Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-09-07

He-tellt me he would-he always tellt
ME SO; he promised me-he did, in
deed"
"And he knows what he has brought
thee to?
The girl bent her herd.
Hanging thy head down is no an
swer Hast thou tellt him thou's-"
"I've tellt him Everything L setten
everything before him." interrupted
Phoebe, in desperation; she could not
bear to hear her shame put in words.
"Well?" again inquired the grand
mother.
The girl was silent, but she was quiv-
ering in every nerve.
The old woman paid no regard to the
agony Phoebe was manifestly enduring.
She was determined, at any cost, to have
direct answer, and that at once, and
continued, "He makes a doubt about
marrying of thee, then %
emo, he doesn't p cried Phoebe,
eagerly. "He mak's no doubt at all |!
He will marry me, know he will %
"When thy BARN has come to dis
grace thee When thou is nothing but
mock and by-word to Everybody |!
When thou hast killed thy poor old
grandmother that hast reared thee, and
always held her head high, and never
had none as wasn't decent folks belong
be shamed for liver and liver bv thee
and thy wanton going-ons Thou
thinks he will marry thee then, but I tell
thee he won't. ;"
Phebe's head dropped lower and
lower-she, too, had her fears.
cts now or nivver p repeated the
gray-haired woman.
"It's nivver, then |" said Phoebe,
:" for he's going away O Thursday-the
fishings done"
"He's going away! Going away, and
leaving thee here to bring scorn on
woman who thowt to lie her. head low
knowing none could say no i'll of her
and her family! Thou's the first lass
among us all that has misconduckit her.
sell. Thou's the first as had love child
to work for and rear, and when the day
comes and there's a BARN running about
here, and have to see it and hold my
tongue WI trouble and confusion when
folks asks who owns it'll be fit to toss
myself over t. cliff will indeed Wo-
l.
A1den's seventy-nlne years and nivver
woman body as could call me kin could
liver have BARN without having man
to take the shame off her! Thou may
sigh and work on WI wringing thy hands
as thou likes, but it's true Thou may
cry thy eyes out, but thou'n not undo
what's done! Thou's brought my good
name and thy own down to the very
ground; shame on thee, say [! Where
is thou going?"
Phoebe turned back. She had got up
and was on her way to the door, posi-
bly, with some half-formed desire to hide
away this sin and disgrace from human
ken beneath the water, for as yet no
one in ST. Aiden's knew of it but her
grandmother.
"Dost thou know where Day-nay,
I'll none say his name-where that devil
is ?"
Phoebe could not speak. She pointed
with her hand to bit of rising ground
by the sea where her cruel lover and
coastguardsman were standing, mi
nutely scanning the signs of the weather.
" L cannot see, girl. But he's there,
is he? the base, deceiving wretch
Well, If have to die for it, I'll max a
trial for to get highland him to speak
to me-" And she, who for years had
not done more than cross the floor, and
that, too, only by the aid of crutches,
got up, tried to straighten her feeble
rhuematic legs, and laid hold of her
clutches.
Grandmother! honey, thou munot
go! Thou'n fall Thou'll kill thysel' |!
Thou'l nivver get so far!"
The old woman vouched no answer
she struggled slowly across the room
toward the door. She was pitiably lame
and infirm, and it was sad to see the
effort this cost her.
Beside, there's a man with him!'
cried Phoebe; "thou'd surely nivver be-
gin speaking about sike think afore
another man %
"Whisht at once, Phobel" cried the
grandmother. "Thou's the one to blame
if there's disgrace int and not mel" She
opened the low door and let in the cold
east wind.
"But grandmother, it's long step to
where he is, and he is coming tonight
for to say goodbye to me. Just for ten
minutes, when the clock has gone six. :"
Phoebe was driven to confess this,
rather than see her grandmother go to
confront her lover in the presence of a
stranger.
"Where is he coming to-"
"To the gate down by the end of
your back garden. I'll fetch him for to
speak to you if you like"
"He shall nivver enter nv doors till
he has wed thee! And I'll nivver enter
his when he has done it! sI'll fetch him
in ye say, girl, ye talk as lightly when
We do begin to talk as if all this was just
nought, and sham had nivver come nj gh-
hand us! Tonight I'll force myself for
to put one question to him. I'll ask him
whether he means to max an honest
woman on thee or not, but I'll do that
outside the 'ouse-he shall not cross my
doorstepp'
"ThouT let me speak to him first
and say what [ can tiv him afore thou
begins ?" said Phoebe, in much dread
of her grandmother's methods of persua-
sion.