The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-03-19

Hazels' house, he learned the whole story and
then, with heavy heart, returned by the very
next train to bear the bad news TO the folks at
home. He looked all his age now. He had
loved Mary, rs few old men love; he had
thought 80 much OF her, and had often thought
how hard II would be even to lot Mark Lowell
have her and take her couple Of miles away
But for stranger to take her-he knew not
fellow grieved sorely. They had missed her
terribly during the past few weeks when they
were reckoning on her speedy return and now
she had left them, perhaps, foreper!
But Hez remembered that Mark had the
heaviest disappointment to bear, and he set to
work to break the news rs kindly as possible.
He arranged with Johnny and the ~missis" to
leave them together in the kitchen, il Mark
came IN, and, when the latter appeared, Hez
tried to look cheerful as though nothing had
occu, red. But Mark detected the old mans
constraint; he knew that something was wrong
before word was spoken, aud at once caught
the infection, and sat there very solemn and
sad
MARX, boy" said Hez, @does tn love Mary
sic u great deals"
Mark nodded his head silently.
Gould tn bear to lose her, lsd?"
Mark, with great lump rising in his throat,
now spoke.
aDon't," he said, stalk like that. Tell me
what you have to say, right away. / can bear
il so better than this round about talk"
well" replied the old man, Sod help thee,
lad; our Mays married, and never told us
word on 1t af0re, nor SIM"
Mark sat motionless for awhile, as though
trying to comprehend it all, and Hez heard him
choke back great sob. Then he said in = low
tone:
IT hard, old friend, on NEON all Of us ;
| but-but-God bless her." aud, taking up his
hat, he left the cottage.
Oh, how lonely the place seemed now How
al o~~s. Ia "
Sunday didn't seem now TO be @lartle heavens
| / Wellb'ry" The nelghbors missed the CHEEKY
| smile from hezs face, and the Joyous whistle
from his lips, and, az he rode along day by day
on his wagon, he hung his head low, forgetting
altogether to hum the snatches Of tunes, as
was his wont IN days gone by. AS weeks and
months fled by, and no word came from the
wanderer, the old man fretted and fretted, until
| his form grew bent, and his locks turned white,
and people wondered at the great change
| which had come over old Hez Bogg. Johnny
never showed his grief except that ne was. II
| possible, more silent than ever, and pulled
harder at HE pipe.
Mark Lowell was restless man now, and,
when the spring came round, he announced
his intention of settling on the Western praries
of America. He would leave the old home
which now only served to keep alive within him
sorrowful memories. aud at hard work try to
rid him OF his giief. So he left Weilbury, and
added another blank to the life of Hezekiah
Bogg, who had grown 10 regard Mark as an
other son.
After her husbands death Mary continued
her needle work, aud easily earned sufficient to
meet her small expenses. But oh, how she
longed for some strong arm, like Marks, to
protect her, and how she yearDed for sight
OF those old faces at tho cottage at Wellbury-
on-the- Wolds She had an object, on which TO
bestow care and affection, when poor Roches-
ter was yet alive; but now she felt utterly
| alone, neither caring nor cared for Yet she
could not make up her mind to write home,
and each day that she delayed made it harder
to accomplish, and 30 when the winter passed
away, and spring sunshine once again cneered
and frightened Gods earth, Mary was as far
away in the cold as ever.
One beautiful May evening Mary was taking
quiet stroll along Broadway, after her day s
work, when She felt her hand drawn through q
mans arm, and, turning hastily around, she
beheld Mark Lowell! Her first impulse was to
run away aud hide herself, but she found her
self held q secure prisoner.
"Mary, honey" Mark said, "don't mind tell
| ing me your old friend-Mark. Do YOU need
any help or assistance at all? have been fol-
lowing you all along this busy street. but did
not intend speaking, or making myself known,
until / noticed this, aud he touched the Grape
trimmings on her jacket
Poor Mary could not speak. The tears forced
| called cab, that the rude stare Of the passere
| by might not rest upon her. They drove to
| the park where they alighted when, little by
little, Mark learned all the sad story from this
widowed girl barely 20 yetD aud Mark loved
her all the more for her devotion II Rochester
in his fatal illness, aud he then and there re
solved to make Mary his wife yet; so, instead
OF pushing on to the West as he lad intended,
he prolonged his stay in New York, aud every
evening found him calling for Mary to take her
J for q walk or a drive. By-aud- by Mary's sny-
Ness wore away and she felt the Old love aud
trust returning stronger than ever.
On one of their evening excursions she said
to Mark, SWe should ros be rambling around
like this together every evening VIA. will
folks thinky And yUu ought 10 be going West
IL YOU mean 10 do any good This year"
To which Mark maze answer, Never mind
what people say, dea y; g,vs h,e again tine right
to care for you, and, insteai o. me going
West all alone, let us together go East soon
as possible"
Aud so, in busy New York, thousands of miles
| from quiet Welibury Mary once more prom
ised to be Marks wife. But Mark did not trust
her long this time, for in three days they were
married az little Methodist church, in u quiet
er from New York included in its list Of cabin
passengers the names of Mr.. and Mrs. Mark
Lovel.
Hez Bogg had left st. Olaves with his wagon
a couple OF hours, when johnny, who was Just
! telling the hostler of the White Horse" To
hitch his team, was startled by the sound of
voice which he knew well enough, but which
he believed at that moment to be some 5000
miles away. Say, coachman, can you wait q
few minutes while l fetch my wife aloLgg
want TO get to Wellbury tonight"
what Mark" cried the astonished Johnny,
@an' marriedy an back agen Already? Well,
never Has th'seen my lartle gel, Mark,
lad?"
@Yes, old friend, I'm back again already, and
I've brought wife from over the sea, and I've
heard Of Mary and seen her; but I'll tell you
all about everything as we drive along"
Then Mark fetched Mary to him, and put her
inside the coach. She was the only inside
passenger, and as they were about to start
Mark introduced her to Johnny, my wife
Mr.. Johnny Bogg," aud, pushing the corpu-
lent Johnny into tho coach, slsmming the door
On hum, he jumped onto the box, and. taking
the rens from the astonished hostler, sent the
horses ut q rafting pace over the stony streets
of St Olaves When they reached the end of
the first stage Johnny rolled out Of the coach,
and, seizing Mark, who was laughing heartily,
by the hand, exclaimed: {" Why, it's her, Mark
Iov 81 tb< -