Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-07-01
and went to her, repentant, to ask her for
l. la. lora

my mind to do this, though, like thousand
mocking devils, memories of the moments
had spent in the last few weeks crowded
around me, as though taunting me in contrast
to her purity; but with Gods help 1 would
make myself worthy, I said aloud, and
thought the hours would drag along until
could find myself once more in her presence:
She came in to see me, holding out her hand
with sweet smile of welcome, as though we
had only parted yesterday, and yet-and yet
there was change. All! learned it all too
soon In those first few moments told her
the story of my life for the past few months,
of what it had been before knew her-ot
what it should be if she would only give me
the assurance and promise Of her love: Then
I paused. For moment silence fell between
us; then she spoke. A. bright flush was in
her cheeks, her lips trembled, her lashes veiled
her eyes, but her voice faltered not.
"'John,' she said, 4 am only a. girl, it is
true but the man l marry must be man.
Perhaps I might have loved you'-here lit
tie tremble crept into her tone-'but l have
almost ceased to respect you. Were you my
husband, I would fear for you, and fear and
love cannot 20 hand.in.hand.'
"Stopr said. DO you want to drive me
back to the life I had hoped to have left be-
hind me? O! Mary, do not be so cruel. Be
my wife, and LET me prove myself worthy of
you
"'No, john she answered, softly; and the
blue eyes now raised to mine we're swimming
in tears. "If you have seen the wrong, sure:
ly you will return to it no more. Rather, if
you indeed love me, prove yourself man:
1t does not take battlefield to make hero.
"'Prove yourself man. These were the
words that haunted me in the weeks that fol-
lowed, saving me from the ruin would else
have drifted into, but torturing me with their
hopelessness. What hope had I, in my daily
routine of duty, of changing Mary's mind
Yet, in spite of her words, something in her
eye had told me that she loved me, and that
something gave me strength to live, and to
withstand the daily temptation OF my life.
$50 six months passed, when one pleasant
morning mounted my engine to take the ex.
press train to c. We were going along at
the rate of thirty miles an hour, when sud.
denly, right ahead of US it seemed, a tiny
speck of red futtered on the track.
81 strained my eyes-I blew the whistle.
What could it be? Merciful heaven! An
other instant it was too clear to me- 1t was
a little golden haired child playing in the very
face of the huge monster of death my hand
was guiding to its destruction.
81 whisled down brakes, but as did so |
knew that it was of no avail. Before the Or
der could be obeyed, it would be rendered
useless. Then something within me said:
"'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 better
man, you might have had little child like
that praying for you at home
1T takes long time, sir, to tell all this,
but in reality not one second had passed. At
such times men think quickly. One bitter
sigh rose in my breast / would never have
a chance of proving to Mary my manhood by
some great deed in the future, or long years
of penance But it did not make my duty
any the less clear. Bill, the fireman, was be-
hind ME.
"tTake the enginer I screamed to him.
Good bye. Mary whispered low to myself.
".The next minute hardly conscious of what
I was doing, was down upon the cow cate her
of the engine cinging; by one hand the other
outstretched to grasp the child, now paralyzed
with terror. Then We were upon it. Was it
killed, crushed, mangled' No! I looked
down 1t was held with one strong arm, its
red dress Auttering in the wind, its golden
head pressed close against my shoulder. How
was it done? l cannot tell you, sir. God,
they say, does not let the sparrow fall.
"Then the train checked its speed, stopped
the passengers came crowding about us, men
grasped me by the hand, women cried over
me, aud I-stood dazed, bewildered in their
midst, the child tight held within my arms.
1t was such a simple thing; yet, sir, they
gave me this" throwing back his coat, and
showing gold medal.
IL wear it in thanksgiving for the little
life 1 saved. They raised for me a purse Of
gold to large amount, but the gift which
seemed to cleanse my heart was the poor
mothers grateful tears.
"The papers rang next day with the story.
You see, sir, it seemed more to them, looking
at it, than to me- who had no time to stop and
think but something more was in store for
me. was off duty, the next night, alone in
my lonely, desolste room, thinking it all over,
when some one whispered my name. In an
other moment some one was sobbing in my
one who had come to me Of her
own sweet will--some one who, from that
has been the sunshine of my home
and heart.
"That is all, sir. It is simple story. /
trust have not tired you"
But I, as I grasped the noble fellows hand,
whose speech had so unconsciously betrayed
the grand, true heart within, could only echo
hS Mary's words:
"It does not take battlefield to make a
hero"
HOME HAralNEss.-Probably nineteen
twentieths of the happiness you will ever
have you will ret at home. Some of you
will get pleasure in the theatre, and some of
you will get delight in the church but hap
piness you will only get at home The inde-
pendence that comes to a man when his work
is over, and he feels he has run out of the
storm into the quiet harbor of home where
he can rest in peace with his family, is some
thing real. 1t does not make much difference
whether you own your house or whether you
have only one little room in that house, you
can make that little room true home to you.
You can people it with such moods, you can
turn to it with such sweet fancies, that it will
be fairly luminous with their presence, and
will be to you the very perfection of home.
Against this home none of you should ever
transgress. You should always treat each
other with courtesy. 1t is often not so diff:
fcult to love person as it. is to be courte-
Gus to them. Courtesy is of greater value
and more royal grace than some people
seem to think. If you will but be courte.