Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1881-05-05
MECHANICSTOWN;

sun il was. How coul it shf'e ont
in that he"r'l~ss way upon Il ''orld 20
hopeless and wretched. 7
rbe snow lay soft and white upon
the ground. How it sp"rkl-d in the
aunliyht. The air looked kre"Iy
cold. An old beggar-woman was
hobtling slowly up the street, hold
ing out her hand for chance pennies.
The wind blew sharply against her.
Not far away the river ran Fe-
! lice could hear its snIlen ro,r in the
distance. She remembered having
se,n girl taken out OF it once-a
poor, drowned creature, with pale,
dead tace TUNED mp despairrflv TO
the sun. She conl.i still see the long
hlack hair chngng around the
drench-d form, and the mud', water
dripping down with \ horrible p'aSh.
pI. .sh. w,ose u-trtul echo had n~vei
left TER.
She tu,n"d away WEAKLY, and her
2 2. fe ! on Der rug Wing N the t"
bic. She caught 1t II, hastily and
shipped II on her .ingrr II had nev
er been off so To-, g before since jack
had ;.ul it on and asked her TO war
| it TIL death.
Till death She smiled sad, 'i'-
ter smile as abe tlon9ht how nearly
she had fulfilled the ri Junction
What would it have ma't-rrl II she
had forgotten it for one dav? Bn'
she Was glad to think it would rest on
her fing-r when it should he mo'lon-
less for ever.
She thought how strangely bright
it would shine IN the darkness.
She turned It to the light and
Looked At The name engraved Oh It,,
"F-l,c.." She smiled in a bitter t
OF annsrmen, As sh. Thought h W
singu! .r'y lnoppo.l'e 1t WAS why
did not sponsors toss up tor names at
christening? Fac would surely SHOW
more discrimination in selecting n
name.
She turned to the mirror, and be-
gan TO arrange her hair. She had a
strange sort Of desire that it should
look vel to-day. She would braid
it and wind it IN coil about her head
an let some soft, light little curls
eoat over her shoulders. Jack used
to like il so.
Somehow Jack bad never seemed
onlte so near before in al these
mnn,b. tha, The Seawecd hal been
en.ansling Itself in his sunny cnrls rs
on thi- dav thar she was to close her
eve. upon earth fo' ever
She brushed her hhr yer, c'r"fn'
", and turned j, TO the hght, .','
looked at the soI en- lights wnere h.
sun f. acros. it, How strange that
this would b, the Last lime he wonl |
ever brush il and draw the shl ing
brnids through her hands
She WAS goi' 6 to dinner >ronnd 'o
the cafe. wn.,e she USUALLY took her
meals She knpu few reip|e there
casually from having met th-m Il, the
table.
There Wa the devout woman, whc
evidently regarded the dinner hour
aa season peculiarly adapted to pl
ons eyhortation. She usually made
pathetic appe,ls to FeIce to remein
Der the shortneSs Of life and tn. pro
pri-ty of curbng worldly ambition,
| Then there was the artistic youth
who tried to elevate Felics's mind TO
he heights of tine art, aud who
s-emed to be in y continual state OF
disappointment over .he result o! his
efiorts.
Then there was h. grocers clerk
who was in love with the lnilliher !
apprentice, and who kept mp tho most
amicable and lovsr.liks disputes with
the de lighted object of his affections
quite ahlivious of the presence OF any
one else.
With a strange anil mo'bidlv in
tensp d.sire to look hrr. hest. she tx
amirei her war lrobr with no little
anxiety She decided to wear her
garnet CASHMERE. 1t was most be-
coming, anil i, made her face look 80
fair, and gave such roSv glow 10
her cheeks The creamy lace WAS so
soft and pretty.
Toen she fell to wondering. with n