Richland beacon., 1872-09-07

"a would do me. Yo knowed what my
life hal been. an how il wJr hand 10
hand between other folk an me. lO
knowed how mucl ! cared fl- him an
what he wur to me. 70 mou@ht ha' let
u be- ! nivvcr harmed yo. | wouldna
har.I vo so -.liul cruel now
Wilt Ia listcn:" he asked, laboring
as if for breath.
Aye" she answered him, I'll lis
ten, fur tha Gamma hur. Ire wOrser. Tn
dav fur that's past an gone
Well,' said he. listen an I'll try
TO tell yO. ! know it's no Use. but mum
say a word or two. Happen yO didna
know | loved yo aw' yo're liie-happen
yo didna, but it's true. When yO wor
a little lass. gatherin' sea-weed on tn
sands | watched yo when wor afearcl to
| spcak-ateared lest yO'd gi' me a sharp
answer, fur yo wor ready cnow wi en-.
arnch. I've watched yo fur hours when
| wur a great lubbcrly lad. an when yo.
-:ttin to be "A woman it wur III S;nnr
thing. watch We an did yo many a turn
| as yO knowed nOwt about. When yo
wllr scarchin' fur drift to keep up tn iire
after tn Owd mon deed an left yo alone.
yo Divver guessed as it wor me as hearcd
little piles i tn nOokS o tn rocks So aS
y'~ think at tn tide lial left thcer-
happen yO tlidnl,. but 1T wor true. Eve
! stayed round th' old house many meet
, reared summat mOught harm yo. an yo
knew you nivvcr gave me Il good word.
Meg. An then Dan comm an he made
way wi you. as ne made WAY wi aw tn
rcst-mcn an women an children. He
nivvcr worked an waited aS did-hc niv-
Yer thowt an prayed a did every!hin"
come easy wi him. an when | seed him
1.,.y,t l..
wor cravin' it run me daft an blind.
SCENT like he couldna cling to it like
did. an began ~ igit agrn 4. an Svhcn
heerd about 'tlmt lass % Barnegas |
towd yo. an when | seen y0u believed
" didna believe mysen it run me
| da. .er yet. an put more 10 what he said.
an held back So'Ec. an th"er il wor an
| thccr it stands. an il Eve carnt curse.
lass. I've gcttcn it. tur-ftn thowt yo'd
been lcarnin. To care fur me Il bit sin ~.
wor wed, an God knows Eve tried t.
treat yo fair am kind i laypoor way. 1t
worna Dan Morgan way. hnow-hi>
wur Il better way thanbmhe. th'sun ,hone
on him soinehOwAbut I've done my best
an triIcst sim
"GO'vc done yO'rc worst" she said.
"Th' worst yo could do wor to part Us.
an yO did it. Ifyo'd been half Il mon va
wouldna ha' been content wi a woman
yo'd trapped with sayin' Aye an who
cared less for yO than she did for tn sand
on tn sea-shorc. Whats what W vc done
sim to what yO. did siore? lo cannot
| wipe that out anu yO cannot max me for
| get. hate yo, an tn worse because |
| wCr beginnin' to be content a bit. hate
myscn. ought to ha' knowcd'-wildly
80 he would ha' kiiowed whether wor
true or false, pcor thap-he would ha'
knOwed.'
She rocked herself to aud iio for min
ute. wringiny her hands in passion Of
anguish worse than any words, but Il min
ute later she turned on him all at once.
"AlTS DER between yO an me. she
said with fierce heat; "do yO know that
If yo wor half mon yo would"
lie sat up-eno -tared ut fer humbiy
ard stupidity,
"Eh?" he said at last.
"Theer's not mon i Arle as Is not
more to me now than tina art" she said.
,.,>Dme on 'nm be honest. an Gamma say
Nat o. thee. Tina canst get thee gone or
I'll 90 mysen. Tha knows't me well
enow to know I'll nc'cr forgic thee for
what tha's done. Aye"-with the pas
sionate hand -wringing again" but that
wunnot undo It,
Tie rose and came to her. trembling like
a man with the agile.
"IO dunnot mean that thccr. Meg he
said slowly. ''YOu dunnot mean itWord
fur word. Think Il Bit"
AYE but ! do" she answered him. set
ting her white teeth, WORD fur word.
Think again. wench." And this time
he staggered and caught hold of the door
post. "IS theer nOwt as III 90 agen tn
81,
an I've loved thee twenty-is theer nOwt
iur me? Aye. lass, dunnot be too hard.
| Tha was allus harder than most woman
kind: try an be bit softer like to'ris tn
mon as risked his soul because he wor 4
mon an darena lose thee. Tha laid thy
head on my shoulder last meet. Ave. lass
lass, think o. that fur one minnit."
Perhaps she did think of it, for surely
| she fatercd little-what woman would
not have faltercd at such a moment?-bu
the next. the memory of the sunny half
Boyish fice she had clung to with sC
strong a love rushed back upon her head
and struck her TO the heart. She remem-
berpd the days when her life had seemed
so full that she had feared her own bliss
she remembered the gallant speeches ant
liyht-hcartcd wiles, and all at once she
cried out i'm fierce impasSioned voice
IN ne'cr forgie thee" she said-'l |
ne'er forgie thee to tn last day o my life
What tor should ]? Tha's broke nay
heart. thou vilain-tha' broke my heart.
| And the next minute she had push, Il pas
him and rushed into the house.
| For a minute or so after she was gon'
the man stood leaning against the doo
with n daZed look in his pale face. Sh
meant what she said; he had known he
long enough to understand that she neve
forgaye-never forgot. Her unbrokei
will and stubborn strength had heid ne
TO enemies all her life. and he knew Sh
was not to he won by such things rs Wol
other women. He knew she was harde
than most women. but his dull iiatur
could not teach him how bitter must hay
bccn the life that rendered her so. III
had never thought of it-he did not thih
of II now. He was rot blaming her. an
he was scarcely blaming himself. lie ha
tried to make her happy and had iaileo
There were two causes for the heavy pa
sion of misery that was ruling him. bu
neither of them was rcmorse.
His treaohsrx, had betrayed him. and h
had Iosr Tire Woiharf she Had loved an
worked for. Soul and body were SLUG
Oish alike. but each had its dull panS
weight and wretchedness.
live come to tn eend now surely, !
said. and. dropping into her seat, he nj
his face.
As he sat tn re choking lump rose
his throat with sudden click. and III
minute or so more ne was wiping ava
!. hot rolling tears Y1h the back OF n
rough haad. tftJH
I'm forsook somehow" he said--"ay
I'm forsovk. I'm not tn soart o. ciiap
tax up vi tn world. She wor All u
. world cared fur, an she'll ne.er for@
me, for she's hard un-she Is. AYE
but wur fond o. her. | wonder wh;
she'll do do wondorf my soul wh'
she's gettin' her mind On.'