The Old Stone House

sie at the breakfast-table the ne

. "When a fellow has got to go to sc

aid Sibyl, looking out into the garden where th

awake part of the night and listened to the storm. There was not wi

ough the country and getting nearer to New York every mile, whil

looking at the clock; "you must not

alled out Tom, slinging hi

ng," said Sibyl, going out to

ritation; "Hugh gone, and Sibyl so absorbed that she is good for nothing as a comp

se to Hugh, and she saw also that the young girl was suffering under her share of the sor

succeeded at last in giving the right expression to Hugh's eyes

ut Sibyl was not with him; his face was pale, he went u

n endured affliction not to recognize its messenger at a glance. Mr. Leslie, in his

minutes. The night was very dark, but many of the passengers were picked up by the 'Empire' as she came along two hours afterward, some clinging to fragments of the wreck, and some in one of the America's small boats. The other boa

us that Hugh is among

nt voice, hopi

cold distinctness; then she sat down by

or the scene of the accident, the water is still at summer heat, and besides, among the many vessels and propellers constantly passing over t

in the same hard voice; "He wil

ruel words!" Sibyl's face was discolored with violent weeping, and her whole frame shook with

she answered; "Hugh is

d; "Bessie," he said gently, "why do you give up a

dull monotone; "Hugh is dead, I t

n a low tone to Aunt Faith; "yo

from her own grief; "com

id Bessie; "I shall

Tom and Gem ran

. "We met some boys and they told us th

tle chair and began to cry bitterly. Aunt Faith could not answer Tom, the sound

ter than any one in Westerton, and he's as strong as a lion! I'm going ri

said Bessie agai

e day, different vessels came into port, they were boarded by anxious friends and the latest reports eagerly sought. The bank of the lake was thronged, people stood there with glasses, in spite of the steady rain, scanning the eastern horizon in the hope of discovering the smoke of approaching propellers. Others had friends on board the America besides the family at the old stone house.

oon revived, and the good news flew through the city, and friends told it to the family in the old stone house, clustered together a

nto violent weeping, and Aunt Faith shuddered at Bessie's words. "Can you not persuade Bessie to go

r to herself for the present," she answered

ghted from the bank, and a crowd assembled on the doc

found him," said one; "they would have cruised around

gnal," said another; "they m

se on board, the quiet was ominous, and, chilled by a sudden awe, the crowd stepped back, and awaited the result in silence. The boat was made fast, and then

ughout the city; women heard it and sobbed aloud, as they held their darlings closer; men hea

A few passengers and part of the crew got off in one of the small boats, but the other boats were swamped by the rush into them; a cry went up that the steamer was sinking, and Hugh was seen to jump overboard with a little child in his arms, a baby whose mother had held it imploringly towards him, as he tried to persuade her to take the dangerous leap. "Take the child," she said; "I will follow you," and then as they disappeared, with a wild cry the poor woman flung herself over after them. In the mean time the captain and some of the hands and passengers had ascended to the hurricane deck, and when the America sank,

oy, an answering cry came back through the rain. Hugh made an effort to steer the spars towards the floating deck, and those on board pushed their raft towards him as well as they could. Still it was slow work, and as the dawn grew brighter, the mother saw her preserver's haggard face, and the blood matted in his curly hair. He did not speak, as, holding the baby in one arm, with the other he tried to guide the broken mast, but his eyes were strangely glazed and the shadow of death was on his brow. They reached the deck at last, and kind hands lifted them on board; it was only a raft, but it seemed a support after the deep, dark water. The mother took her baby, and Hugh sank down at

heavy, and words of comfort came not to his lips; in the presence of so great a sorrow he bowed his head in silence. The friends who were in the house, came out to meet him

d the Lord hath taken away," he said solemnly. "Blesse

h knelt down by her chair and hid her face in her hands. Bessie alone was calm. "Ar

hey will soon

er dress. "Sibyl," she said, "do not cry; Hugh never could bear to h

mechanically as she led the way to the piazza; involuntarily they all took the positions of t

who had so suddenly been taken from them in all the flush and vigor of early manhood. On came the sad procession, and when the bearers reached the piazza, the frien

gure beneath, and Bessie with her face hidden in her hands, sat by its side. She did not move as Aunt Faith c

w you," said Aunt Faith, in a low ton

face was pinched and colorless, an

" repeated Aunt Faith; "he wrote it on bo

Bessie hoarsely, holdi

lead her away. But Bessie resisted wildly. "I will not go!" she said. "I shall stay with Hugh un

. The words were scrawled across the page in irregular lines; there seemed to be two paragraphs. The first was this: "Bes

tinct, and the last words barely le

then she read them over again, speaking the words aloud as if to give

late girl and raised her to her feet. "Look at him, Bessie!" she said earnestly; "look at dear Hugh, and think how

ed with vine-leaves, but the left, the hand that had held the little child, was folded across his breast; he was dressed as he had been in life, and some one had placed a cross on his heart,-a little cross of ivy simply twined. "My soldier, true soldier of the cross," murmured Aunt Faith, s

not looked upon Hugh since they brought him home, and now she sto

again; "look at dear Hugh. He is spea

to her, and listening for his answer in vain. Aunt Faith did not try to check her, for these were her first tears; she knew they would relieve that tension of the head and heart, which, if long continued, must

, turned down the light, covered the still face, and went

d, and many tears dropped upon it, as, one by one, the friends bent over to take a farewell look at the handsome face with its clustering golden hair. Then came the voice of the aged pastor, reading the words of the Gospel of St. John,-Hugh's favorite

me from New York immediately upon hearing of the accident. Tom and Gem stood together, but Bessie was alone; she wished no support, she said;

eir friend, and bore it forth under the same faded flower-arch, and down the

nd, standing on the pi

; fast falls

eepens; Lord,

pers fail, and

elpless, Oh a

with Thee at

ight, and tears

sting, where, g

ll, if Thou a