The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-04-08
BELFAST, MAINE, THURSDAY, s. 1875

w
scene! Men were yelling as they ran
children were screaming, women were
fainting, horses We're rearing and snort
ing, the crowd was surging and plungne
this way and that in frantic effort at es,
cape Bessie, suddenly called from her
rapt reveling with that spirit in the air.
gave one look-one look of horror-tried
to pull the rein. and, weak as child, fell
back upon the seat. The tilly turned her
head, and then, with starting and foaming
nostrll, stood upright one moment, and
the next bolted away from the broken
traces and left all standing Georgie
knight, with screech, flung herself from
the wagon, and was swallowed in the fly
ing multitude; but Bessie sat tone-still,
her heart beating with great knocks, as
unable to move AS one paralyzed
What swift thoughts swept through her
mind This was the end OF all her wick
edness This was what she deserved for
all the pain she had given father and
mother-sfe, their only child, their hope,
who should have been their ioyl This
was what she deserved, it flashed across
her, tor making bleed the heart of the
man that loved her. Deserved? All no
one could quite deserve to be torn to pieces
by the teeth Of wild beast. If she had
but been true to herself, to him, liked less
10 see her power. feared less tor her liber-
ty, what peace and pleasure might have
been hers this instant, And now She
remembered the Christian girls in the
Roman amphitheatre; she was not even a
martyr. She had wanted to study natural
history she had fine chance. She could
not stir. In another moment the brute
would be done his havoc there, and come
leaping through the canvas. Another
shrek; great bursting wave of shrieks
All, yes, there he came. tail in the air,
tawny name bristling. eyes blazing-com-
ing in great bounds through the already
halt-deserted place, coming straight for
to her feet, and glared tull at the alvanc-
ing monster. 1t was too much. With
wild cry herself, she turned-but only to
hide her face in Mr. Beckwth's breast, as
he climbed into the wagon behind her
Thought is fleet: instantaneous was the
rapture mingling with the agony, instan-
taneous the motion with which she pushed
him from her "Go go" she cried II
can't have my folly XIII you too, Oh as
he did not move, at you love me, go!n
1T is because | love YOU that | shall
stay" murmured Mr. Beckwith swiftly,
in her ear; "that | shall never % until
hear you say as much
'.Oh. you know it!n she cried, and
tainted on his shoulder, Just as the keep
ers sprang with their ropes upon the poor
old toothless lion, who loved his trolic
and enjoyed the scare, and of whom Ar
Beckwith-a muscular Christian, with a
pistol in his pocket, having made his
harmless acquaintance, moreover inside
the tent-had not felt it necessary to be
much afraid.
1t was George Knights seat that Mr.
Beckwith occupied that evening as they
drove slowly home, after the recapture of
the tiliy and the mending of the broken
traces, Mr, Beckwith having made the
most Of the three hours in which he had
had Mistress Bessie on his hands; and
Bessie herself tired and weak, lying rest
fully, If YOU will believe it, within the
arms that enfolded her.
Bessie he was saying, this is only
the second lion in the way What was
that first one which always drove YOU
from me 50 ?n
I'll was afraid, : murmured Bessie.
Ahfda Ahfda'hti htiieefl A4'asIlu unen you took IL SO 1or
granted Y
"Oh, indeed said the minister, folding
her closer still land what if l took it for
granted that you We're going TO the par
sonage with me next month 2'
"Oh I'm not fit cried Bessie. with astart
"lf you make one objection" said her
lover, II shall stop at Justice Pettigrew's
on our way, and take YOU home with me
to-nightm And there, with that tender
arm about her, that tace beside her own,
all in the soft September twilight and
under the lamp of the evening-star, what
could Bessie do but yield
II don't know what father and mother
will say" she whispered, as at last, hav-
ing left the wagon, they clung together
one moment in the porch and saw the
father and mother fastening toward them
down the long entry
Father Allan, said the minister. walk
ing boldly in, with bis arm round their
naughty darling, this is a will-o'-the
wisp that | have captured, and that in
trust for Just three weeks longer to your
care 1t has come from the circus, and it
is bound for the parsonage; and there,
said Mr Beckwith, it is going to turn
into the light Of the house, the spirit Of
the fireside, the sunshine of home r