The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-10-27

Caleb took Jane aside for a moment
Peleg has gone off, gal" he said,
sternly, dunno where. If it's to
perdition, you have to answer for it at
the judgment seat. Jane Ross, he han't
no mother, and no woman had any hold
on him but you. That hold is loosed,
and the good Lord help him."
. And with these words in her ear Jane
Ross drove away with Mrs. MMahoney
Middlebury, whose latest within it had
been to make pet of the fresh, rosy
country lass, whose admiring eyes had
followed her so fatteringly whenever
she trailed her silken robes, or lolled
within her pretty carriage where those
eyes could see her,
Mrs. Middlebury took her pet to the
city, and rushed with her to the modistes,
and to the hair-dressers, and to the shoe
makers, and to dancing school, feverish
with the hope of making her new doll
gorgeous; and Jane did for a while
feel happier than she had ever felt in
her life. Months passed-four, five,
six, seven, then suddenly she awoke one
morning thinking of Peleg; found that
she could not drive him from her mind
remembered his kindness, his rustic WOO
ing his true love; his agony when she de-
serted him; and wept. Remembered, too,
the kindly country folk, whose hearty
welcome had no counterpart in the cir
Gle in which she moved; and the breezy
riverside and the green woods, and the
fields, and Peleg again at work there in
his shirt sleeves Remembered the meet
ing house, and the white-haired minister,
and Peleg again holding the hymn-book
for her with his large hand. ooh his
dear, dear, rough red hand" sobbed
Jane. COIL the kind, good hand"
And as Peleg had thrown himself on the
grass, so she flung herself upon the moss
soft carpet of her boudoir.
That day she wrote note and sent it
by stealth, since Mrs. Middlebury would
have objected severely, to old Uncle
Caleb. She asked two questions in it !;
one was, What is Peleg doing now?"
the other, "Has he forgiven meT'
The answer came one day. 1t ran
thus:
"JANE Ross Perhaps you are sorry for
what you have done. You had ought to be-
I've never seen my son Peleg since we
parted He's thrown himself away. Gone
to sea, or to fight the Indians, most like.
I've heard of one of his name dom that.
don't expect him back no more; and it's
only as a Christian that / can ever forgive
you. What Peleg does we neither of us
will know, most like, until the end of all
things.
"They told me a story when / was child
OF man that warmed frozen snake in his
bosom. When | think of you, Jane Ross,
am reminded of that snake"
Jane was i'll for days after this note
came, but once better, she flung herself
in a reckless sort of way upon her new
life for comfort
Little come of it. There were more
dashing girls, who eclipsed her; there
were beautiful girls, who made her feel
plain and coarse. Men she admired
never looked her way; men she despised
followed her like her shadow.
Mrs. Middlebury, firing of her pet,
would have rid herself of her elegantly
and commercially by marrying her to
one of these men, old enough to be her
father, and fashionable club room sot
And again Peleg, wholesome and fresh,
with breath like new-mown hay, and
eyes that turned upon woman kindly
and purely-oh, such eyes! how rare
they are-eyes that a woman can meet
unblushing, with no shame in meeting
them-Peleg arose before her, and the
lines she had quoted, those same true
lines, rang in her ears once more:
g For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these, II might haze been"
Poor Jane grew pale and careworn be-
tween thought and corsets, remorse, late
hours, and chicken salad
So the day of Mrs. McMahoney
Middlebury' grandest party came. More
dress, more show, more competition,
more assumption of European absurdi-
ties, more of that now unbearable at
tention from that elderly edition of
Champagne Charley, probably; and
Jane, with the stereotyped smile of
society on her face, was ready for it all.
But her heart was heavy, and her head
ached, and her soul was empty; and
remorse gripped her tight with his iron
hand, and whispered, Peleg, Peleg,
Peleg. in her rose-leaf ear.
The guests were gathering, when mys-
| FERROUS signals from the colored chamber
| maid lured the hostess into the hall, and
in moment Jane was beckoned out:
g Here's dreadful contre temps" said
Mrs. Middlebury. William is drunk.
He's been insulting the guests as he
| opened the door, and now he is fiat on
the kitchen floor, and every one is busy
and no time to get a new person for the
| door, unless Nancy suggestion is a good
one. | don't know what we shall do
Tell her, Nancy"
"a person is in the kitchen, Miss,
said Nancy, "a soldier With one arm,
that has fought the Injuns. He's beg.
GIN his way home-and-I say, maybe
he'll put on Williams coat and open
the door. The most ignorant person
can open door proper"
eco and see if he is fit, love-" said
Mrs. Middlebury. "Pll give him five
dollars for it, if he is. He must put or
Williams coat though l shall dis
charge William tomorrow. Oh, dear
| Pm wanted. Go love-"
And Jane Ross followed Nancy to the
| kitchen
''This is the person, Miss" said Nancy
And tall, gaunt form, with an empty
sleeve, turned toward her. For mo
ment it seemed strangers face she
looked upon; the next, she knew that il
was Peleg's. He knew her also.
" Your homeY' he cried. Yours! lei
me pass-let me gol" But she, regard
less of the gaping servants, caught hi,
waist in both her jeweled hands, and
sobbed:
"No, Peleg, no; don't leave me so
My dear old Peleg, | shall die if you 90