The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-11-09

Cunuuy. III SOluS OuJ tcr NUM- lOI
poor jim, and amt coming back till l
find him. Them as wants ter 'comp'ny
me kin call at my cabin Tonight"
81 will go with you, jack" said the
Doctor, imprcssively.
"Me, too, you bet," cried Scotty.
"Count me in" growled q bass voice
from the window.
"Mc too," squeaked Punks. can
as'll go say, 'Ayv"
And an "Ay!" came from those rough
voices with such ringing burst of good
will as must have startled the very birds
asleep in the distant trees.
Nay! some faint echo of it may have
been heard at the very gates of heaven
itself. The tears rolled down Marian's
checks. She tried to say, "God bless
you'll" but the tears had the right of
way, and the words broke into some
thing unintelligiblc.
a sudden shame came over them that
they had not thought of this before.
Memories of homes, of mothers, of
wives, came knocking at their hearts,
and would not be denied. The sleeves
of rough and not ovcr-clcan flannel shirts
were drawn across eyes that had scorn-
ed tears through sickness, discomfort,
and disappointment.
Cutey came TO the rescue.
"Gentlemen!' he said, waving his
hand over the bar, "help yourselves.
My jints are stiff, and can't go; but
I'll treat the crowd. Free drinks, gem
tlemen?"
And leaving his bar to the tender
mercies of his thirsty friends, Cutey Of
tered his arm to Marian, and escorted
her TO her own door, where he took
leave Of her with a low bow.
Then he went down stairs four steps
at time, lest his choice liquors should
be annihilated in his absence.
1t was Monday noon when they re-
turned. Marian sat at the window in
the easiest chair the house afforded,
sickcning with fever. She watched
them coming into town with restless,
helpless anxiety. She watched them
scatter TO their cabins, and saw Circus
Jack coming on toward the hotel alone.
She buried her face in her hands. He
had said that he meyer would come back
until he found him. Had they become
discouraged, Or
She could not believe that they had
found him. Her heart seemed TO cry
out, "No! mol" Jack came up with
little Mrs. Sharpe at his heels.
'EBc kecrful," said the faded woman.
"She's mighty poorly"
Jack came in as lightly as his heavy
boots would allow.
''The boys said fur me ter tell yer
they was all drctful sorry for yer. We
buried him just whar we found him
He'd ben dead nigh onto q couple OF
weeks, reckon. Don't yer look so,
lady. Poor jim! he warn't never hap
py, even when he was drunk. He's
better off up thar. We flung q few
stones together to mark the place, and
I'll guide you and Mrs. Sharpe thar any
time"
Then lowering his voice to q whisper,
he added, tendcrly, "And TUX the ring
often his finger. lie couldn't fight fol
il now, an thought q mcbby you'd
like it,"
lie took it from the corner of his hand.
kerchief; she held up her finger for ii
and he slipped it on. Then he saw that
the letters spelled "Faith." "Thct
Punks!" he thought to himself. con-
temptuously.
She looked up into his face with q
stony smile-no tears now.
"Thank you," she said.
Four weeks aftcrward the Doctor lift.
ed Marian into the stage. She was
strong enough for her journey now, she
said. Two days before she had visited
the lonely cairn. 1t was tircsomC
horseback ride, too. She seemed to be
getting well very fast. The Doctor told
her so.
"Peoplc never die when they wish
to-" she answered, sadly.
Circus Jack came to the stagc-door tC
bid her "GOod-bye."
"What can do for You TO thank vcu?'
she asked, earnestly.
Jack hesitated.
''Ef you wouldn't mind, ma'am," he
said, I'D like to kiss your hand. I've
got dear old mother at home-cf yor
wouldn't mindw
Without blush or change of coun
tenance she put her arm around his necE
and kissed his lips.
"Good-bye, dear old fellow" she said
| Then Scotty cracked his whip, tho
crowd OH the piazza raised their hats
even the poor chagrincd Doctor-a sub
dued cheer was given and the lumber
ing stage disappeared in cloud of dust
the donning Mariposas on the hillsid,
looking curiously at it as it went by
Galaxy for June.