Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-19

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3 some one with her. 1t was too far to see
2 faces, but knew the light-grey coat he
| wore, and it was Mr. Richard James He
| was bending over her as though talking
, very earnestly and when some one inside
called Hathron !" and could stay no Ion
ger, they were still going on close together
j her face turned up and his bent down,
: both earnest and eager in whatever they
were talking Of
, | went back to my work, but kept that
picture before my eyes all the while.
, thought of it until it seemed to be burned
into my heart in fry outlines. After all,
it was only what might easily have hap
, pened if Mr.. James had walked the same
way by chance but | could not look at it
that way-or perhaps | would not.
1t was like my sulky, brooding nature,
too, never to say one word about it to An
ME, but to keep on thinking and watching
in silence. | found out more than | wanted
to in that way for one day when | had
made an excuse to enter the wOman's work
room after Mr.. James had gone there, l
plainly saw him slip a little note slyly into
Annie's pocket The time had come around
for her to go over to Miss Redford's with
her work but that evening, instead of go
ing with her, | watched her-hiding like a
thief behind trees and buildings on the road.
She went alone and came alone, and | saw
nothing for my pains. | did at church next
Sabbath, though. When the hymn was
given out Mr.. James, sitting in the hand
some family pew, seeing Annie i'll doubt as
to the number, for the old clergyman didn't
always speak distinctly, reached over and
took her book to find the place (she sat but
a pew behind him). When he gave it
back | saw that there was something be-
tween the leaves, and come what might
would have snatched it, but at that mo-
ment Miss Redford who sat in the side
aisle, whispered to Annie to show her the
number, and lost the chance, for in pass
ing the books it was hidden That it was
a-note knew by the white glimmer of the
edges as well as if | had seen the whole of
it, and surely as live | saw Annie give
Mr.. james meaning smile as he passed us
on the church path going home.
Miss Redford looked at Annie as if she
knew something of it too. as she stepped
after her father and mother into the car
riage. They were carriage people-the
Redfords-and the old folks looked down
on every body else. There was feud be-
tween them and the proprietors of the fac
tory, and they never spoke to either the
Williamses or Mr.. James so there was no
social chatting on the porch, and the Will
liams people smiled sarcastically, and the
old Redfords scowled and looked naughty
until they were all fairly shut in and driv
en- away. Not Mr.. Janes--he was too gen
tlemanly; nor,Miss Railroads.&c. was tho
sweet The feud was among the old folks
The farmers families made up for their i'll
temper though, and half the genteel people
from the villas were smirking and bowling
to each other.
The factory hands who were at church
a dozen in ALL | uppose-hurried home
pell-mell by short cuts, not to lose their din
ners, and Of them all only Annie and | were
left She was waiting for me to join her
a thing | didn't mean to do.
| leaned against the iron railing of the
church-yard, wishing | was sound asleep
under one of the green mounds, but only
looked darker and sulkier, no doubt, than
usual, until | saw her turn toward me-
Then | leaped the railing and went away
never looking back. did not go home,
but spent the day in Baldwin's Woods
alone.
On Monday | was at work as usual 1t
was the third Of July, and the Fourth, of
course, was to be a holiday. There were
to be grand celebrations atl Baldwin, and
the show-pieces for the evening were being
finished at our place, under the superinten-
dance of Mr. Richard James. 1t was hard
to keep the younger hands at their work.
They were half crazy about the Fourth and
| suppose every one of them had a pistol.
| never cared for banging at nothing, and
Ich bnl | hnI
differently. One young fellow tried hard
all day to sell me his like goose he had
bought two, and was sorry for it.
About dusk | went to get my supper, and
was coming back when, among the shad-
ows,I saw two figures standing whispering
together felt in moment vino they
must be, and got close enough to hear their
voices 1t was as | thought. One was
Annie May, the other Richard James. They
were parting, but heard enough in the
few last words:
eleven will be the best time the moon
will be up by then. I'll have the carriage
waiting under the two elms in Baldwin's S
Woods Be certain about the hour, for the
J down-train starts a quarter to twelve
) Good-by-God bless you !?
Not another word-but knew the whole.
She was going off with Richard James,
: She whom | loved so. The one of all the
world who had seemed to love me, / herad his
J firm tread die away. heard her light foot
steps rustic over the grass, and went back
| myself to the workroom, for we were to
: work until late hour that night | walk
) ed straight up to the young fellow who had
} been trying all day to sell me his superhu-
; Gus pistol.
Smith" said l, ~ think III trade with
you after all"
Good for you," said he "The Fourth
amt no Fourth without pistol, and this is
goin' cheap A good load in it too, so be
, careful"
| counted down the money and took the
r weapon away with me. Do you want to
know what meant to do with it Shoot
: myself through the heart. The idea ofmu-
der had not crept into my mind then. I'd
t swear that with my dying breath.
, | only wanted to get rid of my tiresomo
}, life There was nothing left to live for-s
2 it seemed to me.
S At half past ten l got the chance | wan,
ted, and slipped out. l was going to kill
: myself in Baldwins Woods, on the dead