Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-29

the man loved her while her mother had had for few
years unequalled happiness and love and comradeshp
Two years since Bickersteth had gone and not sign
Yet if she had looked from her bedroom window,
which faced the north this Friday night after practice
Of the choir, she would have seen on the tar hill
sign; for there burned fire beside which sat two
travellers who had from the uttermost limits OF
snow. But the fire burned, beacon to her heart
if she had but known it, she her rest the words
of song she had sung with in her voice and in
her heart ringing in her There to be con-
cert after the service the coming Sunday night at
which there to be a collection for funds to build
another mssion-house hundred miles farther north
and she had practised songs she was to sing. Her
mother had been an amateur singer of great power,
trained under the best masters, and she was renewing
her mothers gift in voice behind which lay hidden
sorrow, as above her smiling there was shadow in
the eyes that would not away This night she cried
10 sleep the words of the song which had moved her
kept ringing in her ears, and echong in her heart:
when the swallows homeward fly,
And the roses bloom is GER
But her mother, looking out into the night saw
the hill the fire, burning like a star, where she had
fire set before, and hope shot into her
heart for her daughter hope that had famed up and
died down often during the past year Yet she had
famed her life breath every such glmmer of hope
when it came, and she went to her rest saying,
perhaps he will come tomorrow" In her ears too,
rang the words of the song which had ravished her
that night the song she had sung the night before
her husband Dyke dillingham; had gone with Franklin
to the Polar seas
''When the swallows homeward fly"
Next morning as she and her daughter looked out
her mind which she had not thought of for many a
year; since, indeed her mother had passed away,
with them on her lips; "Mihe eyes look to1Vdrd the
hills from 1OteNce c0meh MY help" She happier
all that day. and the next she knew not or thought
not, why
AS she and her daughter entered the little church
this Sunday evening two slowly toward
the town with solitary dog, and both raised their
heads the sound of the church bell calling prayer
In the eyes of the younger man there was look which
has come to many in this world returning from hard
enterprise and great dangers, to the familiar streets
the friendly faces of of their kin and clan, to the
An hour later the two walked slowly toward the
church from the little tavern where they had put their
things. They cleared of the dust of travel and
Bickersteth, who knew that the two whom he most
wanted to earth would be at evening service,
drew the old man thither. The service over, but
the concert had begun. The church full, and
there people in the porch but these made way for
the two strange figures, and, Bckerseth recog
nized by two three men, place found for them
inside The old stared round him in confused
and troubled way but his motions were quiet and
patient, and he looked like old viking, his work
aday life done come to pray ere he went hence They
had entered in pause in the concert but two
ladies forward to the chancel step, and with
her hands clasped before her, began to sing
"When the swallows homeward fly.
And the roses bloom is DER,
And the nightingale's sweet song
In the woods is heard no more"
1t was Aice-Alice the daughter-and presently the
mother, the other Alice joined in the refrain Al
sight of them Bckersteths eyes had filled not with
tears, but with cloud of feeling, so that he went
blind, There she was, the girl he loved Her voice
ringing in his ears. In his own JOY for one in
slant he had forgotten the old beside him, and
the great test that upon him. He turned
quickly the old got to his feet. For an in
slant the lost exile of the north stood as though
fixed. The blood slowly drained from his face, and
in his eyes agony of struggle aud desire. For
a moment awful confusion had the mastery, and
then suddenly clear light broke into his eyes, his
face flushed healthy and shone, his went up and
there rang in his the words
Then think with bitter pain,
Shall we meet again?