Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-01-28

d
At this time he often lay awake at
night from sheer fatigue, longing for
scent of the pines and new-mown
hay upon the old farm, and ready to
sacrifice all his hopes for the privilege
of standing once more beside Prim-
rose, to feel the pressure of her soft
hand.
/. But his pride was not yet broken.
1T was too late to back ont now. He
would not admit himself conquered.
He had not the courage to confess his
mistake and return TO the peaceful
/ lot he had 50 foolishly eIiled himself
from.
And shortly his affairs approached
crisis from which he was extricated
for the moment hy finding letter
icontaiaing a small sum Of money
Awaiting him at the postotf1ce. There
was no writing inclosed. nor any
mark by which to identify the SEN
der. Nevertheless something told
him that il must be Primrose.
lie had fallen very low. he thenght.
vhsn he was forced to receive aid
from her. But want stared him IN
the face, and ne accepted the offering
with soul full Of bitterness.
! Until he had achieved something,
/ he resolved, he would write no more d,
ne would hide himself, even from her,
IN the deepest m.zes Of the city Even
- letter from her dear hand must
seem like CALLING reproach after this.
Not many days later 1t became ap-
| parent to him that ere long bu; two
alternatives yoald bs left him; either
10 crawl home foot sore, aesplslted
bssgsr, acknowledge himself coU-
quorel. or to de Of absolute starva:
ton in the streets.
| Yet little while hs held out
welding SLOW j.. stubbornIy, TO the
pressure of the biild necessity.
Qua night lrss than = year from his
hopeful parting from Primrose, found
thlm pacing the streets without q root
| 10 cover his hezd. Homeless, rsnl-
starving on that bleak winter
might. il seemed 10 his frenzied mind
10 II heaven aud man had consplrcd
/ against bum.
/ There was little enough pride left
In him nov. Want and disrair hsd
] robb.l bin Of suen that fallacious
strength. In his dazed thoughts
i there seemed no better ambition than
To lie down 10 some sheltered corner
and Weld up his brokes spirit
! The bright hresIdes shining III rough
the window, seemed 10 mock his mis-
-rv. Al ore window :,e saw q young
~, suxi,usly waiting her husbands
return. Something in her dgure re,
minded him Of Primrose. What
would she think If she saw him, now
altered, ~h,s,Iy. ftceziug.
pf.sent'y hs fell into species o.
d-lir.m Lictho1.ht THAT hs was OF
= hts w.y kaak 10 the farm-eack tc
Prmtose. Thc frovurng ro~s o
houses on eiiiA. hand seemed c
stretch a~sv into tns sLaiI!sg. snnli
: iirlds about his fathers house, lon
der va. the tree where he had offer
. met Primrose when the days toll va
ever
80 TIE harl pavement looked like tn
viaftnr. dusts road he knew 50 vel
f-.y, ana coui4 'tr 10. smell the nj
der blossoms N the morning ar
II. isagils5 aloud as Ire Siroa
along. He tned to sing an old a
that he Knew, aud seia, h Thought
for JOY.
Foof soul lie did no. sec how tn
chang. ~.sragers shrank back iron
him. imagining LIN dangerous INA
: MAC.
: So he walked on straight towar
u The riverside, where tie water .ra
black and ugly beneath the docks An
'. piers. FOR moment its sound SCENE
.. to recall his scattered senses. II
paused and looked vaguely arsnn
him. lie saw in the distance VIC
:. mans iignre Fastening toward hin
! but /. took no motto. Of it. His fame
vent villa again, and be made towar
the river.
: "Hark.." lie shouted, ."the mil
i stream. ! shall sSoa be homo.
: In another instant he had plunge
is into the water.
- He was conscious Of an icy thrill
O the whirllns of the lights along ii
shore, a shrill cry in a woman 'svoic
!. strangely familiar, spoke some smot'
= ering word. Of endearment into h
dull ear. he became insensible.
% A long, dreamy interval seemed
. elapse and he awoke to conSciousne
!" in the broad light OF day. The roo
II in which he lay was his own chamb
> At the farm. Was this the reality
Had all the past been merely a hid
i rs dream? He knew that he w
10 y weak. and that he. must hA
, 'el. yerv near to death.
'eIT WI 10 he lay confused speculatir
" IL position, the door oPen'
oP'" p";, Dr. 1rosc entered. She look
:. anu a,or ~ an, raler than when he h'
r 'aouei -;.h Oh ,er q year before; but
;, parry warm var" a., nile broke over her ia
y as She saw that l. e was ~, a a"ahe; ti ,n.,
n '' sMv M poor w.lter she sad, kne' e
;ro beside him, ana covering her Ia
- - with her hands. >, uh;.nor
"a "a "'. .vosv she sobbed. "iou ha
Is is been very sick. We were 00'h 'e
near death, Walter. 49,.
he ''e You know that did n not IL; ln.e ,.,
at at to close nav weakness with a crlm
to he said earnestly. 81 thought rr.
" 70 rose that / was on my way to you a
he home. was mad with hunger a
Ige hardship"