The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-08-08

the election. and he conversations with
Uncle elf and the editor. and kept on talk
ing In this strain, apparently forgetful OF All
else, until . late hour, and ceased his dis
course, a. length, only when Miss Munger
complained, a. pleasantly a. she could un-
der the circumstances. Of the chill night air,
and said she must beg 70 De excused.
During the next week. the closing week
Of the campaign. Craybill industriousiy pur-
sued his speech making In the country
precincts; but when election day came he
was not 10 be found; indeed. he did not
show himself until after the voting was all
over. IL was nearly 10 o'clock 1T night. In
fact. when he slipped into the Nesc Era
Office with idgety tread and pale attempt
nj his customary smiling, and was received
with sundry embarrassing exc,Amauons Or
lected to hear the returns from the various
polling places. Uncle Cit was there. bland
and loluacious, with his elbow upon the
editors table and his feet among the
exchanges central figure, ~ usu-
al; and grouped about him, on the
coal-box, the imposing stone, and the
dampened pile OF paper for next weeks Ne,o
Era, were all the local politicians. cracking
their rude Jokes and rehearsing their well
worn "reminiscences Of former elections.
CrAybili drew apart rom the crowd and
lations OF Office dirt and rubbish were swept
with rigid method every morning. His coat
was buttoned closely and his hal pulled
a swn over his forehead, and there was a
scared, apprehensive look in his eyes, which
deepened TO species OF awe - ne listened
arriving returns. He was 50 concealed from
view, and so reserved, that his presence was
soon lost sight Of, or was recalled only At in
tervals and in brief lulls OF the conversation;
and during the excitement that followed the
announcement OF the final summing up-an
announcement which told him that In a total
az over twelve hundred votes, just two tUn-
Gle Cliffs and the editors presumably had
been cast for him and his hobby The stole
auicklv and unObserved out OF the Office,
and down the creaking stairs and ont be-
yond the town, on the road homeward, the
fatal news ringing in his ears At every step
like the challenge Of some pursuing gnost.
II was superb night, and wretched as
he was. Cravbill could not wholly resist its
abundant charm. Possibly his very heart
ache helped him IN some occult way 70 see
and feel with more than passing acuteness:
certainly the scene aroused, inter- sted, and
even comforted him. He slackened his
pace AS he passed over the bluh that shut
out All sight OF the town behind him, and
gradually, there In the moonlit wood, among
the many-shaped and fitting shadows, the
fact OF his defeat somehow took the form OF
a UIt<FnllmtUL III HIS mi1af tNrt'-& Va 81
experience, and he said TO himself:
s'She knows: yes, she knows"
He was thinking Of Miss Munger, and her
discouraging sDon't be too certain" when
he mad sought 20 assure her he was going TO
be elected. -hen he stopped, and stood lis
tening 10 the subdued and tremulous now OF
( the river, borne 10 him like music on the
clear, eager air; and when he walked on
/ again. he went cautiously and slower than
before. - II fearing he might break the
grateful spell
Miss Munger opened the door for him a.
he came along the little path from the main
road to the house, and her woman's swift
\ instinct read his failure in his face. tie was
spared the necessity Of saying be had met
defeat: she could see that plainly enoughs
but II was no easy task TO tell her how poIg-
nant and how crushing the defeat really
was. In time, however, he disclosed u all !;
not without marks Of deep grief, which ne
did not seek a. hide, nor yet emitting 70 de-
clare his belief that the result might have
been entirely different III only he could have
ha4 the diagrams painted on rolling can
vas" And then. with bowed head, he await
ed her reproach.
Bat Mis- Munger did not reproach him,
did not 30 much A. remind him that ~he had
half predicted Just such an ending. she
merely gave him 10 understand, In few
fervent words. how very, very sorry she was,
and then changed the subject from person.
al 10 general character. and began talking
70 him about courage and fortitude and the
chance OF finding balm for the worst o.
wounds "Cloud- only hinder the light,
she remarked; "they do not put II out. and
II T. liable 10 break through any moment,
| which wa~ quite a neat way OF putting ~
she naffered herself
He did not comprehend her, however, ex'
cept in a theoretical sense, n she could read
I'M see: and 20 she made bold 10 grasp other
~ In rlufD and direct term.
what she had yainly aimed TO betray 10 hin
delicately and by inference
"This T. all for YOU" she said and youl
good. You are throwing your life away
You brood too much. Won are not enough
like other men. And H. al wrong. ic'
need home Of your own"--she spoke les
I firmly nov, aud In persuasive fashion"
home. saw. and somebody 70 think about
n wouldn't be any trouble at al for you Y
md woman TO love you, and understand
You, and be your wife, know u wouldnr
|, Why don't you get narriedT
"Yes--tnank you--yes," Craybil STAN
6 mered, hardly knowing what he wa
!. doing. the situation was 50 new and 20 con
!, founding.
y she could restrain herself no longer. IN
4 started from her seat and walked brski
J, across the room; then she whi-kel roun'
and retraced her steps In the same impui
siye. fastening manner, and stood erect pc
fore him, her hands clasped, and her eyes re-
, with repressed tears.
= "Joshua CraybiIl,v she exclaimed, your
= gooseiv
He did not reply At once. and did not loo
!, mp until he heard the window raised and ~
= shutters thrown open violently, and then 7
\. saw her leaning against the window-sid
= with her arms resolutely folded. and n
/. face concealed from him in the rufiied cul
tains.
~ guess 7 am be presently observed
= Y. and dropped his head again and was silen
y, She stood gazing through the window
= the heavens. and longing tohave him spesl
" But he said no more. and did not stir. ~
y stars shone feebly. she noticed, and "
- moon was dim and unsteady, and al a. on'
- the surrounding clouds closed upon y an