Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-07-11

required to keep back the tears. And
when she had completed her daily
mornings work of filling her flower
vases and feeding her bird, she ratified
off gay tune on the piano, went in
to her room, locked the door, and then
cried more bitterly than ever in her
life before. At first she felt indignant
with Morton and then with herself.
What had she done? What had she
lost? How foolish and wicked she
had been! Oh, if she had only acted
differently-andn now it was too late!
"But no-I will win him backw
she thought at last; and she rose and
dried her tears, and pushed back her
disordered hair from her flushed face
as she looked into the mirror. 81
know that can do it, and then | will
make amends for all my folly and
wickedness. He is so good and true
and noble. / could not bear to lose
him! Oh, John-W and she cried
afresh.
BY and by she became more COM
posed. After all, the two weeks would
soon be passed. In two weeks there
was to be a grand military bail, at
which Col. John Morton, as a leading
committee man must necessarily APP
pear; and then would she not look her
best, and act her sweetest, and so lure
him back without seeming to intend
it?
al will wear white tarlctan,n she
thought to herself, "because he likes
it so much; and wreath of white ILL
les, because they are so becoming in
my dark hair; and-oh, DEAR" CLAN
cling from the window, "if there isn't
that tiresome Miss Jenkins coming at
the gate! What is she in such hurry
about wonder?"
Miss Jenkins was one of those birds
Of ill-omen, common to every neigh
borhood, whose chief happiness APP
pears to consist in going about, pick
ing up and retailing i'll news. And
now her hasty steps as she assembled
the garden walk, and the eager tones
of her voice, heard from the hall be-
low, assured Marion that she had
something of more than ordinary in
terest to communicate. She however,
bestowed no thought upon it, until
presently there were quick footsteps
on the staircase, and hasty rap at
her door.
"Marion-Marion let me int" cried
an exr: ted voice; and opening the door,
her sistSr Rosa stood before her, pale
and breathless.
"Oh Marion, such an awful thing!
Such terrible accidentW
"What is it Rose? You frighten
me.u
"The train-the seven o'clock train
to R! Thrown from the track in
to the river-so many lives lost-and |
some we knowm And Rosa burst in
to tears.
In another moment, Marion stood
white and breathless in the midst of
the family group, in whose appalled,
ears Miss Jenkins was pouring her
tale of terror.
Gas l said the train had fortunately
nearly passed the bridge, and it was
only the last car that fell into the riv-
er-the others rolling down the en-
barkment. But ah, my dear, all our
town people were in that car-poor |
old Mr.. Allen and Mr.. and Mrs. Met
calf and young Colonel Morton. Gra-
cious goodness. What is the matter
with Marion"'
For Marion with low cry, as of
physical pain, had sunk upon the
floor, her clasped hands, resting upon
the sofa. She had not tainted, but
crouched thus, perfectly still, resisting
all attempts to raise her or administer
restoratives, until Miss Jenkins was
at last gotten rid of; and then lifting
her white face she said-"Oh, mother,
is lido you think it can be true?"
81 hope not, my dear. Such things
don't generally turn out so badly as
they are at first reported. There has
been an accident, it is true, but we
don't know positively who are the suf-
ferers. We shall probably hear better
news presently
So the girl lay quite still on the sofa
while the mother and sister closed the |
window blinds, to shut the hot glare
of the Summer day, and silent steps |
about the house, not to disturb her. |
AS she lay striving not to think, not |
to feel-never in her life had thought |
and feeling seemed SO keenly so pain
fully acute within her. All the past |
two years in which she had known
John Morton, all the little memories
and incidents connected with him, |
came back to her with pang, such as
she had never before experienced. |
She thought of his goodness, of his no.
BILE manly, generous nature-and above |
all of his true and unwavering devo-
tion TO herselfand how she repaid it by |
affected indifference, and sometimes |
intentional slight-as only this morn
ing and last night at the miserable
party. All, the pain this brought to
her, and how often she groaned in
wardly-"Oh, if he is only spared,
what will not do to make atone
mentW
And then the anguish of feeling and
the terrible suspense would grow too
great to be borne; and she would rise
from the sofa and walk up and down,
with clasped hands, until her brain
seemed to reel and her limbs to fail
her; and again she would throw her.
self on the sofa, striving to shut out
light, sound, consciousness ITSELF so
that she might find moments rest
from her terrible misery.
Presently there were voices in the
hall, and Marion, listening with sens
es unnaturally calm, heard broken
phrases.
mo doubt that poor Morton was on
the rear car! Mr.. Appleton left them
there just as they approached Milton
Station! Nothing has since been seen
of him! Preparing to raise the car
when Faulker left! His brother went
down for the body %
Mrs. Moore came in a few moments
after, pale with traces of tears on her
cheeks, and tender, motherly look
at Marion. The girl turned her white
face to her mother as she said, in low
voice that was not her own:
"He is dead, mother. / heard it
all.u
And with gentle, consoling words,