The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-06-10

ing OH ner DISAPPOINTMENT, Sne SAID TO
herself. 1t was one she should have
been used to, and now the absuraity of
it seemed to strike her for the first time
in all these years.
"They laugh at me-" she muttered to
herself. "I know they laugh at me.
Perhaps I am mad; but they don't know
what love is. Charlie wouldn't have left
me like that. If he had died he would
have given me some sign; and yet-yet,
if he were alive, it would be stranger
still. No, no; they are right am
wrong. He must be dead"
And as though the news had just been
whispered to her, she claspeu her hands
to her forehead, gave a cry, and sank
down on her knees In the road.
She knelt there a few moments and
then arose. In this interval the wind
had blown the clouds from the sky, and
the moonlight lay white upon the path,
and lit her o her way to her poor home
There at the door sat a man, a strong,
determined-looking fellow, who arose as
she approached and held out his hand.
"Here you come" he said, "tired to
death, worn out, still on that fruitless
errand. Jessie Lester can't you give up
this nonsense and think of the living a
little. Think of me, Jessie, for just half
IN hour"
"I do think of you," she said. al
am very sorry you should be so good to
me when I must seem so bad to YOU"
Then she sat down OF the porch and
took her little hood off, and leaned her
head YEARLY against the wall of the
house F.; and the man arose and crossed
over, and sat down beside her.
"Give it a softer resting place, Jes-
sic" he said, "here on my heart"
She looked out into the night, not at
him, as she spoke:
"Job," she said, "I begin to think
YOU are right, that he went down in the
Sphynx with the rest ten years ago. But
what good would 1 do you? What do
you want to marry me for2
The man drew closer still as no an
swered:
"Before you were married to Charles
Lester I loved you. While you were a mar
RED woman Ilovedyou. Allthese e nyears
since that vessel went down I've loved
you. A man must have the woman he
loves if he gives his soul for her."
"What a horrible thought !" said she.
ellis SOUL"
"I should have said his Gfe," said
Job, "I don't want to shock you. But
you don't know what it would be to. me
to have you. And then I'd do every
thing for your boy"
eyes," she answered "I know you
would"
There was a pause. Then she gavehim
her hand.
"Job," she said very softly, "I shall
pretend nothing I don't feel, but I know
I've been crazy al this time, and if you
want me you may have me. It's very
good of yout to love me So"
And thus it seemed to have ended,
that ten years Watching and waiting, and
there was triumph in Jobs eyes as he
turned away and left her with his irst
kiss upon her lips. But at the end o.
the green gate he paused and looked
back.
ct told her the TRUTH" he said
"when I said that when a man loved
woman as 1 loved her, he must have
her, if the price were his soul ITSELF"
And then he drew from his breast
letter with a great red seal upon it
looked at it for a moment, and hid i
away again.
Married. Yes, they were to be mar
ried. Every one at McKibben's Corner
knew that now. Jessie Lester went nj
more to the Postofice for her long-ex
pected letter. Job was furnishing hi
house-had furnished it, for on the NOR
row the wedding was to take place. Ant
it was night again. A month from tina
night, when she had come for the las
time, as every one thought, through rail-
and mud, to make her sadly foolisl
query, she was sensible at last-ver,
sensible. She hsd chosen the substanc
instead of the shadow.
And now, as we said, it was night an,
a wetter one than that other-later, toe
for MI. Fairjohn had closed the store
and was compromising himself what h
called q "night-cap" of some fragran
liquor, warm water, lemons and sugar
and was supping it by the stove, whe
there came upon his door a feeble knock
and when, being repeated, he heard il
there staggered in out of the rain a drip
ping igure-that of Jessie Lester, til
bride who was to be on the morrow.
She was trembling with cold, and as h
led her to the fire she burst into a foo
of tears.
"Im frightened" she said. "Som
one followed me all the way. I hear
them"
"You've no business to be out alon
at night" said old Fairiohn, bluntly
"And what's the matter?"
She looked up at him piteously.
ct thought there would be a letter,
said she; 81 dreamt there was enc.
thought Charlie came to me and sale
60 to the Office once more. 1 hay
written, 1 have written And I though
I saw q letter with a red seal"
$50 did l." muttered old Fairjohn t
himself.
He went to the box where the Letter
were kept, and brought them to her j
his hand.
"Look for yourself" he said. "An
now, Mrs. Lester, I'm an old man. Tai
my advice. Remember what your dui
will be after tomorrow. Remember II,
to go crazy"
"Ten years have gone by since you
husband left this place. If he's ali,
he's a rascal, and you are free of him /
law; but we all know that every mai c
board the Sphynx was drowned. So
a good wife to Job Roper and forget tn
folly. I'll take you home again til
time. Don't come again"
She made no answer, but only tosse
the letters over In her lap, and said:
"I seemed to know it had q red seal
: And as she spoke, old Fairjohn, CLAN
ing at the door, saw a dark shadow Their
saw it grow darker; saw it enter an
starting up on his defence, if need b
3 recognized Job Roper.
| He was very pale, and he took /
3 notice of Fairjohn, but crossing Il
t store, stood beside Jessie Lester.
"You love that man best, even now
| he said. "You'd rather have found
: letter from him than not though to-mo
. row is our wedding day."
T She looked up into his face with a pi
| eous glance.
ct never lied to you," said sh
"You know that"
. He urayv phiter still