Year: 1874

| 4oNN tl4tN Iicl'S' NV CAAS 4O'S'' '''N>>~o
! for being the language of every
human heart, and the tiny hands of
sweet Alice were folded in his as
she said very low and sweetly: If
I live, Ben. when five years mere
have passed and you return q second
! time


She did not finish tit was
never finished.


SO they plighted their troth that
calm holy Sabbath evening, and
the buoyant heart Of Ben, i'll its
gushing sunniness, pictured radiant
hopes for the future. He was Young
and SO full Of vitality-eyery pulse
of his heart was beating gladly, and
the coming five years were more
precious to him. than all the past.


IF we both live, Ben, God will
have us in his holy keeping" she
said in answer to his parting words:
but as he pressed her conyulsively
to his beating heart he replied:
God will be merciful to us who
love SO dearly. Alice darling.


She knew it, bat she knew also
that God did not always answer
the prayel: falling from the hopeful
! lips. Sweet Alice. and down the
futur, looked tremblingly, and
saw the Fragile form and spiritual
face. with lilies braided in the soft:
brown hair. her eyes grew dim with
tears. for she knew not if it was q
bridal or Il burial. for close beside
the altar was grave yard.


They We're not wanting who
wondered 1t Ben Bolts choice. and
Thought it strange he should take
! Alic2 Nay in preference to the fairest
and waalIhiest. Some there We're
who held theil: heads loftily when
they passed. but her heart WAS
away OH the blue waters. and she
needed it not.


How she watched the days in
their passing. she noted how the
summer wanell-how the fields Of
waving grain grew golden in the
suni;yht-she heard the glad voices
Of the lcapers: and Wien the leaves
We're falling. the merry ciiillScn
gathering in the woods: then the
noiscless snow fell and lay on the
hillside as in the olden days; until
the genial spring-tide sun melted it
away, and the violets and hair-bells
dotted ihe felds--so passed year.


She was growing fairer and more
beautiful-too brilliant for anything
earthly Once she knelt at the altar
in the little church, and listened to
| the words uniting her with the
Saviors redeemed on earth. but it
was only an outward form: for her
heart had long been in the keeping
Of angels. Again she watched the
waning Of the summer days, and
when the soft wind swept over the
silvery rye fields, she thought of the
sea afar. with it's broad waves. All
through the winter days she grew
more spiritual in her beauty. and
the slender white hands were often
folded on her breast, as she prayed
for those who would soon be left
! desolate: for she knew she was
dying.


1t did not startle her, she had
felt long ago that the fair green


earth would hold her pulseless heart


ere it had left the cloister of girl
hood. Life was sweet and beautiful.


yet in her sinles 5ness, death had no


agony, save her sorrow for those


left in loneliness. It was only a


little way to the land of rest, and


her feet had never grown weary ;


yet she longed to look once more


upon the flowers, and have them
braided in her hair, and so she


fingered on until the voice cf spring


was heard on the hill tops.


! Onemorning when viewless hands


were gathering back the misty cur


tain of the night, and the stars


grew dim in the glory Of early


morn. sweet Alice stood on the


threshold of Paradise, and the
! golden gates were opened to the


fair, meek girl. There trembled on


her lips a prayer and a blessing for


Ben Bolt and her mother. giving


radiance to the fair. dead face, and


they braided spring flowers in her


wavy, brown hair.


The church bell chimcl softly to


the few wears earth had claimed


the stainless soul Of Alice May: as


they brought the coffin i'll the little:
old church. How beautiful she
looked in her white burial robe
too fair and sweet for death: too


holy. hal there not been rosurrec
ton beyond. Close beside her
4. stood the friends Of her girlhood


gazing on that young face. as they
! would tain call her back 10 life, and
it's sweet love So they laid sweet
Alice to sleep in the old church