The Republican journal., 1875-09-02


ed her sullen mind it was that OF two
footsteps, and the fate Of two persons
This accomplished, there was nothing in
the future. Present revenge was all.
The time was we'll chosen Down the
path came the sound of feet and subdued
voices. Not even darker shade was visi-
bic upon the universal shadow to mark
the advancing figures. They existed to
the senses only as the noise OF crunchng
snow and the murmur of softly spoken
words, Thus they came nearer and Nary's
heart grew harder as the ripple of laugh
ter and the low response fell on her
ears.
They were opposite to her, when she
heard, as if continuing a subject already
spoken Of the mans voice saying:
"No; she's too fllghty. Wouldn't both
er myself about her any more, If was
you"
But she isn't tlighty to me, Joe If you
knew her you'd say 50, too And don't
know what's been the matter with her.
What difference does it make, Aggie
She's shittless crazy thing, or She
wouldn't have left the mill, where she
was earning good wages for nothing bat
her lazinessn
20. Joe. you don't know, on you
wouldn't talk that way. o." and sobs
came through the darkness, GIVE been
| wicked to let you think such things o!
Mary She needn't have lett unless she'd
| wanted to-
Il hope know that" said the man,
| halt sneeringly.
but she gave up her place to me. q
so generous as she is! didn't know OF it
until she had fixed it all with the foreman
and then she only kissed me. and said,
Aggie, told you you wouldn't have to
| leave'"
dts just as shiftless anyway"
'Joe, do you care anything for me y"
said the girls voice, angrily.
"Of course | do, was the reply.
Then quit talking that way about my
best friend, who's as much better than |
am, as you can think. She's Just the best
girl in Ashton, and won't 90 q step far
ther with you tonight il you don't say
soH
For the first time in that cold and dreary
day shiver shook Mary Wilson'S limbs
Aggie's dress had brushed her in passing,
and she had followed close, hearing every
word that was spoken. Blinded rs her
heart Was to reason, the evil spirit that
there found occupancy shrunk before the
voice OF warm and sincere kindness Her
soul struggled teebly as if awaking. She
began to know. in q dim and confused
way that Aggie was unconscious of guilt
in stealing her lover, that her sacrifice
was appreciated, and that the one friend
left her in the world was imperied by her
hand. She again felt the weakness OF the
evening before overcoming her.
A moan arose to her lips, but was
crushed down. What, after all, was Ag-
ge's affection with the loss of Joe? Could
it atone for the shame and the misery adj
yancing upon her with the certainty of
invincible fate as the result Of her wild
passion? Could it make the dreadful fu-
ture as toierable for her as even the mis-
cradle present? Better to make one final
sacrifice and gain oblivion for herself,
while leaving Aggie to her own happi-
ness
She was now trembling in every limb
| The demon tore her as he was driven out
by the eyorciSm of divine charity. Weak
and taltCring but with new purpose,
she gathered her strength and sped past
and before the lettering companions to-
ward the canal. STOPPING where She had
bent before she sought to lift and replace
the plank. Her force seemed exhausted
The heavy timber swayed but refused to
be pushed into its former position. She
struggled with desperation, for Il laugh
ing voice was approaching. \ vertigo
seized her as with one supreme effort the
plank moved she leaned forward upon it
and with q swift sliding motion it pIung-
ed, dragging her With it, into the black
water OF the canal.
''Hulloo " said Joe, as he reached the
n L.
feel the boards in the darkness before
venturing to cross, 'something's happen
ed to the bridge There amt no plank
here. Wen have to 90 round the other
way"
ii know what you want, laughed Ag-
gle but don't mind taking a longer
walk with You" Tpvcrland Monthly far
AUGUST,
A sadder tragedy than that which
occurred in Reading, Pennsylvania, last
! week, is happily Of very rare occurrence,
even in these days Of wicSedness. On
Tuesday evening Mrs. Philip Bessingcr
was observed out walking, aecompan-
led by her three children, two Of them
of three The children skipped along
|
whilst the mother walked moodily with
them At a point about two and a half
miles from the city of Reading she was
seen to stop and fill large basket She
had with her with stones This done She
strapped it tightly to her waist, and pick
inc up the little boy, She threw him on
her breast, and then taking one OF the
girls under each OF her arms. deliberately
threw herself into the canal near by. There
was but Il moment of struggling and bat
tling with the waters, and then the wo-
man, borne down by the weight of the
basket of stones and the cuildren, sank to
the bottom. A rescuing party began
graphing for the bodies, and in short
time they We're recovered. The motive
of the strange tragedy was a mystery at
first. but subsequent developments show
that Mrs. Bessinger had been cruelty
treated by her husband, and that the pros
pect of q separation from her children add
ed to the previous unhappiness OF her po-
sition, impelled her to the commission of
the deed The Indignation Of the people
in the vicinity knew no bonds, and at the
funeral of the victims of the WOman'S de-
spair, on Friday several attempts Were
, made to shoot the husband. When the
bodies had been lowered into the graves
the crowd hooted at Bessinger, and one
shot was fired at him without effect.
, A curious issue has been made up in
Chicago for court and jury to pass upon.
A prominent Methodist named Brown has
. sued the pastor of his church, laying the
: damages at $50, 900, for excluding him
from the communion table The reputed
reason for the accommodation is that
the gentleman is not 4 proper person to
partake of the elements of the eucharist
Last Sunday, after the regular services
the Rev. Mr., Deming announced that the
congregation We're invited to partake of
the sacrament with the exception of Ira
Brown, who would be excluded from the
sacramental table. Mr.. Brown was not
present but he was soon posted by friends