Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-11-18

II vas handsome show piece Of en-.
travagsnce. nothing more. get Hackett
cherished it a. the apple OF his eye
He went past IL at least once q day.
He had columns describing IL in the
newspapers He ruled. the money.
bags nabob OF the town, and foolishly
believed that he was the envied Of all
men.
He was sadly disappointed when. at
the end OF a year, Felice came home
from boarding school and settled down
into the cheerless life he had marked
out for her. She had no heart in the
big sprawling mansion. the mausoleum
cast gruesome spell over her spirits.
The stern decision Of her irrational
father that she should not even notice
the Barrys, chilled her as would win
try blast delicate. lovely flower.
Twice she met Arnold Barry. Her
father learned OF II. He exacted q
promise from her that she would dis
continue all communication with the
Barrys. and her gentle heart nearly
broke.
1T win stand foFever!" vaunted
Hackett one day to n fellow townsman.
the sweep OF his hand proudly taking
In the grand mausoleum.
Dunno. Hackett," dissented the
practical neighbor. "They tell me it's
got q floating foundation. as they call
1t. Used to be quicksand where the
river sweeps around just below It."
NONSENSE" declared Hackett, rasp-
ingly. Its built for the ages!"
The weeks went by. Poor mourning
Felice grew paler and more quiet. Her
father wandered uneasily about the
lonely mansion: Then came a three
days deluge. Just at dusk, as the
weather cleared. he crossed the turbid
swollen stream to view the monument
that had cost him fortune.
Solid as rock-they went soon for
get the name of Hackett!" he tried to
console himself by saying.
Then be started back, Mortified. He
saw the cliff side crumble. He saw
the great mausoleum swerye, its un-
dermined foundation give way, and Il
seemed to disintegrate and slide into
the roaring stream below before his
appalled, vision.
He had built on the sand-mausoleum
and happiness. He was chilled, fright
ened. He turned his back upon his
wasted labor with a hollow groan.
Was heaven reproaching him; was
fate mocking? How hollow the gains
OF all his pride and scheming, He halt
ed. trembling. as the sound CT a JOY
Gus hymn Of praise was borne to his
hearing on the evenings breeze.
He saw the childrea's home all
ablaze with the glory CT the setting
sun. he heard care-free juvenile voices
chanting gratitude AMI content. All!
how completely had the Barrys car
ried out their great life dream to make
others happy.
He was shivering like a leaf as he
reached. home. There the sad, re-
signed face Of his lonely daughter
chided him anew. lie was overcome
with remorse. all grew dark
older by twenty years. he tottered
about the garden, leaning on Felice's
arm for support. She was the kind.
thoughtful daughter in every way. but
her wearied eyes told Of hopelessness
Of her life. Someone passed by.
who was that?" inquired her
father.
ARNOLD Barry. father" replied Fe-
lice. meekly.
Cali him in. Felice. IL have
changed my mind. II you are mourn
ing over my past unreasonable stern.
ness. forget. forgive"
OH father"
And tell hiTn-teIl him ! will be
glad to give half my fortune TO enlarge
the childreE's home"
The sun burst forth brilliantly from
behind a passing cloud as ne spoke
tho harbinger of courage and hope for
an errlng soul that saw the true light
at last.