Year: 1865




tell you the shock it was when he asked
me to marry him. had known nothing Of
his history hitherto, but he told me new
that he was widower, and a lonely
childless man, and that he had learned to
love me and mine better than any thing in
the world He wanted to marry me at
once, and take us home with him, where
| Rosemary could have every care and luxu-
ry, and where my lot should be eased of all
such burdens as he could bear in my stead


While he talked | was terribly tempted.
The home he offered seemed to promise such
rest, such relief from care, and the tortur-
ing anxiety how to do my duty to my child
and get my daily bread at the same time
| thought of my little one most of ALL |
knew she needed so much that ] could not
give her. Perhaps it would save her life.
Had | right to refuse? And yet | knew
| did not love Dr. Grant | dared not all
swer him Oh any momentary impulse. So
| told him if he would go away and give
me time to think | would see him again on
the morrow, He held my hand moment
with grave tenderness.


Remember, Mrs Eden," he said d" that
whatever way you may decide l shall not
be the less your friend If you can find it
in your heart to come to my home and let
me care for you | shall be happy indeed,
and | will do my best to make you So"


All that night, until the gray dawn light
ened the heavens, | sat holding my little
one in my arms and thinking | went over
and over all the advantages of the case
most of all what it would do Rosemary to
be in home Of plenty, surrounded with ev-
cry appliance of ease and luxury const-
antly watched, moreover, by kind and
skillful physician, whose interest in her |
knew, would be only second to mine. All
this on one side.


On the other the stern fact that | did not
love DR.. Grant-the holy, ever present
memory that | had promised to belong to
Robert Eden forever Could | break that
vow? Would he forgive me if, even for
his chi Us sake, suffered any other man
to press the lips on which his dying kiss
still fingered


Then | thought farther Filled as my
! heart was with fond memories of the dead,
| thrilling to that remembered love as it new
er would to the strongest utterance of any
living mans passion should | not be wrong
ing DR.. Grants noble nature unpardonably
if | gave him a hand which held no heart
vowed fealty which was only Iip-deep
At last, just IN the gray dawning, | made
up my mind that | would be faithful and
true at any cost, and trust all to God, even
Rosemary. | would not sin against my
womanhood by purchasing comforts for her
at the price of my fidelity to the vow had
plighted to her father | knew that | had
decided rightly by the great peace which
flowed into my heart | lay down on the
| 4 cti Il
| seemed to feel--waS it all a fancy ?-the
presence of one | could not see, to hear a
wcll-known, well-loved voice murmur,


Through life and through death My
beloved, thou hast been faithful"


Then | slept the long, deep sleep of ex-
haustion and when | awoke Rosemary
was watching me with her great wide-open
eyes, and it was almost time for DR.. Grant
| to come.


l showed him honestly all my heart, and,
when he understood fully that | never could
have given him such love as he craved, he
told me had done right-that any other
course would have been injustice to myself
to him, and to the dead But if | could Il OF
be his WIFE, he said | must be to him as
his sister, must suffer him to provide for
all my necessities, for he should not let me
sew any more until-he stopped an instant
and then finished his sentence-until the
little girl is better


But in spite of his attempt to spare my
feelingc, it struck in one moment to my
heart that he felt convinced she would new
er be any better in this world With that
thought all my independence, all my sensi-
tive pride, was silenced felt as willing
to accept the help he offered as | was CRATE
full for his kindness. | could not give one
hour more of my darling's short life to any
thing but care Of her, / knew he wanted
to assist me--was alike willing and able
took his generous hand and raised it to
my lips.


May God reward you !" l said. e
know never can, and | accept your offer
ing as frankly as it is made"


So all the rest of that summer | tended
my poor, little fading flower and DR.. Grant
supplied our wants like a brother What
days those were those long, still ones
in which held her from morning till night
clasped in arms which never wearied OF
their burden \ strang, almost unnatural
wisdom seemed to develop in the little
three-year's child who was living her shor
life so fast | had long talks with hel
dDOui dCdth anu hCdhIIly lllC HOHiC "lCi'
her father waited--where she, too woulC
be waiting for me very soon.


At last the end came She had beer
growing more like an angel every day ,anC
at length the angels called her home. He
little arms clasped my neck for the las
time--her lips pressed mine-and her bah.
, voice bade me goodbye. My darling, ol
my darling


She has slept these two years beside he
: father. am looking forward always thrc
+ all the tumult of life to the day when | to-
can go home. Ibear life's burden patientl.
t i try no do my duty in the station t
r which it has pleased God to call me bu
my heart and my hopes are where Rober
, waits, and with him my little Rosemary
+ not sure, think that heaven is heaven III
: til join them there.


I TRuE.-The man who does not take tn
paper or who takes a paper and does nc
q read the advertisements, can never be sal
g to be we'll posted The advertisements, il
: dicate not only the business enterprise c
o the place in which they are published, bu
o the enterprise of the advertiser. Whe