The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-12-06

some great physical pain. The wind
shrieked round the inn; the wood fire on
the hearth cracked and spluttered, the
red flames leaping up fitfully; cart
numbered near on the dark road, and
drew up ponderously at the inn door.
At length Mary broke the silence:
"For Gods sake speak" she said.
4" Do you visit to kill me by just looking
at me?"
81 wish l could" he rejoined. 81
should like to see you dying inch by
inch under my eyes, without touching
you. You're the right sort of girl,
aren't you? for a man to have loved
before, indeed, he was a man-nothing
but small boy, who went miles after
the least thing you wished for, and only
left you when he was man to get money
enough to build home for you. You're
the right sort of girl to have trusted
and believed into have prayed for
night and day. Why, in some of our
great storms | have done what | never
did till then. have prayed, God save
me, for if | go down and don't come
back any more, how will that girl
know of in Kent bear it? If she knew
that Mark would never come home
again to take her in his arms and kiss
her any more, why, it would Just break
her heart and send her mad And all
the time you were making love to this
fine gentleman; this creature that looks
more like girl than man. Why, if |
were to slap the thing friendly on the
shoulder it would go down like nine
pin, and howl for pain Did you hear
any rumor of the ship being lostr'
NO" said she.
You hadn't that excuse, then. Do
you love him."
| fancied did"
Have you any excuse|'
"No; only father and mother were
failing, and he sale ne would do every
thing for them and make me lady, and
take me to places l wanted to see SO
much. And every one said it would be
such fine thing for me, and they made
me proud, and that was aow it happened."
Are you ashamed of yourself?" he
questioned.
Yes"
" Do YOU despise YOURSELF"
Yes"
Do you hate yourself as you deserve
to be hated?"
Yes, God knows | do
"Well," he replied, "the strange
thing is that |, who ought to hate you,
ought to scorn and spurn you, love you
just as madly as ever. Polly! Polly! |
can't bear it. For Gods sake, come to
me, my darling!"
! / or moment she stood irresolute ;
then, with a low cry, she flung her arms
round his neck, and dropped against his
heart. He strained her close to him,
kissing her with long, passionate kisses,
calling her by hundred endearing
names-seeming to forget everything
save the fact that she was in his arms
again after their cruel separation. At
length with asudden revulsion of feeling,
he thrust her from him, almost roughly,
saying IN a voice Jared with supprt ssed
passion, Have you forgotten your
oath-the oath your swore to me last
night, under the moonlight, when we
stood together in your fathers garden?"
She covered against the wall, shrink
ing from his eyes as a child from the
hand which has stricken it. 81 forget
nothing she moaned.
Say that oath over, then" he e1-
claimed, holding her hands in his, as in a
! wise.
"Spare me this" she cried.
What have done you that should
spare you?" he retorted almost brutallv.
"Come, | have fancy to hear that oath,
and hear it | will / can prompt YOU
with it, And then, as one speaking in a
trance, she spoke:
elf ever, during your absence, | let
any man touch my lips, or willingly lis
ten to any words of love, or becotoe, in
the least word, thought or deed, unfaith-
full, may | be slain, soul and body, SC
help me God"
"That's the oath you made and broke
them" he exclaimed, still holding her
hands, still looking at her face with his
keen pitiless eyes.
90 Mark" she cried, 81 love you
and only you. 1t is not too late yet Tc
morrow let us fly together"
" No, we can't get out of it like that
he rejoined. q don't know that | have
much conscience; or it may be that
have good deal in my own way. Where
two persons love each other, they make
their own laws, is what think. What.
right to them is right, and what's wrong
is wrong; but this man, your husband
I'd toss him over, as in rough weather
we've tossed overheard far more preciou,
cargo to save the ship. | am not what
men call piouS either. | don't live diff
telent on Sundays to what | do otht
days, and I'm not particular about going
to church when Pm ashore; but Pm a
bit >uperstitious | believe in a God
and, If your oath meant anything, il
meant everything. If you'd made &
blunder, married this man, loving me al
the time, and just said simple and child
like. Mark, | am sorry. Forgive me,
I'd have taken you to my heart again
and thought nothing hard of you. But
we can't get away from this cath. What
sort of God would He be who would let
his name be sworn by Just to make fine
sound? No, We can't escape it, Don't
you know we can't? Wasn't it for this
just to meet you here, that the ship came
back three months before the time she
was due? DO just as | tell you," and
he would have taken her in his arms
again, but at that moment the door
opened and Oldworth came in.
/ told you | should be ten minutes -
he said, and have been twelve Come,
Mary, your room is ready. Wish your
friend good night"
AnecdOte of Lincoln.
From Harper's Ma. azine.
:" One day" said Mr.. Lincoln, "when
{ 1 I So g. r