Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1914-01-01

hef 10 u.s. Lady Florence asked
i never saw any one half so lovely
She has the face of an angel.
e Because she would not come
She has been travelling for hel
health; has been in Paris for .
4 short time. but leaves this evening
for her home
rs her health delicate:" Lady
Florence asked.
Yes, she says so. Her mother
was uneasy about her, and brough,
her here for change
: 'Oh, am so sorry" exclaimed
Lady Geraldine Mourdant. She
does look delicate looks as if she
{ had consumption-quite differen,
from what she looked at Ridgley
the evening you paid her SO much
) attention. But do You know |
think she is more beautiful than
ever:''
A pang shot through Sir Walters
heart. What if it really was con-
sumption: She to die so young and
beautiful; but she certainly had
changed much. The conversation
was too painful for him, so he
turned it i'm another channel, and
soon Evelyn Raymond was forgotten n
except by him and Lady Florence
Mortimer. whose hear. had gone
out to her with a strange yearning,
and she would remember her in
after years like some beautiful
dream.
Evelyn Raymond returned to the
home of her childhood. the home
where her brightest and happiest
moments had been passed: but her
health was not improved from trav-
cling; she was growing rapidly
worse. The family physician came
daily to see her; the cough which
had been so troublesom had nearly
left her; but she was getting every
day worse. and Mrs. Raymond knew
her child was dying-no, not dying
only passing from earth to heaven.
The mothers heart would writhe in
agony. Her beautiful, gifted child,
whom she idolizcd, taken from her
nj her youth and wonderous lowell
ness, Ii was more than she could
bear. And, oh. she prayed God SO
earnestly not to take her child. But
He who loved her even more than
the mother did knew whit was best,
and as each day would pass and the
hectic flush would burn brighter
upon each cheek and her strength
was leaving her, Evelyn Raymond
knew her days we're numbered, she
knew she was passing away. And,
oh! how glad she was to die-to be
at rest forever anil forever--safe i'm
her Fathers mansion. No more of
vain wearisome life-no more vain
repinings after earthly love-no
more sights and disappointments
from one she loved best ON earth
all soon To be forever over and
then the rest, the perfect rest, that
comes TO Gods elect.
One afternoon Mrs. Raymond sat
by Evelyn, who lay on couch b,
the window. Although late i'm the
month of September, it was very
warm and the soft breeze from the
open window famed the dying
girls cheek. II seemed to arouse
her from the listless state in which
she had been i'm for some weeks |
past.
Mamma what lovely evening
this Is. the sun is SO bright. 1t |
makes everything look beautiful. "
Yes, my child, very beautiful"
Mrs. Raymond replied in an absent
way. She was not thinking of the
surroundings. All nature seemed
to be beautiful-the sunlight that
streamed in such brilliant rays across
the room and far out towards the
distant hills, that lit up every dark
nook and seemed to make rough
uaths smooth, had no charms for
her. 1t mocked her i'm It's bright
ness. She was dead TO all but one
thing on earth, and that was her
child.
Mamma, what makes you look
SO sad:" she again asked.
Am ! sad Evelyn
Yes, mother, darling, you look
so unhappy. | know why you
grieve. You think | am dying"
This had been the first time Eve
lyn had alluded To her condition.
and the mother started a. if a sword
had pierced her heart.
Ny child, my child. she walled
forth, do no: talk OF dying and
leaving your mother alone; who has
she in this world to love but you:
oh! my God, take her not from
me, and the mother bowed her
head and wept as if her heart would
break.
Oh. mamma, do not cry-lo not
make your little Evelyn unhappy.
We will be separated only for a
little while, and then you will ccme
to me, ! so long to die aud be at
rest. Oh. mother if | could only
take you with me. You have
always been SO good to me. DO
YOU remember, mamma. You once
told me that no one i'm this world
would love me as yon did; No one
ever has"
But, my child, did you ever
love anyone more than me-" the
mother asked, fixing her eyes on
the beautiful face that Tow wore an
angelic expression.
| Yes mamma, did once love him
more than you, than Heaven itself:
but my idol turned to clay. God