Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-03-04

turned into broad walk, shaded witt
trees, which led down, zig-zag fashion
to the river,
AS they got further and further away
from the departing congregation
Berthfeld, being an enterprising you'll
! in all he undertook, possessed himsel
of her hand and put his face SO close tt
her hat that she could not choose bu
look at him. And he looked long, bu
not apparently making himself the hap
pier for doing so. for at the conclusion
he gave great sigh.
Hattie, darling" he said, "I've M
good news for you. I've been to The
dock works at the North river, and the
position Broadlip hoped to give me il
filled and there's no chance of another
opening. They don't want young, un-
tried hands there, yet they might have
given me a trial"
"But, Joe," said the girl, and hel
voice faltered little as she spoke, 'syou
know what you wish cannot be. You
wish me to marry you and to risk the
chances of life. l cannot leave my father.
He is aging sadly. / think his poor
eyes are growing dim; and now he
would rather have all his beautiful
music played to him thar do it himself.
Joe, my great hope is that may be able
to take his pupils for him."
I" You would do it well, Hattie. You
have a wonderful knack of managing
people,"
The girl smiled, and in her smile
there was peculiar mocking expression
which seemed like a ripple about the
mouth. She became grave again.
He has worked for me, Joe; it is fit
that I should work for him.
But if l could get work near, you
need not leave him, Hattie We could
marry and all live together"
"No, Joe: we are too young to fetter
ourselves with such uncertain prospects.
Alone we may struggle, and if we fall
we fall alone, and drag down no other
but were we married, and your employ
ment SO uncertain, cares would come
on us more quickly than we could meet
them. Believe me, Joe, we are best
single"
There was no selishness about the
young fellow, yet, man-like, he could
not forbear the answer:
" Hattie, you think more of your
father than you do of me. My young
life" He stopped abruptly.
Il should be no good wife to you,
Joe, if | failed as daughter. Do not
press me more. God knows am sorely
tried already" and the pent-up tears
came at last.
Then Berthfeld inwardly called him
self many frightful names, of which
. Unmanly wretch and Brute " were
the least severe. But ne only said, audi
bly,:
" | know, Hattie. Forgive me- And
the words were scarcely out of his
mouth before he was forgiven, for the
warm, round, white hand was again
placed conidingly in his. He continued: j:
" The worst is yet to come, Hattie !"
His words came slowly and as if drag
ged up by the roots. &c have under
taken to work my way to Japan, and
the captain of the steamer has promised
to get me work as soon as we arrive. l
did hope to have begun higher up, but
I've never shirked work, and I'll show
that | can do good and earnest days
work. I've toiled with dust and dirt
and oil and what not, and Iil do it
again. l know my trade thoroughly
The lowest as well as the highest part of
it, and-and-Im young and strong"
" Yes, it's all true" said poor Hattie;
and these four words were all she could
say.
'' 1 shall not forget you, Hattie. 1t
may be twenty years before we meet
again. but even then I shall be yours
only
Hattie smiled, but this time it was a
poor, worn, wan, struggling smile.
" shall be o4d and faded then, joe"
:" It does not matter" he returned,
with loving, steady gaze. You may
hn old afad faAoI l. i
but you will be more to me than any
other woman"
A great mist seemed to have come
over the river as the girl said:
w must part now, dear Joe.o
They walked on silently for little
time.
81 sail tomorrow, Hattie he said.
as they reached the old church. Z"
bind you by no promise
We have the world before us, and
God to aid US, dear heart" she replied.
They stood and gazed sadly on the
grayestones; there seemed nothing but
an atmosphere of dampness and decay
among them, only the warm love and
young hope in their breasts; but these
Uriumphed even in the sadness of the
hour. He held her in his arms for one
last caress, and then released her. In
another minute he had gone.
And so they parted with wrung
hearts, fearing, as many young lovers
have feared, that the hour-glass of time,
or the scythe of death, would stand be-
tween them in this life.
And the river flowed onward to the
sea.
Joe Berthfield returned to New York
and to the clearinghouse, where his
worldly goods were packed ready for
transit, in depressed and remorseful
state of mind. He was miserable enough
heaven knows, and though he bit his
lips until the blood almost came, and
clinched his teeth, it was hard work to
keep the tears from starting.
1t was in vain that he inwardly ex-
horted himself not to feel this wringing
pain in his heart. Nature, not man
hood, was uppermost. He could not cat,
but repairing to his dingy room he leant
out of the window to enjoy his only
luxury-that of thinking of Hattie Had
win. He folded his arms tightly across
his breast thinking about her, and then
he leant out with some romantic idea
! that the wind would watt her breath to
| him or that the same moon should look
down on both. He had not naturally a
genius for self torment, quite the re-
verse; but man in love will do such
things.
Within ten hours-from that time Joe
Berthfeld was engaged at seaman's
wages to work under the engineer oil