The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-09-10

"and don't be afraid Of your high
priced ones, with stonesin EN-
("If L give her one,' in the pa
renthesis OF his sleeve, 81 want it
to be ring that'll last, and always
be fine and handsome, and do to
60 down in the family, like moth
er's."
Diamonds, emeralds, opals, pearls
were flashed in his face, but still
his fingers went searching.
"What's this?" he asked, pick
ing up small, strong circle, with
amethysts set around it. "Looks
like a grape, sort of, when the sun
shines through it."
"That? oh, those are amethysts.
Not as expensive as these jewels,
but very firm stone"
"This suits mes,' observed George
diving for his wallet, "this is what
I was looking for"
So he paid for it, and darted out
to hail passing horse. car, tucking
his little morocco case under bills,
away down out of sight, as another
secret was tucked under his left
breast-pocket.
As he rushed back across the
afternoon landscape, .curbing his
iron hcrse with this bitsgiving him
rein by another motion, making
the villages resound, watching his
road with keen, yet tender eye,
Georges mind rose to no. greater
height than meditation on how he
should give the ring TO Jennie.
"I'll ask her to take a walk-no
I won't. Don't want nobody to
see me. I'll shake hands with her,
and sort Of slip it On her finger,
and then cut! Hang me! no, l
won't neither. Let's see. I'll 60
there Sunday night and stand up
to it, and have it out. If she'll
have me, all right; if [ amt the
man, I'll putt and my heart i'll my
pocket, and reverse engine on the
marrying question"
And just at this crisis o. thought
he saw cause for reversing engine
indeed.
Some men are rash to villainy.
The conductor Of construction
train, which ought to be lying on a
switch a mile away, thought he
could make the next switch before
the Chicago Express came BY. So
he tried if. He survived the dis
aster to telegraph his resignation
to the Company next hour, and ego
| West"
George-hair flying back from
his forehead-hands like lightning
-eyes and mouth set, reversed his
engine, whistled the breaks down
the fireman ran back-the en-
gineer of the construction train
!jnmped--but George stood,up to the
alarm signal till engine reared
against engine, the baggage-car fell
on gravel-Aat, and human yells
went up out of the Express from
mouths which were saved, but nev-
er a sound from the engineer who
had stood at his post and saved
them-and now lay half under bis
dear old Number s, wrecked with
it.
"There's been an accident, :"
cried Jennie, rushing into his moth
er's presence, and causing the dear
old lady to push her glasses quite
into her hair. IA telegram just
came
"Not George!'.
"The Express! oh, don't, dear !!
No one was dangerously y hurt but
the engineer-it was collision
he saved the train, they say! Oh,
don't, don't let it kill you p
!"Where's my bunnit?' CROPPED
the old mother.
"Here's your homeland yonr
shawl" Jennie wrapped both
this this and her arms around
Georges mother. Those tender
young touches brought her on Jen-
MES neck. ...
Don't you leave me! Its ago.
! ing to kill me to see him lyin' un-
der them wheels, all tore up! The
best son, and 60 d and kind as an
angel! Oh, how'll we git there ?
Oh, who's agoing to take me to
my son!''
II will" promised the young
woman, breathless and white, re-
lief train is going up"
What they thought all that long
time they rode, hanging to each
others hands-this childish wo-
man, and womanly child, I know
not. DO you think at all just be-
fore you open black-bordered let
ter-when some awful charge
threatens you? Do criminals
think when the moose is round
their necks? We sometimes exist
without living.
1t was warm summer dusk when
: the reliet-train slid slowly up to