Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-10-09

harrison memory QOWn tnc "niu
and, now that my old Janet was los
to me, Rugged her dear image closer thar
ever.
It was soft, dark day--still, horribl.
still, with the calm that precedes or follows
a tempest. Now and then the heav.
plunge of sliding masses Of snow wa
heard as walked to the station, and grea
fakes fell from the clouds at long distan
ces. Our train labored heavily along
The wheels clogged, the rails creaked
and the sullen air seemed to be thrilled
with forebodings of disaster. To add te
our gloom, a heavy fog, settled about us
The Sheets of black vapor which at stated
intervals roll up from the Thames, and
make London like the cities one sees in
dreams. vague and terrible. would have
been but silvery mists, compared with the
thick curtain that wrapped us and crept as
we crept onward.
Twas startled out of my dismal reverie
by a horrible sense of falling, scken-
ing crash as though the world had been
shattered; then came insensibility. When
nv Jared senses returned, realized that
l was lying among dead and wounded at
the bottom Of a rocky gorge. amid and IN
der the ruins Of the cars. ! could not
move, was so bruised and crushed. |
could not tell if my limbs were broken,
but felt the blood tricklng over my cold
face from a wound in my head.
Half the night passed while we lay there
before help came. / was silent, listening
TO the means of the wounded and dying
The weather changed; cold wind blew
up and lifted the fog; the clouds parted,
and saw star looking down upon me.
II made me think Of Janet-my old Janet
and called her name aloud. The star
changed; it was Janet's face that bent
over me, her hands wiped the blood from
my face, her voice sounded in my ear.
Ted, my darling! O, my darling-my
own love He is not dead o, thank God,
he is not dead!"
She stood up and beckoned to one Of
the men who were helping to draw out
from under the wrecked timbers the
crushed human beings about US. He came
with light, looked. and then turned
away: .,
There's others that's hurt far worse
than him, Miss. We must look to them
first"
Janet caught hold of his arm, and
snatching her purse from her pocket,
thrust it into his hand.
'.For Gods sake help me 20 she cried.
''Oh, you must help me get him away
from here. Take that-there is money in
it-and do as bid you"
The man yielded. Janet took off her
large thick shawl and spread it on the
ground. They loosened me as tenderly
as possible from the wreck, and placed
me on the shawl. Next Janet took off
some other portion of her dress and COW
cred mel felt her lips touch my cheek
as she did it then she took two corners OF
the shawl in her small fair hands, the
man took the other two, and SO. step by
step, tenderly. not to jar my bruised body,
and the strong man carried me up the
rocky: ice bound side Of the ravine. Oh,
my old Janet-my lost darling! More
than the bleeding OF my heart, and more
thaa - pain OF my hurts was the pain of
my ponItent love for you during that des-
olate journey!
Through the days of unavoidable sick
ness which followed that nights wounds
and exposure, through my convalescence,
and as long as needed a nurse. Janet
stayed with me. Every morning she re-
ceived letter from her grandfather,
couched in affectionate terms and expires.
sing great anxiety for her. but not once
alluding to mo. He never came near me.
never asked after my welfare was dead
to the old granite heart. felt bitterly
indignant, but was too proud to COM
plain. selas
At length the time arrived when Janet
said that she must go; and then came a
battle of wills. begged her to stay with
me. entreated, ::npiored, using all my
noted powers of eloqusnce. which were
now all the more effective that / was in
deadly earnest. But all in vain. Terrible
power, used terribly in vain. 1t was a
novel experience to me to fail.
stop, Teddy" said Janet crying. you
must not speak of this again. promised
grand-papa if he would let me come to
you. that no word of love should be spok-
en- between us. He trusts in my honor
Let me gor'
burst out in fierce rage.
why should we wreck our lives in hui
moring the whims of a spiteful old man
oh. Janet my love, my darling! do not
leave me-"
But she would not listen.
II promised him to come back" she
said, land will keep my word"
but you love me you love me, Janet -
/ cried.
81 love you, Teddy. have always
loved you, and always will. Now let
me 60"
but if you love me why do you leave
me. Janet Why are you SO cold and hard
why is it 30 impossible to move you?"
Then for the first time she broke down.
"Cold to you ? All. Teddy, don't you
see how am suffering? l love you'll
love you :! Oh, why cannot we be as we
once were, when we were children to-
gether? We were so happy then. Why
did you slight me. and hurt me. and make
grandpappa angry 1t is all your fault
yours"
She was crying and calling my name,
with her face hidden in my arms. II
thought had gained the victory | took
her to my breast, and kissed and soothed
her with an exultant heart. Let the old
man vent his spite now where he would.
Janet was mine-mine But all at once
she stood up, pale and calm, and held out
her hands,
Goodbye, Teddy am going now.
No vouct mot sao 90 oh M har .,ai, En,.nt