Morris tribune., 1880-09-30
A SHOWER OF RAIN.


ciless shower. At one crossing NINA
length and breadth, and three or four
inches deep; its shores on every side were
mud, black, slippery mud.
1t was amusing to see the hurrying
people, drenched, chilled, uncomfortable,
impatient to be home, come to dead
stop at this one crossing and hesitate,
with faces expressive of disgust and
dismay.
What chance had Ethel Thornton S
poor little weary feet, so miserably clad,
in such slough as this9 She glanced
aIound despalringly. The next moment
she found herself lifted in pair of
strong arms, carried high and dry over
mud and mire, and set down on the 9TH
er side, while her rescuer, raising his
dripping hat, with pleasant bow and
smile, passed quickly on his way.
She stood where he had placed her as if
turned to stone, following his fast dlsap-
pearlng figure with her dark eyes. Her
hands were clasped convulslvely, and
the color was flaming N her cheeks un-
der her wet black veil.
s'It was Frank!' she gasped. at was
Frank himself, and he held me in his
arms and never knew meY'
A quick sob burst from her Ii ps. Oh,
hard, hard fatel To meet thus-so close
and part without word. Her lover,
her promised husband of one short year
go.
Just then her foot struck against some
thing hard. She stopped and picked il
up-a large pocketbook.
"Frank's 'sP' she said, quietly and hope
lessly; then she wiped it tenderly with
her handkerchief, pressed it to her lips
and slipped it into her bosom.
AS she did this she threw her veil aside
and tears and rain together nearly blind
ed her.
doubt if Frank would have recog.
nized her. even if he had seen her tace
1t was so worn and weary looking, and
so stained by the wet black veil.
Not much resemblance there to the
pretty, piquant, blooming girl whose
love he had so eagerly sought one year
ago; not much in her appearance just
now to tempt any man to WOO her. Sc
thought Mrs. Benton, the landlady, as
she let her in, and stared at her utterly
drenched condition.
Glad indeed was Ethel to reach the
quiet of her own room, glad OF the cur
of tea her mother gave her, glad to lie
down and rest.
She groped blindly to her little desk
and put the pocketbook away.
"To-morrow,' she whispered to herself
Ibis address will be inside. I'll send i
back Tomorrow" Then sinking back
wearIly on her bed she murmured, "Mo
ther, I feel SO strangely. I wish-now-
that I had taken your advice and stayed
at home to day"
The words came family, in low, broker
gasps from her parched lips.
She lay still without speaking for som'
time, and then articulated:
81 failed again-no work-no hope
no" fs
Her eyes closed, her voice ceased, sh,
J fell back, burning and shiverlng. Th
J poor child had contracted serious i'll
ness in that merciless shower Of rain.
, Meantime Frank Merri6eld was an
. athematizing his ill-luck In losing val
: liable pocketbook with bills, receipts ant
3 money-all sorts of important matters il
3 lit. .saH e.I s@
D 'It must have been when I carrie,
that girl over the muddy crossing. / ha
y ly afterwards. Confound my quixoti
e follyl Why couldn't / mind my ow
' business and let her alone9 Poor littl
p thing, she looked SO wet and miserable
a and something about her somehow rt
e minds me Of"
8 He paused and leaned his head upo
t his hands in painful thought.
: "Why can't ] ever forget herr Poor Iii
d tie frail false heart, why can't let her &c
If Why does her sweet face haunt me every
e where,-not bright and sparkling as
d used to know it, but pale and reproacl
full looking2 Reproaching mel All, Ell
e el, how much ] loved you'll How hal
; py we might have been to-day had 20
J; been true.
L He arose with an impatient gesture, a
d one OF who, by an effort of will pu
vain regrets aside.
?, "How TO recover the pocket-bo
D, that's the present question. There is moi
It ey in it; the finder is welcome to tina
The bills and papers are what wan
and-her portrait. Yes, there's no us
,r denying it to myself, am fool enoug
n to care for that. I'll advertise ii in Il
/. papers. Confound that shower of rain
p -
le "Three weeks, mammal Three weel
lying here dellrious2 Why, what coul
W have made me SO illG MY head is
is strange-I seem to forget everything
Mrs. Thornton gazed anxiously on Il
k poor girls wasted face--alm ost as viii
% as the pillow on which it lay.
1t "You got badly drenched and chile
If my love, in shower of rain"
ss "a shower of raing'
= The weak voice rang out clear an
9, strong, the dark eyes flashed excitedl
10 she clasped her hands, while a viv
W crimson suddenly died her cheeks.
h "Oh, / remember it all now, Plea
Is reach me my desk
At Then she told her mother her adve
ture in the rain, and drew out of the de:
L -. - L.. 4