The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-07-25
For Her Sake.

Only a miner and his sweetheart! |!
He in his everyday fustain clothes, she
in her simple calico gown, with hut a
knot of ribbon at her throat-he living
all the bright, sunshiny day where the
brightest rays might never pierce, so
deep is he in the bowels of the earth ;
she, the daughter of miner like him
self, for whom with her own hands she
prepared the MONDAY meal, or set his
home in order for his coming; but, for
all that, the story to which she had been
listening was none the less sweet, and
Tom Wilcox felt his heart beat as it
had never throbbed in face of any dan
ger, when he looked down into Ray
BeInard's shy brown eyes, which,
raised for one brief instant to his face,
flashed forth their cherished secret,
then stopped and sealed it on their lips
with Cupid's seal. The moon laughed
and the stars twinkled. 1t was such an
old, old story to them, but it was full
of honest truth, even though the simple
little brown cottage formed the back
ground, and the low breezes whispering
through the trees were their own wit
nesses. What if they repeated the
secret in every cline? No one could
understand their language save the
trees, and they were ever silent. But
suddenly cloud hid the pale moon
from their sight, and somehow it SEEM
ed reflected on the girls face as with
sudden courage she clasped her hands
about her lovers arm.
"Don't go down into the mine to-
morrow, Tom," she said. 81 feel as if
something were going to happen"
"Why, little one" he laughed, "such
fancies as these don't do for miners
wife. You forget growing seriousl |
have safeguard now which | have
never had before-the safeguard of
your love, or rather its most precious
knowledge. Don't worrie, lassie.
We've work at the new hall tomorrow
and it would be as much as my place is
worth for me to be missing"
But the girl shivered even in the
warm summer evening, and the hands
clung more tightly to his arm.
81 can't help it, Tom, she answered,
81 never felt so before; but try as / will
1 can't shake off the feeling"
1--WE will laugh over it together to-
morrow evening, when" and he
stopped and whispered something very
low in her cara something which
brOught. the blood tiding once more to
her very temples. 81 can't wait long
you know" he said, aloud. "YOur
father must be looking out for another
housekeeper. Ray, my darling, life
has just begun for me. God grant l
may make you as happy as you de-
serve J"
And with his fond goodnight kiss he
left her.
With folded arms, resting on the
wicket gate, she watched the tall, stall
wart form until it disappeared from
sight, with as much pride in its manly
grace and strength as if he were a king
who had offered her his kingdom, and
she princess worthy of royal dover.
Then the last echo of his footsteps died
away, and, with happy, tremulous
sigh, she turned to enter the house but
by her very side dark figure started
up. The girl uttered a faint scream.
Then the moon emerged from her hid
ing place and disclosed the mans face,
Strangely white it looked, thought Ray.
as she said:
"Why Jack! How you startled me !!
Where did you come from ?"
"Ive not been far away for the past
hour" was the surly reply.
''Eavesdropping, ell !" asserted Ray,
with sudden scorn. 81 trust you were
repaid"
"Not if the old adage be true as to lis
teners hearing no good of themselves.
You'd no time to make mention of my
name, you and your lover. What was
it he whispered in your ear? Was it to
name the dayH Answer me-" grasping
her arm in his passion.
"And 10y what right do you ques-
tionY ?" exclaimed the girl, wrenching
her arm from his touch.
"The right of love! Have Inot loved
you from your babyhoodp Were not
the first nuts, the first wild flowers, the
first berries laid AT your feet as boysh
trophies of success, your smile the high
est reward? lt was for these--lor this
have loved you all these years "
"Jack, ] am sorry"-and Rays voice
grew soft; "but 1t is through no fault of
mine. | thought you loved me as a
brother, and gave you a sisters aflec-
lion in return. You will soon get over
this disappointment"
"Men don't get over wounds that
strike to the heart. 1t is only women
who can do that, since no steel, however
sharp, can penetrate their hearts. |
don't want your pity-give II to the