The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-01-25

two buff colored messages that ha
taken all the color out of her life
Her breath came slow and her limbs
seemed paralyzed. Her eyes fell or
the postal mark. It was Newhaven
She understood. They were goine
abroad beyond the reach Of scandal
She must bear all, and alone.
The day that should have been Bes
sic Mayors wedding-day was a yea,
old. Bessie was year older, too
AMI most people said sweeter and
prettier than ever. but the sweetness
was tinged with a sadness that those
who knew her story understood. Her
manner was quiet and subdued The
busy. busting Martha had largely
given place to the dreamer. Her face
shone with that sympathetic light
which is born of pain and to which
the sufferers always turn. The trag-
edy of a year ago had turned a pretty,
thOughtless. lighthearted girl into Il
large-hearted. noble-minded woman,
with eyes and ears sensitive to every
y
Of correspondence which lay at her
plate on this sad anniversary of the
end Of her love story. one letter had
slipped out. The sight OF the familiar
writing caused her to sit down very
quietly and arrange her dress very
carefully When. at last, she stretch
ed out her hand to touch the lettc.
thrill ran through her What could
a letter from him mean? She turned
it over 1t was carefully sealed with
Elias seal. A bitter smile passed
over her face. 1t was a joint affair.
a letter from them seemed the per-
lection of cruelty She tore open
the cover and drew forth the letter.
1t was in Elias handwriting 1t ran:
Dear Bessie.
When you get this l shall be dead.
It is not to be posted till after nv
death. have been i'll ever since
leaving England AMI now | know
the end is near I'm glad for Fred's
sake. He never loved me. He loves
you yet. charmed him. but could
not teach him to love me- The
Charmer must be finished. 1t will
make him y famous painter. 1t vii! be
a masterpiece Without me it would
never have been begun. Without you
he will never finish it. ! love him:
Love him so much that l am glad t.
die. and ! write to you, the woman
wronged, to plead that you will come
to him and save him from himself,
the dark. discontinued self that have
created. He has lone nothing since
leaving England but regret that ne
ever met me, though without blaming
me. Not one word of reproach escap.
ed his lips. His health is precariouS.
You can save him and save his mast
erpiece. Even had lived l could
do neither You must come to him.
He cannot come to you. Bessie you
will never regret coming-believe
your dying cousin. Ella
Tears dropped into Bessie's plate rs
she finished the reading of this letter.
She had shed no tears over the trag.
edy that darkened her own life. bu.
tears dropped for him who had been
and was still the idol of her heart |
He was i'll and alone.
Her heart whispered, "She must |
go to him and nurse him. They had !
all suffered. Poor Ella was gonc."
Bessie rose, and handing Mrs. Bullen |
Elias letter. left the ROOM She could |
u
all SO strange this message from
the dead. giving Fred back to her. |
Two days after BESSIE was in Yer
sailles and in the house over which
the shadow of death still chung.
Fred Wilkinson pale and worn ont,
the mere shadow of the man of 4
year ago. lay on couch. Content !
was written on his thin face. for Bes-
sic sat by him. holding his hand.
They had been talking of the master
piece that was yet to be finished. The
sun was setting. the room was filled
with a golden glow. and the future
from the dark background
Of the year that had just ended was.
they felt, good to look upon. They
were only one year older than when
hey last sat together hand in hand.
vet it seemed as if in that short
tine they had learned through pain
he sum total of human wisdom that
nan is creature of circumstance
and love the essence of life. Without
he circumstance that brought Ella
INTO their lives. one of the greatest /
had never been painted
and neither had ever known how
much they loved.-New York Week.
Y. |