Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-09-15
..But Phi.ly is about nv ace, and you, >

s.But Phi,ly is about my age, and you, ="
the girl added, quickly.
Frant would not notice it. "You'll
want to be married by and by" she
said, Sand there's nobody fine enough
for you here"
"Why should I want to get married p''
laughed Norah. ssI've got you and
Phillv, and I can make enough here to
pay you something and buy my clothes. ~
This was true. Norah was always ready
to work, and the ladies in Brimmertown
had heard of her skill and often brought
her sewing and embroidery to do, while
from the hotel and the shore village she
received the pay for many an honest
days work. Her money she almost
always gave to Frant. ''It is yours"
she would say, caressing her in her own
demonstrative fashion. "I'm your girl,
You know, Frant."
Every day when Phil came in, strong
with the smell of fish and of the sea, he
would kiss Frant, who was always at
the door to meet him-she was more
careful now than ever before to do all
her wifely duties and to claim all her
wifely privileges-and then, looking
OoSoiiy aiouAus Ho Wouiu say, uSic
NorahP''
"Ah!" Frant would say to herself,
YEARLY, 81 thought Philly appreciated
my love-" But she saw now that the
love of almost any other kind, neat,
careful woman would have been much
the same to him.
One day Norah stood in the door as
Phil climbed the cliff in mild Decem-
Der twilight. He had a net in his hand
to be mended, and he held it up before
him.
"I'll mend it," shouted Norah, spring.
ing to meet him. She stumbled, and
he caught her, and they came up to-
gether, his arm around her, and her
face looking up into his, laughing and
rosy. s.
Frant watched them from within,
breathlessly, and as Phil entered he
caught the almost stern look in her eye.
His arm dropped, and a logged, red
look came over his face. Then he APP
preached her slowly and kissed her; but
it seemed to Frant that life and love had
died out of his kisses.
She rose and went about her work.
There was a vague effort within her to
rouse and set in motion the kind sophis-
tries which she had devised and with
which she had quoted herself before /;
but no such effort could ever succeed
again. She had seen that day a new
look in their faces. "It is over" said
Frant to herself, as she walked slowly
and heavily about her little kitchen, the
kitchen that had looked so bright to her
on that fatal night when she and Phil
had drunk their first cup of tea together,
sit is all over" and hundred times
she said to herself that night, quite I'M
consciously, "It is all over.'
The next day she rose as usual, and
when her morning work was done she
went out on the cliff. Phil had gene
over to Brimmertown with one of his
mates, and the "Frances Darrow," his
sail-boat, lay at anchor down beside the
pier with a dozen other fishing-boats
There was no ice yet, and there was an
Indian-summer softness in the air,
Norah had gone up to the hotel to dc
| days work. Frant was alone.
| AS she sat on the cliff she talked aloud
with herself, something which was not
habitual to her, and which seemed quite
at variance with her character. 81
think 1 am little crazy" she said,
dreamily, "but somehow can't seem
to see any other way. God will under
stand it. couldn't stand in the way
of their happiness" A moment later
she added: 81 saved her; yes, and I'D
save her again. She's so innocent and
pretty; I've nothing against her. Oh,
no! I'd save her; but didn't save her
| for this-no, not for Hisr'
There were some ships in the dis
lance.
81 think" said Frant, 81 think that
when those sails go out of sight, I think
that'll be the time. But / must steer
for buoy and tie the boat. Philly'll
want it, for its good boat. He said
he wouldn't have named it the Frances
barrow if it hadn't been q good boat -
The ships glided slowly out of sight.
Frant strained her eyes, but she could
not follow them any longer. Then she
went into the house and wrote on little
piece of paper:
go away. think am a little crazy; but
love you. I am dead. Philly; so don't look for
Good by, Norah. Do not leave Philly.
"Your loving FRAST."
The shore was very still when Frant
hoisted quietly the sail of the "Frances
Darrow'' and made for the buoy at the
mouth of the little harbor. There she
fastened the boat. r
That night Phil came home, read the
little note, turned pale as death, and
started with all haste for the buoy and
the boat. But when he drew up along
side of it, it was empty.-Kate Ups0',
Clark, in Nppincott.
The Care of the Hand.