By Rebecca Springer Originally titled  "Intra Muros" Published 1922

Within the Gates    Home at Last!     We walked on for some distance in silence, my heart unbelieving with the thoughts of the strange new life. The houses, as we approached and passed them, seemed wondrously beautiful to me. They were built of the finest marbles, encircled by broad verandas, the roofs or domes supported by massive or delicate pillars or columns. And winding steps led down to the pearl and golden walks. Happy faces looked out from these columned walls, and happy voices rang upon the clear air from many a celestial home.         "Frank, where are we going?" at length I asked.         "Home, little sister," he answered tenderly.         "Home! Have we a home, my brother? Is it anything like these?" I asked with a wild desire in my heart to cry out for joy.         "Come and see," was his only answer, as he turned into a side path, leading towards an exquisitely beautiful house whose columns of very light grey marble shone through the green of the overhanging trees with the most inviting beauty. Before I could join him, I heard a well remembered voice saying close beside me, "I just had to be the first to bid you welcome!" Looking around, I saw the dearly loved face of my old friend, Mrs. Wickham.         "Oh, oh!" I cried as we met in a warm embrace.         "You will forgive me, Colonel Springer," she said a moment later, giving her hand cordially to my brother, "It seems almost unpardonable to intercept you thus, in almost the first hour, but I heard that she was coming, and I could not wait. But now that I have looked upon her face and heard her dear voice, I will be patient till I can have her for a long, long talk. We have all eternity before us! But you will bring her to me soon, Colonel Springer?" she asked.         "Just as soon as I may, dear madam," he replied with an expressive look into her eyes.         Then with a warm handclasp and the parting injunction, "Come very soon," she swiftly passed out of my sight.         "Her home is not very far away. You can see her often. She is a lovely woman. Now come, little sister. I long to give you a welcome to our home." With that he took my hand and led me up to the broad veranda, with its beautiful inlaid floor of rare and costly marbles, and its massive columns of grey, between which vines covered with rich glossy leaves were intermingled with flowers of exquisite color and delicate perfume hanging in heavy festoon. We paused a moment here that I might see the charming view on every side.         "It is heavenly," I said.         He answered that it could not be otherwise, and led me through a doorway between the marble columns into a large reception hall, whose inlaid floor and broad, low stairway at the far end at once held my fancy. Before I could speak, my brother took my two hands and said "Welcome, a thousand welcomes, dearest sister, to your heavenly home!"         "It is your home and I am to stay with you?" I said, a little confused.         "No. It is your home, and I am to stay with you until my brother comes."         "Always, dear brother, always!" I cried clinging to his arm.         He smiled and said, "We will enjoy the present; we never will be far apart again. But come, I am eager to show you all."         Turning to the left, he led me through the beautiful marble columns that everywhere seemed substituted for doorways into a long oblong room upon whose threshold I stopped in wondering delight. The entire walls of the room were again of that exquisite light grey marble, polished to the greatest lustre, but over the walls and floor were strewn exquisite long stemmed roses of every variety and color, from the deepest crimson to the most delicate shades of pink and yellow.

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