New Britain herald., 1929-09-03


 "Ill get her something" offered | Red. T haven't eaten myself l. Want to come out, Rita? I'll buy you some ice cream"
 "Oh, goody!"
 She smiled beatifically. Daddy said I'd feel better by and by. l ! guess maybe he knew you was go- ing 10 buy me some ice cream, Un- cle Red. l was crying like every thing, but he said little girls al ways felt better by and by. Is this by and by. mama ?''
 Molly smiled mistily. T think it must be, dear"
 When Red had gone, and taken Rita with him. she went to her desk. and took out copy Of Ashes of De- sire.
 Putting 1t in Jacks hands, she said This one is yours. had it bound for you. But l didn't think l would ever give it to you.
 Did you ever read about how 1 Rossetti, when his wife died, bur ried his poems with her? Years afterward his friends persuaded him 10 have his earlier verse pub !ished. But his loveliest things were in the grave. In the casket, with his wife. Then his friends convinced him that he should have the grave opened - and the casket. And that he should take the beauti- full verses that had never been pub lished away from his dead wife's posse ssion. So Rossetti did as they urged.
 But. when the grave was opened, it was discovered that his wife's hair had grown around the little manuscript in her hands She had long golden hair, and it had become looscnod. and had fallen down over her shoulders. To take the verses away, they had to cut the strands that had twined themselves about the verses.
 'Rossetti's friends did not tell him that. and the verses were pub lshed. They made Rossetti fa- nous. But his success was tingcd with melancholy. Years later someone told him the story of the way his wifcs hair had grown around his poems, Then Rossotu went insane"
 Molly paused.
 That's an awful creepy story" declared Jack.
 Yes. I know it is. Well. I dreamed last week that I died, and they buried this book with me, and my hair started to grow. and grow ."
 Stop it.' he cried. Gosh, Molly. you make my blood run cold."
 But it's so strange" she per sisted. T want you to know. l won't tell you the rest of the dream If you don't want me to. Only this part of it, dear. I woke up. and I was very frightened. It seemed SC real. And l went to the desk, to seq If this book of yours was still there. It was the one that had been dreaming about. Look. dear. It says in the front, in little gold let t"rs, For My Sweetheart.
 T opened the drawer, and there 1t was, exactly where I left it. I opened it, and began to write on the first page. The words came simply and naturally. l wrote without any hesitation. When I finished, I read over what I had written. and it seemed to mo one of the most beau titul things in the world"
 She turned the page.
 Let me read it aloud, sweet heart. Nothing is sweetcr than love; nothing stronger; nothing higher, nothing broader. nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller. or better in heaven or on earth, for love is born of God, and can rest only in God above all things crcatcd.'"
 She hositatcd.
 Do you remember. Jack. that night at collcge-the night before Rlta's wedding-when we were out on the lake, and told you that I thought l was psychic 2"
 He nodded. g
 Now I know I am" she ex,IIted,
 She moved toward the circle of his arms, and her hair caught the gllnt of the sun as it slanted through the window, so that if glowed like a halo, And there was a sort Of luminosity about her, like q mystic light.
 That passage" she said, ''is rom The Imitation of Christ I looked it up next day. l never read The Imitation of Christ in my life"
 But I don't understand, he murmurcd.
 Neither do I. Love-" she told him softly, lis beyond all under standing"
 THE END