St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-12-10

lltllI 1t
''Dn lou expect Harry Tonight ,
Miss Erminia Lewis waS what the
world irreVcIcntly calls an old maid.
hut >hc was quite Young enough ut heart
To >NmpathiZc in the love affairs of her
sister. fifteen Nc:II> her junior, I" whom
she had always stood III the place of Il
mother. and she. too, had Il soft spot i'll
her heart for handsome. di>>ipated Harry
Rivers. She spoke from the window,
while Hero WAS leaning over the gate, Il
scarlet shawl thrown over her shoulders.
.'lIc said he would come, WAS the
half he>itating answer
1T Is getting late" said Ermlnia.
"BctIer come into the house. You know
II, well as do that Your throat is not
strong"
IN come in ii rinutr." SAID Hero.
"ThcN were telling me down at the
Corners this aftermOOn," said Erminia,
speaking with an effort. "that the rail
road company is going to discharge him
from lis employ"
Hero turned sharply abound.
''To discharge him, For what ,"
For hahitua INVESTIGATION. They
say it is not safe to employ IL man who
VIII" i not always himself"
at is Il >landrr." cried Ilcio. hotll.
at i the work of some base william who
wants the post himself
Every prohnhlN. said Ermimia sadly.
"OmlN. Hero -duii't he veXcd with me.
DAZZLING hut they say Harry hats fallen
IN with that sci of nrn from the mines.
and is getting int" worse habits than
ever.
Il.rf, tIiII.I b.,- t.,..
''llalr Nnu nmIy evil things 10 tell
me. Erminia ,"
Il would that they were good tor
Your sake. sister. But the air i grow
ing ciiIll; We shall have rain. Had YOU
not better come III >
BY and by. Don't tease me. Ermi-
mia.
And EImiuia. cumprchcndug that at
times solitude i the best medicine fnl Il
diseased mind. said rnthimg more. and
closing the easement sat down To her
nc"dl"-w"rk. 10y the light of Il Lump.
At eleven o'clock, pumctuaily. she
went to hch. after having lean ned hl Il
peep through tine window that Hero
wa. still leaning on the gate. all alone
III the Iutu.nn darkness. with rcd leaves
tanning down around her. and the. mel
anchoIl cry "f an owl in the distant
woods lending an additional timgr of
mUrIImtulncsS 10 the night and th, still
Hess.
"Shc'll come in when she is ready"
thought Ernimia. Il don't like To as
srrt amy authority over her when She
is in one of these moods"
No sooner had Hero perceived hV the
appearance of the light from her sisters
window. that Ermimia had sought her
pillow. than. softly gliding out of the
gate, she hurried down the road with
the scarlet shawl drawn tightly over
her head.
Il will not hc deceived and put off"
she muImuIcd to herself. Il will 90
ont myself aud see whether he is to he
trusted al not"
The Miners Arms. III the corner of
the three roads. was all alighl rs She
approached it, and from Il wide open
easement she could hear the loud chorus
at Il drinking song. the cliuk of glasses.
and the harsh sound of hcSuttcd laugh
ter. Aud lifting Il trail ot seal lct-lraVrd
Woodhimc which formed Il natural cur
tain to enc oi the windows. Hero Lewis
pccpcd in.
Wi'ha sinking heart. Il chill sensation
of despair. she SIM Harry Rivers Use.
Staggering To his feet. with Il trimming
glass in his hand. and propose some
hicch"ughing toast. which was received
with in>l applause 10y the IiptoIlS as
scmblagr. Her" did not wait to hear
moIc. Dropping the woodhinc> once
more she hurried away. with Il white.
set face.
,.,,l b.,l, lt,,I Lao. 4
me - She murmurtd for the idol
whom worshipped has fallen to the
ground.
just at that moment he i;ir-ntf thistle
of Il train >motc through the silence of
the night Il sudden CHASTITY possibility
took pn>S,.s>ion of lIcro'S heart.
1.-The midnight express ~ she mrttcr-
eel to herself. land he drunk at the bar
room
lluirHlng down Il steep raNinc. heed
less of scratching hIicrS and cruelty
pimchmg tlorm> that rent her dress and
drew blood from her tender flesh. she
>prang like Il Wild deer down the de
cliVitN. scarcely even pau>iny for breath.
till she reached the iron track in the
valley below. where IL side rail marked
the inteI>"ctmg course of IL little freight
road that led away to the month. At
SIN every morning and evening, the
freight train passed over the road bed.
and il WAS among Harry Rivers most
important duties to turn the switch that
connected this branch road with the
main track, after the freight train had
gone by.
4 Had he remembered to do 50 to-
night ! OR wa> the long and heavily
laden express from the west even now
sweeping onward to the certain doom
of death and destruction
She knclt down to feel of the track.
Her deadly doubt had too much founda-
ton in fa"t-thc switch had not been
altered since the freight came 10y ut six
o'clock.
y chill dew headed over her forhead
y sinking sensation struck in her heart.
What WAS she to do Were she gifted
with the flying footsteps of Mercurv's
self. she could not get To Miners Arms
III time 10 avert the impending catas-
trophc. And even SURPRISING she could.
WAS Harry Rivers III Il condition to COM
preheud what was said to him And
with Il bitter "roam rising from the
depth of her heart. she realized all the
horrors which have their beginning in
the wine-cup.
suddenly glcam of hope shot athwart
her brain. She knew where the switch
key WAS kept she remembered having
once seen Harry slip it under a project
ing ledge of rock upon sort of natural
shelf. secure from dew. rain or TEMPEST.
just beyond where she stood. What if
she herself should attempt to save the
lives of the doomed passengers every
instant coming nearer to their fate I,