Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-07-16
it /; she acted upon it.


room caught his attention, and all that
followed caused him to forget the affront
In the center of the room, her disor-
dered hair flying about her face, her
clear eyes flashing with excitement, her
cheeks flaming with color, more beauti-
full than they had ever seen silence. Men
crowded up to the doorways and filled
the windows, certain from the sudden
quiet that something was up"
Wont you help me p she cried out.
"What can l do to find him ? He may
be starving to death He would not
have left you to starvel You"-she
gasped and drew her breath hard-"you
whom he was good to-you remember
a hundred things, but you forget him /!
and let him-rave his life away-and
starve to death-alone." She choked.
She could not speak another word but
she stood with her lips parted, her eyes
flashing, looking eagerly, almost angrily,
from one face to another.
Circus Jack bounded on to a table +; it
was rickety and reeled with his weight !;
but Punks and Bob Jinks stesdied it,
they were friends of Jacks; besides,
they had just won from him at poker,
and felt very friendly. "Fellers !" said
Jack, "to-morrow's Sunday. I'm going
out ter hunt fer poor Jim, and amt COM
in back till l find him. Them as wants
ter 'comp'ny me kin call at my cabin to-
night"
81 will go with you, jack" said the
Doctor impressively.
"Me, too, you bet !'' cried scotty.
"Count me in" growled bass voice
from the window.
"Me, too," squeaked Punks. Gall
asll go say 'AyP"
And an "Ay!" came from those rough
voices with such o 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 s
cheeks. She tried to say "God bless
you p but the tears had the right of
way, and the words broke into something
unintelligible.
A sudden shame came over them that
UlIUJ HQU NV Sn0~o--
Memories of homes, of mothers, of wives,
came knocking at their hearts and would
not be denied. The sleeves of rough and
not over cleaned flannel shirts were
drawn across eyes that had scorned tears
through sickness, discomfort and disap-
pointment.
Cutey came to the rescue.
Gentlemen - he said. waving his
hands over the bar, "help yourselves.
My j'ints are stiff, and can't go! but
I'll treat the crowd. Free drinks, gen.
tlemen -
And leaving his bar to the tender
mercies of his thirsty friends, Cutey Of
fered his arm to Marian, and escorted
her to her own door, where he took leave
of her with 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,
sickening with fever. She watched them
coming into town with . restless and
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 would never 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, sNo no u Jack came up, with
little Mrs. Sharpe at his heels.
"Be keerful !" 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 wus all dretful sorry fur yer. We
buried him jist whar we found him. He
he'd ben dead nigh on to couple of
weeks, l reckon. Don't yer look SO. Ia
dy. Poor Jim he warn't never happy,
even when he was drunk. He's better
off up thar. We flung few stones to-
gether to mark the place and I'll guide
you and Mrs. Sharpe thar any time
Then. lowering his voice to whisper,
he added tenderly, 81 took the ring often
his finger. He couldn't fight fur it now,
and thought as mebby you'd like it."
He took it from the corner of his
handkerchief she held up her finger for
it, and he slipped it on.
She looked up into his face with a
stony smile-no tears now.
"Thank you" she said.
Four weeks afterward the Doctor lift
ed Marian into the stage. She was
strong enough now for the journey she
said.
Circus Jack came to the stage door to
bid her good-by.