The Montgomery tribune., 1908-04-17

NJ
less variety of sunshine
and shadow! Divine, indeed. with the
divinity Of spring. The very smallest
and sweetest Of the early wild flowers
bloomed in the sheltered places, and
the quail nesting on the hillside. called
melodiously across the valleys. Mead
ow larks rippled their melody of tune
under foot, and the long absent lizards
summed themselves luxuriously on the
rocks.
1t was as though, after the mighty
throes Of travail Mother Nature
hushed upon her breast. with the
brooding of tender motherhood, the
blessed Child, as yet too young for
Its full uncovering
1t was a day to revive old loves and
longings, and to arouse the fires of old
passions-to let slip from you dis
content and all uncharitableness. And
over all the quiet of the morning the
bells pealed their Christ is risen,"
and the tremor of their echoes thrilled
you to your finger tips.
Mrs. Chester dressed herself slowly
and with much deliberation, that Eas-
ter morning. The gauzy spring gown
lay, in all its dainty fiuffiness of laces
and rufles and tucks, upon her bed.
Beside 1t lay the dainty hat and gloves
and the creamy parasol which was to
cast just the right tinge of white over
the. piquant face OF the pretty little
woman who was to carry 1t. A tiny,
tiny lace handkerchief lay over a bit
CT purse, wherein was the gleam of
gold; and great bunch Of mammoth
violets filled the room with their fra
GRANGE.
She was as bride who arrayed her
self for the coming of her bridegroom
and of this she thought, but a quick
frown gathered on her brow, a worried
little frown which fingered until the
final settling of the dainty lat upon
the fluffy dark hair finally drove 1t
away.
The bells again rang out their
"Christ is risen" as she stepped from
the door. She paused moment, then,
turning, walked rapidly around the
house. beyond the pepper trees. across
the rose garden to where, In stately
row. the great white Easter lilies lift.
ed their heads to drink in the beauty
of the morning. A little terrace led
up to them, and upon this she stepped
daintily, one hand grasping the little
| niceties Of her toilet-the white gloves
the bit of lace. the pocketbook where
In were the pieces of gold to be
| dropped, with musical Jingle, from
| tiny fingers into the contribution bas-
ket; the dainty skirts and the furled
| parasol. With the other hand she
broke off the long-stemmed lilies,
raised them caressingly to her cheek,
whitfield their fragrance, and stepped
back Her foot slipped and turned on
tho forgotten terrace, there was lit
tie cry as she fell, with all the snowi-
ness OF her garments about her, and
the violets and the Easter lilies upon
her breast.
She lay quietly a moment dazed
and sickened by the suddenness and
pain of the fall. She tried to move,
but warning pains shot up in the foot
| doubled under her. Then she called
and waited, and called again; but no.
body answered. Again she waited,
then she became drowsy and faint
ness stole upon her.. The bells rang
cut: II am the resurrection and the
life" over and over again. Then all
was still. Faint sounds began to force
themselves upon her dull ears--the
drip drip. drip Of the hydrant into a
stons basin. the ripping note or two