LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1023, 5 October 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

BIS GUARDIAN ANGEL. [“Argosy.’] ( Concluded .) ‘The jewel was false,’ said the child, shaking her golden head. 1 The fruit was from the Dead Sea ; the vengeance is God’s, not yours.’ ‘ Not mine !’ He stopped, choked by the force of his own passions. The soft voice came again. ‘ Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord ; cast out the evil spirit from thy breast, and wear instead this Cross of Christ.’ And next the rose of her love she laid the golden crucifix she wore. But he started back with a cry of horror. * Take it back, I dare not touch it! Too late, too late ! take it away, child. I have cast hope and cross behind me far too long.’ ‘ Oh, hush thee, hush thee, Max ! for Christ hath not forgotten the soul for which He died. He surely sen’ thy Cora this day to stay thy hand from blood-guiltiness, and win thee hade to Him.’ ‘Child, child, close indeed hast thou stolen into this seared heart, but the dem n is there still I cannot give up; it is too late. Leave me ; lam lost to all but vengeance.’ Out of the deep eyes uplifted to his troubled face looked the very spirit of his guardian angel and the sweet voice answered, ‘ Even at the eleventh hour it is not too late I will not leave thee, Max ; never till my mission is finished, and thy tear of repentance hath fallen at the foot of the Cross. Then, if thou wilt, I will see thy face no more.’ The serpent quivered and trembled for its hold, as he stooped and kissed that pure brow with deep, grave reverence; then suffered the little clinging hand to lead him away. The good old Cure stood at his garden gate and shook his head at La Cora as she came across the pretty churchyard. ‘ Oh, thou wicked golden hair! wandering again with that black-browed man, whom the Prince of Darkness seems to have marked for his own.’ Bat the child’s voice came plaintively. ‘ Oh, father, I cannot find him. When I call, no voice answers me save the heartless echo ; when I search, I see only my own shadow. ’ ‘ Let him bide, or let him go, ma fille,’ said the Cure, crossing himself. *He is one sold to Satan ; he hath banned himself from the Church and from his kind ; he fears not G"d, nor regards man. He is gone, ma fille ’ ‘ Oh, not gone from me till he hath beard my message,’ the plaintive tones came again, as the white-robed form, with its golden mantle of burnished hair, retreated towards the river ; on, on, still with his name on her lips so full of tender pathos and entreaty. • Max! oh, Max! three days are gone since thou hast left tby Cora to call thee in vain.’ Suddenly the light step paused, the sad eyes brightened, and she sprang forward like a fawn, as she caught sight of the form she sought. ‘Cora, child, leave me alone with the dread companions you would supplant —the relentless purpose, the stern vengeance you would rival with every loving look and touch. I will not, dare not give up ; my brother’s blood cries to me from the ground. I will have blood for blood. Child or angel, thou temptest thy Max in vain. Keep back ’ — he stretched out his arm— ‘ I cannot forgive; and I would not if I could.’ How was it she stole within his guard* and like a voice in a dream, so far off, ye u so near, the music of that voice came to his

‘ Lord, how oft shall my brother siu against me and I forgive him, until seven times ? And he answered and said, I say unto yon, not until seven times, but until seventy times seven.’ Why d< icsthe serpent in his bosom lift ils demon head in fierce terror and loosen its hideous coils V Why, when he tried to put her from him, could he only draw his arm close round her, as if to let her go was death ?

‘ Lay thy pure face upon this miserable breast, 0 child of the Paradise thy Max hath lost, for at thy touch the fell serpent loosens its awful grasp. If I could forego the vengeance which is my life’s purpose: if I could ever forgive my brother’s bi nd f< r thy sake ’ * For Christ’s sake, Max, Who died laden with thy sins to save thy soul. He loves thee as Cora can never love thee,’ He suddenly held her off, gazing at her with tne wondering reverence men give to a saint. ‘ Child, know you| what you ask of me ? Couldst thou do it ? Neither father, mother, brother, nor sister hast thou; no human being, as I had, in whom my very soul was wrapped round, whom every tendril of my heart clung to with a love that had no bounds ; who was first to me in all the world! ’ * Ah ! Stay thee, Max ! I have one I love as thou hast said ; one for whose welfare life would be but a light price, and death lose its sting.’ He started, and the direful gloom on his brow deepened as he asked,, still holding her ; ‘ Whom lovest thou so well ? ’ Out of the spiritual eyes his watchful guardian angel surely looked, smiled half sorrowfully as the gentle lips moved. ‘Thyself.’ There was dead silence for a minute: then, with a strange, incredulous look in his eyes, lie said under his breath : ‘Am I in a d>eam ? is it angel or spirit or child that I hold ? is it possible so pure a being can love St. Mar, wild, seared, fallen as he is? No; I have lost heaven and human love ; it cannot be true.’ ‘ It is true.’ Soft and musical as the flowing waters at their feet came the answer; and a new, strange, steadfast light Hashed up into the v. ill sorrowful eyes. ‘ Ah ! list thee, Cora, if indeed it is the truth. Thou sayest forgive; but if that mm were to lure me on to ruin, to forget thee, and then take my life, could’st thou forgive ? ’ * Ah ! Max, not in my own strength, but in Christ's, who forgave His murderers. Ah: what hath he done t > thee in comparison t the wounds thou hast given tby Lord every hour of thy life, ev-ry moment of these twenty years ? Vengeance is Mine. Thou shalb not kill, said God; and thou mortal creature of His hand hast dared to set asidi the divine command, to clabp to tby bosom

the demon of murder, and sell to Satan the body and soul which thy Master hath redeemed at such a price ! The death of Christ hath paid thy ransom from eternal ami yet now thou crucitiest Him afresh with the merciless sword of thy great sin ! Crm-h the thought of the dark crime beneath the weight of the cross; leave justice to Him who gave life, and ere it is too late win pardon by Christ’s sacrifice and thy penitence. See ! the sun is sinking behind wold and river ; shall it go down yet once again upon thy wrath ? ’ ‘ Cora, Cora, woman or angel, thou hast conquered. I have sinned grievously; teach me to repent.’ The proud man’s stately form was bowed down at her feet, hiding his pasdonate weeping in her white robe. It might well have been an angel fl at bent over the agonised penitent, as she bent over him in deepest love and tenderness, with such a heavenly joy in her beauteous face as the cheir above wears, when the messenger lays the tears of repentance before the great white throne. And before that priceless diamond the hideous serpent loosed its last fell coil and fied in terror ' way, away; for it could not live in the heart wherein the cross of Christ had been so well p’anted by the loving hand of the pure being who, henceforth ever at his side, was to lead him on in the golden pathway as bis wife and gmrdj».n auge*

The Boat Accident at Preservation Inlet. —We notice by the Invercargill papers that the wife of Arthur Mitchell, one of the men believed to have been recently drowned in Preservation Inlet, is left with five young children, for whose relief a public subscription is proposed. The other man, Ewing, was unmarried. No Permanent Good is done by any stimulant which does not invigorate the system, overcome its organic irregularities and produce a soothing reaction upon the nervous system. Physicians being aware of this fact are loth to prescribe the stimulants of commerce, which are extremely apt to be adultered and fiery, and even when pure are unproductive of lasting benefit. They recommend instead that admirable tonic stimulant, diuretic and nervine, Udolpho Woub’B Schiedam Aromatic Schnapps.