came and the snowlakes fell softly
and steadily on the convent roof as
Mother Agatha assisted the nuns in
twining holly and evergreen to festoon.
the little chapel in which Heartsease
and the young Englishman were to
plight their troth. The wax tapers
burned brightly about the altar and
The Gloria in Excelsis Dec resounded
through the convent. When the glad
bells rang out clearly on Christmas
morning proclaiming with their iron
tongues Peace on earth and good
will toward men," all was in state OF
expectation at Lorridale Manor.
The yule log burned brightly in the
great fireplace and Heartsease was
fluttering about the happiest of the
happy, for word had been received
short time before from her lover, that
he would surely come.
Time wore by till the hour approach
ed and Janet dressed her in her pref
ty wedding gown and Mother Agatha
tied the long, sillken sash. The guests
were beginning to arrive and the tick
ing Of the old clock in the hallway
was distinctly audible as they waited
in hushed expectation for the bride
groom to appear. AS the hour passed
by, his non-arrival occasioned many
significant and inquiring glances
among those assembled. Hugh Lori
dale became nervous and uneasy.
Could anything be more embarrassing
than to make an excuse for a tardy
bridegroom? The morning wore to
noon and the noon to the calm, silent
evening and still he came not. The
guests had all returned home, and at
her request Janet left Heartsease
alone in her chamber. AS she stood in
the daintily curtained window, gaz-
ing upon the moonlit garden, it SEEM
ed as though the stone grey hounds at
the gate looked up at her with compass
sion. Her faith was unbounded and
she chung to the last frail thread OF
hope, waiting, waiting. The silvery
moonlight reminded her of the night
he had confessed his love to her. Then
the waters of the fountain fell so mu-
sically on her ear, but now it was
hushed and silent. Could it be that
her lover had met with some disaster?
The thought made her grow sick at
heart and she fell to the floor in a
swoon, and thus she was found an
hour later with the pretty wedding
dress crumpled and soiled. Word was
sent to the convent, and as the mother
superior fastened to her favorite, the
novices clustered in little groups,
clasping their hands in awe and won
dering what it could all mean.
The Christmas season wore away
and Heartsease lay i'll, so i'll that no
one but the doctor and Janet was al
lowed to see her, but the old nurse
told that it was pitiful to hear the
poor child talk of her lover. Even in
her delirium she was gentle and would
go into ecstasies over the beautiful
scenery she seemed to see.
AS the mild, pleasant days of spring
approached, she grew better She in
quired of each of her pupils; anu
longed for the time when she could
again resume her duties at the con-
vent. 1t was while she was still con-
valescent that her father received a
letter with the postmark of England.
1t was written by Lady Clotilde Hum
phrey, and told with much pathos how
her son, Sir Felix HUMPHREY, had TAX
en- passage on the steamship Victoria,
which sailed from Liverpool to Amer
lea, and how she had intended accom-
pany him, but was prevented on &C
count of i'll health. She wrote as
gently as was possible how the steam