The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-05-07
NUMBER 16.


room to where l stood
''She was not without pride, and If she
suffered from my cOIdness, she only smiled
the brighter on others, until ! grew mad
with jealous anger. That night began a
series of dissipations with which 1 employed
every leisure moment I drank more deeply
than had ever done in my life-nOt as be
fore, for so-called goodwill and goodfellow-
ship, but TO drown memory.
Il did not 90 near Mary for a month. To
me it seemed year. Once, after a nights
carousal, 1 passed her on the street; but not
until long after did learn Of the bitter tears
my haggard face and dissipated air had cost
her. Finally, my better nature triumphed,
and l went to her, repentant, to ask her for
giyeness, and perhaps her love.
''On long, lonely night ride / made up
my mind to do this, though like a thousand
mocking devils, memories Of the moments
had spent in the last few weeks crowded
around me, as though taunting me, in con
trast to her purity but with Gods help I
would make myself worthy, / said aloud,
and thought the hours would never drag
along, until / could find myself once more in
her presence. She came in to see me, hold
ing out her hand with a sweet smile of vel
come, as though We had parted only yester-
day, and yet-and yet there was q change.
All, l learn ed it all too soonl In those first
few moments told her the story of life for
the past few months, OF what it had been
before l knew her-of what it should be if
she would give me the assurance and promise
of her love. Then I paused Tor moment
silence fell between US then she spoke. 4
bright flush was in her cheeks, her lips
trembled, her lashes veiled her eyes, but her
lips falteTed not
john she said, I am only a girl, it Is
true, but the man I marry must be a man.
Perhaps l might have loved you'-here a
little tremble crept into hertone-'5lH have
almost ceased to respect you. Were you
my husband 1 would fear for You, and fear
and love cannot 90 haud-in-hand %
stop" I said. DO you want TO drive
me back to the life / had hoped to have left
behind me? Oh, Mary, do not be so cruel.
Be my wife and let me prove the stuff that
is in me-
"'NO, john she answered, softly; but
the blue eyes she now raised TO mine were
swimming in tears. IF you have seen the
wrong, surely you will not return to it.
Rather, if you indeed love NE, prore yourself
a man. It does nottake a battlefield to make
a hero
Prove yourself 4 man. These were the
words that haunted me in the weeks that
followed, saving me from the ruin l would
else have drifted INTO, but torturiug me with
their hopeIessness. What hope had 1 in my
daily routine Of duty of changing Mays
mind? Yet, spite Of her words, something
in her eye had told me that she loved me-
and that something gave me strength to live,
and 10 withstand the daily temptations Of nv
life
$50 six months passed, when one morning
l mounted my engine to take the express
train to c.. We were going along at the
rate Of thirty miles an hour, when suddenly,
right ahead of Us, it seemed, a tiny Speck Of
red tiuttpred on the track.
Il strained my eye-I blew my whistle.
What could it be =? NeTciful heaven An
other instant it was made clear to me. 1t
was a little golGen-haired child playing in
the very face Of the huge monster of death
my hand was guided to its destruction.
q whistled down brakes but, As I did
so, knew that it was of no avail. Before the
order could be Obcyed, it would be rendered
''Your life IS worthless. Give it for that
innocent life if it must be, but save it at the
peril Of your own. Had YOU been a better
man, you might have had a little child like
that and praying for You at home"
1T takes long time, sir, to tell iaIl TINS,
bat in reality nos one second had passed
At such times men think quickly. One bit
ter sigh rose in my breast I would Eevel
have a chance of proving to Mary my man
hood by some great deed in the future, ol
long years Of penauce. But it did not max,
my duty any the less clear. Bill, the fire
man, was behind me.
"'Take the engine " I screamed to him
'Good-by, Mary whispered low to myself
"The next minute, hardly conscious @
what l was doing, I was down upon tin
cow-catchcr of the train, c'inging by ou
hand, the other outstretched TO grasp tn
child, now paralyzed wiki terror. Then W,
were upon it. 1t was killed, crushed, man
b gled Mo- I look down. It was safely hell
within one strong arm, its red dress futtel
7 ing in the wind, its golden head close presse
= against my shoulder How was it done
t I cannot :ell you; sir. God, they say, doe
not let the spauow fall.
e ped, the passengers came cr9wding aboU
e us, men grasped me by the hand, wome
\ cried over me, and l stood d1zea and Je'Cilde
o ed in their midst, the child tight-held with
my arms. 1t was such q simple thing We
t sir, they gave me this, throwing back h
t coat and showing a gold medal.
h 81 wear it in Thanksgiving for the lit
q life I saved. They raised for me purse
t. gold to a large amount, but the Cift wlil
t seemed to cleanse my heart was the po'
e mothers Ereatful tears.
Y "The papers rang, next day, with q
d story You see, sir. il seemed more to JheI
o looking AZ it, than to me, who had no tin
to stop and think but something more W
5, in store for me. [ was of duty, the ne
1t night, alone in my lonely, desolate rOoI
thinking it ali over, when some one whispt
,e ed my name. In another moment, some o
I was sObbing IN my arms-s0me one who n,
re come to NE of her own sweet will-s0me o
q who, from that moment, has been the su
shine Of my home and heart.
"a That Is all, sir. 1t is a simple story.
y trust | have not tired you.
N But I, as I grasped the noble fellow ha'
W whose speech had so unconsciously betray
S the grand tue heart within, could only oc
his Mary words:
G. 1T does not take q battlefield to make
ID hero.
\ NEW steam street car, which has n
H. with success in New York, has been test
on grades of 345 feet to the mile and
Al e. u