Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-01-22

4
-''and why has he only the bare name
and age on his memorial stoneP They
who put that coping round his grave
might we'll have added his birthplace
or the date Of his death--It seems
strange l"-I spoke aggresslvely.
The mans clear blue eyes seemed
to look through and beyond me.
Life is strange" he said, gently.
death Is not more so. He whose
poor body lies there was a stranger
and far from home. None knew his
birthplace. That he lies so far from
the others was his last request, that
she whom he loved might one day
rest by his side"
Two white butterflles-the souls Of
the dead-futtered past me on delicate
fragile wings-surely the most ethereal
of all Gods winged creatures, they
Il watched their wavy undulations
in the blue ether till they darted out
Of sight over the grassy hill, beyond
which the dead lay thickly In their
straight and narrow beds.
you knew him wellf" asked again.
like to hear his storyf"
"Please," said gently.
Truly, as he said, life Is strange. I,
who ordinarily take no interest In
strangers, sat and listened to a living
stranger tell me the story Of one long
dead, and 1t seemed but natural that
| should wish to hear.
ia -
pointing to the grassy slope opposite
AS he sat in the sunlight, his hair
looked so fair as to be almost white
and / suddenly wondered that could
have taken him for young man, 80
pallid and worn his face appeared.
Only his eyes, intensely blue, filled
with the unquenchable light Of youth,
gave the lie to the lines Of age and
experience in his finely cut face.
was puzzled.
zones birthplace matters little," he
began. ut is ones life that counts.
His Of whom we speak commenced
over the water-in the green lanes
Of Dover. His life had nothing re-
markable in IT, yet, lacking material
achievement or visible success, there
was one thing he did and did right
well-he loved"
The strangers face grew introspec-
tive; his blue eyes were luminous with
some sweet and living memory. He
had apparently forgotten my existence.
Perhaps" he continued musingly,
"he had not gone far enough along
life's road to feel the call of wealth
and youth and love are natural
mates"
"And shell asked, half-timidly.
"She, too, loved and was faithful"
There was note of hushed end
triumphant rapture in his voice as he
answered. "They parted that he might
make home for her Six months
later he died on foreign soil and
strangers buried him, here, in this
spot. Ere he left her, a solemn pledge
was given. Should death ov6rtake
either, while parted in the body, the
! spirit Of the dying would seek that of
| the other"
AS In a dream I saw the trysting
place under the old pink hawthorn
tree-saw through the riffs In a dark
and moonless sky, a mans tall form
a girls pale, upllfted face and golden
head-heard the solemn VOWS ex-
changed.
"And her" questioned again softly.
paul Clifford kept his pledge-Bis
spirit sought his love and told her
what she later heard from mortal lips
Now her spirit calls to his-The
waiting has been long, but the end Ia
not far Off /, Paul Clifford, feel her
presence near me, more benign, more
beautiful than In the days of her gold
en-haired youth-Farewell, my little
friend thank you for the tender
thought you sent toward the earthly
resting place Of one who will sleep
better when she whom he loves lies by
his side"
A moment more and he was gone.
started In bewllderment and stared
around me. My limbs felt numb; my
book had fallen on the grass
Had been asleep and dreamed It
or had my waking spirit left my body
for little space to commune with the
spirit OF Paul Clifford2 do not know,
but as my senses slowly returned to
earth, I looked half-fearfully about me.
My meadow lark was silent; the
woOd-chopper, too, had gone. There
was chill in the air and the wester-
Ing sun threw the gnarled, old trees
IN gigantic and fantastic reproduction
upon the grass. With hands clasped
about my knees contemplated the
quiet grave long and earnestly. All was
as 1t had been before my spirit went
away, save that 1t lay deeper In
shadow, stlller In the silence than be-
fore. Then, with little sigh, rose
to go.
Next morning the old caretaker
found n woman lying on the grave.
She was dead, and on her breast was
plain gold locket Of English workman
ship, inscribed From Paul to Mar
guerite." Inside was the photograph
Of young man, fair-haired and tall
he whom had seen.
The woman was not young, but on
her face Of noble beauty lay a look
II unutterable Joy. and her thick, fair
hair shone like gold in the sunlight.
Then ] knew hat she had found
what she sought, and knew, too, that
never again would the restless, waiting
spirit Of Paul ClifDr1 haunt the earth
but that OF him I could henceforth
iruly say:
"Aftor iifa'a ATM fnvcr ba ataana