The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

to the house while the Duke stood confounded. Saved, saved Lucile," said Matilda as she wept upon the shoulder of the Countess de Meyers, "but saved to what fate?-to tears, prayers, but not hope" Not to hope" replied Lu- cile, but to certainty. But you must learn how love is nourished by love. A moments fleeting passion may chill your love and his. but, lady. hence forth you will prove your heart wor- thy of love, since it knows how to love-" "Oh, Lucile" wept Matilda, what power have you that gives you such power over me that l feel bound to obey you?" As she said this she sigh. ed and lifted her face to the face of Lu cile.
 There was a moments pause, and then, looking down tenderly at her companion, Lucille replied: 'I am the pupil Of sor- row" They had a long talk, those two women, and all that soul said to soul who knows? But the fears and the tears of Matilda were gone and silenced. As Lucille left Lady Alfred and went forth into the garden she saw the heavens full
 
 the whole Armament seems more glorious than usual with it's starry hosts.' And amid the stars seemed to her to stand sentinel angels passing from one to an other the watch cry "Alrs we'll AIS well'
 It was the next day when there ap- peared at Ems Cousin John. the mentor urbo for tnn busy with his parliamentary duties to give his usual quantum of advice to AL fred. T have brought you bad news," said the burly, red-faced Cousin John. 'In short, your uncle-in-laws bank has failed Sir Ridley MacNab has gone to smash. And your wife's fortune has gone with 1t. Or, rather, that fortune of twelve thousand a year which became yours when you married Matilda has vanished. Sir Ridley has vanished gone abroad" Alfred at once sought Ma tilda Not for himself. but for her, did he feel the ruin of their fortunes. As he walked to her room he felt that he had never loved her so we'll It had been said that he had married her for her money. And had he? He asked this question to himself and felt that the answer was no. Matilda on her part felt that she was receiving back tru- ant heart, not an unfaithful one, when, with his arms around her, Alfred told her of the ruin of their fortunes. Never had they been so closely united as in that hour. They returned to England and Cousin John saw that they wanted not--he made his home with them and kept the pot boiling-a good sort of a crusty old bachelor was Cousin John. Meanwhile Lucille de Meyers had left Ems and society knew her no more She became only remembrance-and the years glided away; the river of time ran it's customary course to the sea of eter- nty and men and women were swept away on It's current along with empires and dynasties.
 The battle of Inkerman had been fought, the siege of Sebastopol was making it's slow progress. when next again the characters in the tragedy of the life of Lucille de Meyers appeared on the scene-and then not all of them. Far away, in a quiet English home, lived and loved Alfred yargrave and Matilda. But far from that English home their son lay desperately wound- ed in a tent before the threatening mouth of the Malakoff and the dark Redan''
 Man is born on a battlefield! Around him, from the time he is able to resist the dread powers which seek to overcome him, aye. even from the time he leaps with a wall into being, his own fierce Mother Nature even is herself his foe Her snows fall to freeze him; her sun shines to blast. His own passions and his own conditions fight against him Truly, warfare is the natural state of mn. Sa
 1t was the dawn of a moody October dar which looked sullenly upon scene of war, when ghostly vapors were aris- ing over the field and camp and city, nun. the Sister Seraphine. moved to the