The Virginia star., 1879-09-27
A Shower of Rain.

| Down came the rain IN a peltlng mere
less shower
AT one crossing a miniature lake haC
formed several feet in length and breadth
and three or four inches deep; it's shores or
every side were nfud-black, slippery mud
1t was amusing to see the hurrylug peo-
pie drenched, chilled, uncomfortable, i'm.
patient to be home come to a dead stop al
this one crossing and hesitate, with faces
expressive Of disgust and dIsmay.
What chance had Ethel Thornton's poo1
little weary feet, SO small, SO miserably
clad, IN such slough as this?
She glanced around despairingly.
And the next moment she found herself
lifted in pair of strong arms, carried high
and dry over the mud and mire, and Set
down on the other side, while the rescuer,
raising his dripping hat, with pleasant
bow and smile, passed quickly on his way.
She stood where he had .'l'.oo'' li~I 49, II
turned to stone, following his fast dlsap.
peari2g ffig5SliFee WITH her DARK eyes; her
hands were clasped convulsivcly, the color
was flaming in her cheeks under her wet
black veil
''It was Frank !" she gasped. ''It was
Frank himself, and he held me in his arms
and never knew me-"
A quick sob burst from her lips. o hard
hard fate to meet thus-so clOse-and
part without q word
Her lover-her promised husband of one
year ago.
Just then her foot struck against some
thing hard
She stopped and picked it up--a large
pocketbook.
''Frank's!" she said, quietly and hope
lessly; then she wiped 1t tenderly with her
handkerchief, pressed it to her lips, and
slipped it into her bosom.
AS she did this, she threw her veil aside
for the tears and rain together nearly blind
ed her.
| doubt if Frank would have recognized
her, even if he had seen her FACET was so
worn and weary looking, and stained by
the wet black veil.
Not much resemblance there to the pref
ty, piquant, blooming girl whose love he had
sought so eagerly year ago; not much in
her appearance just now to tempt any man
to WOO her.
So thought Mrs. Benton, the landlady,
as she let her in, and stared aghast at her
utterly drenched condition.
Glad indeed was Ethel to reach the quiet
of her own room-glad of the cup of tea
her mother gave her-glad to lie down and
rest.
She groped blindly to her little desk and
put the pocketbook away.
Tomorrow, she whispered to herself
-''his address will be inside-I'll send it
back tomorrow"
Then sinking wearily on the bed, she
murmured:
'ATother, l feel so strangely. 1 wish
now-that l had taken-your advice, and
stayed home, to-day"
The words came family, in low, broken
gasps, from her parched lips.
She lay there without speaking for some
time, and then articulated
81 failed again-no work-no hope-no
Her eyes closed, her voice ceased, she
fell back, burning and shiverlng. The poor
child had contracted a serious illness in
that merciless shower of rain.
Meantime Frank Merrifield was anathe-
matizing his i'll luck in losing valuable
pocketbook with bills, receipts, money-all
sorts cf important matters in it.
''It must have been when | carried that
girl over the muddy crossing. had it the
minute before, and / missed it shortly af-
terwards. Confound my quixotic folly!
Why couldn't l mind my own business and
let her alonel Poor little thing, she look
ed wet and miserable, and something about
her somehow reminds me Of"