Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-10-11
THE OLD CLOCK;
y r-a.s 2r-g 1oR,TIi Tfrt
4 Ralph vane's wooihg. ''''


e The sunset was sending its temples of fire
and amethyst over the dark hills that seem
ed to touclnihe, flaming West Htha whip
pooryvili moaning IFS plaintive cadence on
the ruinOus fence bcyondthe old mill, was
answered by the ripple ofthe stream in the
glen below and the whole landscape was
wrapped I'm the sweet dreamlike repesc OF
a summer twilight. ..-r -,ii De-. g
Ralph Nane stood waiting at the NOISY
stile for two long hours-waiting and
watching in vain.
she i coming Of last-at last, he NUT
tered between his set teeth: az Il slight rus
iling In t.c,hushes struck his ear.
No-it WAS but robin darling honIewHrd
to lis nest. half terrified at being ont so
late; and once more the deep. peaceful qui
ct hrOoded above the silent meadows.
1T is too late he said, as the village
church sfirc- chined nine.T 'Shc- will not
cone now. and ! have the incifablc salts
faction OF knowing that am fool She
never loved me--she never cared for rmc.
else she would have come here 10 tcn me
goodbye. II may bc the last fine She will
ever look upon my face. Much she cares,
the pretty. deccivins little coquctte-yet
fancied,; blind blockhead that have been,
that she loved me-.
/ lie dashed suspicious drop Of moist
urc from his eyelashcs rs he spoke, and
plunged into the dense, hagant woods rs
I if he would fain bring himself, away from
human ken.
such magnificent wild strawberries as |
have found down in the pasture lot, moth
er Only look
And Rachel Bcnsley held -up her. apron
full of scarlet berries blushihS through sill
yer green leaves.
She was pretty, rosy Girl, with shining
black hair, aDd brown eyes that had the
velvet softmss OF the cazelk's-ia rustic
beauty. whose sunbonnet was tied as
coquettishlv under her chin as if it had
been a Frneh chip hat that cost forty
dollars.
Put them down. daughter. said Mrs.
Benslev. Widow Moore has just been
here, and what do youilink she says:'
Il don't know
'She SAYS that Ralph Vane has enlisted
and gone off TO the wars. lie left the vii
lage last night. =
/ Rachel sat down. the rosy bloom dying
out of her checks and leaving a; ghostly
paIior behind
Mother, She walled, do you believe ii
is true!l. 4Il.s ISHiLl
I'm afraid so. daughter. Do not fret
he isn't worth it, to leave You in this sort
of way-yOu that he was as GOOD as engag-
cd to. Oh, Rachel, couldn't have beliey-
ed it, F15fat.
Rachel laid aside her bonnet and began
mechanically to pinch the green stems from
the strawberries, but She said no more
From that moment she never mentioned
Ralph Vane's name. All the tears she shed
were wept in secret
And farmer BenSley, leaning against the
porch pillar, drew long breath of re-
lief. s'. ,.-r tg
She don't take it very hard, after all, he
mu,tcred: Il am glad its well over. Ralph
Vane never would have made a good hus-
band for her.
Three years passed away.-snd Captain
Vanc was walking UP crowded city street
absorbed in his own meditatiOns when sud
denly he stopped. aSsfs Ek
Now, what was it that brought the wide
old kitchen at farmer Bensley's SO suddenly
10 nv mind Just then?' he iho't Il could
take my oath that saw the old clock Just
as it used TO stand above tue chinfZ, GOV
! cred settee And-haIIo, there It is, And
there it was. ticking away monotonously
in the window of a dingy little second raj,
pawnbrokers establishment On. the corner
where tw % narrow streets met.
Following the impulse OF. the moment
he opened the door and went in. q. 60; p
, What is the price of that old fashioned
clock in the Window? he, asked ss.a -t.. b
That cieckl' said the Jewish looking
Individual in Attendance We'll, you Car
have that clock cheap, ,bein' there's some
thin ails the strikin' apparatus, and it was
such a shaky old thing that we didn't car
to have it overhauied- Two dollars fol
that clock is sayin' pretty fair.
Il should think so, observed Capt. Vane
as it probably cost no more than that wher
new. However, I'll take it--for the sak'
! Of old times, he murmured tohimsef. =
Yes, sir; I'll do it up directly.
BY the way, where did you get it,. IN
/, asked, with an affectation OF carelessnes
he by no means felt. "a .-saI ~ - s5H-
n .n'We1, sir it was left here by a 'respecta
BILE old female, about six weeks ago. be
, lieve Eye GOT. her address somewhere
1 for they have brought good many littl
items here at one time and anothef. On
here it is-Rebccca a, Benslsy, No.
Baker street
2 Ralph Yane laid down two dollars Tant
walked out of the store, with his little clocl
under & hug E ara xsns..s,As@EoMl,, -,
: tered, What are they TO me? And yet i
r gives me a keen pang TO think OF Rachel
being destitute and in want. When hear,