The Cecil Whig., 1881-11-26

before. No. Sun, dom believe You
ever could"
sam drew his sleeve quickly across his
eyes. "I"u-you ain'tt gon' to leave
the old mountain Mary ~
Never Mary answered. and. as be
fore, her tone queted and consoled him.
After what seemed a long time. though
the tears were still standing in Sam 5
blue eyes. Il forgot, Mary" he said
meehly. Il came in to say-you re
young yet, and handsome. Maryland if
you had better chance--I don't know
what what we should do without you
but if you had a better chance-you--
you mustn' t--you know-Mary-'
There he paused. Mary did not smile.
but her heart yearned over Sam as :,
mothers might over child who has
tried in vain to be good and brave and
selfish. And Sam went away comfortcd
1t was the third bIeal winter since
sam $ return to the mountain, and be
was meanwhile growing weaker and
sillier with each successive season. but
ever faithful in his inquiries after his
pension at the Bloomington post office.
The Bloomington boys Thought it d lare
Joke to impress upon his mind that the
only reason why Miss Mary deferred Civ
ing him her hand in marriage was his
continued inability to obtain his pension.
jest wait till you get your pension,
SAM said Ned Hemingway. the store
keeper delicately limiting on this point,
'and then see"'
And Sam doubted utterly at first
away down in his heart doubted always:
but as be lent himself more and more to
the crratic fancy, it fired and consumed
his brain.
One night. from the alternate chils
and icvers which shook his frame. Sam
fel! asleep. Instead of his lone dark
room. the road winding from the noun
tain to the village rose before his ewes.
That road, usually SO tortunuS auI long.
was straight and batheo in light. II,
traversed it. At the end Il palace gate
and at the gate white winged angel
stood. his pension in her shining hani.
Sam gazed. Above those peaceful wing.
was Mary'S face. She smiled as she ha,'
smiled upon him long ago. He WOKE.
and slept no more that night
With the morning he put on his wed
ding clothes. No Doubt or hesitation
possessed him now. There was Il terri
BILE exultatinn in his ewes. This time ht
did not stop. as WAS his want. at Mi->
Mary 5 house. The road down the moan
tain side WAS tortu,uS and long Thee
was no palace gate at the end: no prl,-
sion. Those who watched Sam $ face IN
this last instance of his ever-recurrin.
Disappointment say that u look came
over it which had never been there be-
fore. He rested on the counter. an,
almost tainted. but he would not drink.
This provoked unhouudcd aStoni>hmrnt.
Sans dyiny flesh crlvrd the cup will
an awful thirst. but Mary's eyes wer,
stronger, and Mary's eyes seemed to h.
upon him, and he would not drink.
1t would choke me. boys" he tried
to say, turning away weakly.
He manifested a desire to make his
will. 1t was a rare occasion at the
Bloomington grocery.
Its all to goto Mary he exclaimed.
excite1ly. pension. bacl. pay. and all.
The last flame of the fever WIS flicker
ing and wasting in his eyes. He restec
and dozed again. At noon he startet'
for liome; at four o'clock lie had ira
ROAD; at the foot OF the monntain-ir
was suuset--he staggered and fell down.
We shrink from the records of fatcs St,
sad. We need not fear. One greater
than We. and more compassionate by far
comforts the death of His lambs wien
they fall in the desolate places. IT,,
pain in Sans body eased. Across his
mind fitted brief tronbIe.
Il wish Mary could know" he said
that wouldn't touch it-for her sake. >
And later and more solemnly: Il wish
Mary could know-that | seem-now-to
understand. | Sepm--now-to see
An old story tells of the prodigal who
wandered and who came back to his
fathers house; of the purpose. running
through all the weakness and sin of the
wonder and suffering of our human lives
to make us hungry and to bring us home.
So over Sam 5 wasting face there crept
first the infinite unbearable hunger of
he soul. and then the quiet look Of ore
whnm God leads home: and the blue
e,es. piercing now beyond the light #
SUI or m."'n. met unshrinkiugly tlie
shadows ri the deepening night and NJ
~Irinkiayly the clear . We If the >ol,,un
stars.
Au,i Nhg iacr. Wlcn they hrnu III,
sam nome t" her in his wr,l,linG g,r
mcnts. she looked up III his ace. and >l,,-
knew that the bridegroom hal indeed
come back clothed aud ,inytui. to the
bride; the lost spirit to the strength and
beauty of its first estate. An she kiss
ed the dead lips in that lass act of pr,-
fec. love and consecration, and knelt anG
thanked God.
A few days after Sans death. Ned
Hemingway. entering Mary'S house.
either from curiosity or worthier motives
with a stammered apology. and th,
words, "Of course it amt o no account,
but thought ve might like to keep it.
h.tu,led Mary the will in which Sam had
devised to her his pension. AS he did
this, the mirthful grocer east down his
eyes, and blushed to the roots of his
hair Mary took the little parchment
read it quietly, and just the SHADOW Of
a smile PLAYED ahout the beautiful ten
derness Of her lips. Then She turned to
him with her clear, thoughtful. half-in-
attent We gaze.
II think Sam owed you something"
she said.
"Oh. no. no. stammered the grocer
That's all right The boys'll see to
that
Il should prefer to have you give me
the bill. Mary said: and still transtixed
by that courteously compelling gaze. the
abaShed and reluctant grocer complied.
Mary keeps the will in which Sam gave
her his pension. with lock OF hair that
was ALWAYS golden and hoyish, and the
Green covered smelling book. Sometimes