Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-13

tween my teeth, and unheeding the little,
pleading glance she sent from time to time
across the room to where stood.
"She was not without pride, and if she
suffered from my GOODNESS, she only smiled
the brighter on others, until grew mad
with jealous anger. That night began q
series of designations with which employed
every leisure moment. drank more deep
ly than had ever done in my Me-not as
before, for so-called goodwill and good-fel-
lowship but to drown memory.
81 did not go near Mary for month.
To me it seemed a year. Once, after a
nights carousal 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 I went to her, repentant, to
ask her forgiveness, and perhaps her love.
son long, lonely night ride I made up
my mind to do this, though like thousand
hooking devils, memories of the moments
I 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, I said aloud,
and thought the hours would never drag
along, until I 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 parted only yes
terday, and yet-and yet there was change
All, learned it, all too soon! In those
first few moments told her the story of
life for the past few months, of what it had
been before knew her-of what it should
be if she would 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 yelled her eyes.
but her lips faltered not.
"' john she said, I am only girl, it is
true, but the man I marry must be a man.
Perhaps I might have loved you'-here a
little tremble crept into her tone but I
have almost ceased to respect you. We're
you my husband, I would fear for you, and
fear and love cannot7go hand-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 me, pru0e yorSr-
| self man. 1t does not take battlefield to
make hero
GO Prove yourself man. These were
the words that haunted me in the weeks that
followed, 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, 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 temptations
of my life.
" So six months passed, when one morn
ing I mounted my engine to take the ex-
press 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 duttered on the track
81 strained my eyes-I blew my whistle.
What could it be? Merciful heavenl An
other instant it was made clear to me-
It was little golden-haired child, playing
in the very face of the huge monster of
death my hand was guiding to its destruc-
| ton.
Z" I whistled Down brakes but, as I
did SO, knew that it was of no avail Be-
fore the order 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 a better
man, you might have had little child like
that praying for you at home
g It takes long time, sir, to tell all this,
but in reality not one second had passed.
At such times men think quickly. One bit
ter sigh rose in my breast. would never
have chance of proving to Mary my man
hood 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 fire.
man, was behind me.
Take the engine!' I screamed to
him. 'Good-by, Mary whispered low to
myself.
"The next minute, hardly conscious Of
what was doing, was down upon the
cow catcher of the train, clnging by one
hand, the other outstretched to grasp the
child, now paralyzed with terror. Then we
were upon it. It was killed, crushed, man
gled. No! I looked down. 1t was safe
held within one strong arm, its red dress
futtering in the wind, its golden head close
pressed against my shoulder. How was it
done? I cannot tell you sir. God, they
say, does not let the sparrow fall.
Then the train checked its speed, STOP
ped, the passengers came crowding about
us, men grasped me by the hand, women
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