The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-12-15
"You amt goin' to leave the old mountain,

N6N u MARY answered, ana, DIS De-
fore her tone quieted and consoled him,
After what seemed a long time, though
the tears were still standing in Sans
blue eyes. 81 forgot, Mary" he said,
meekly. 81 came in to say-you're young
yet, and handsome, Mary and if you
had better chance-I don't know what
what we should do without you-but
If you had a better chance-you
musn't-you know Mary"
Then he paused. Mary did not smile,
but her heart yearned over Sam as a
mothers might over child who has tried
in vain TO be good and brave and unset
fish. and Sam went away comforted.
1t was the third bleak winter since
Sans return to the mountain, and he
meanwhile growing weaker and silier
with each successive season, but ever
faithful in his inquiries after his pension
at the Bloomington postotfice, The
Bloomington boys thought it a rare joke
to impress upon bis mind that the only
reason why Miss Mary deferred giving
him her hand in marriage was bis con
tinued inability to obtain his pension.
''Jest wait till you get your pension,
Sam said Ned Hemingway, the store
keeper delicately limiting on this point,
land then see..''
And Sam doubted utterly at frst-away
down in his heart doubted always but as
he lent himself more and more to the er-
ratio fancy, 1t fired and consumed his
brain.
One night, from the alternate chills
and fevers which shook his frame, Sam
al lcla NJ a,i-
room, the road winding from the noun
tain TO the village rose before his eyes
The road usually 50 to"tuous and long,
was straight and bathed in light. He
trayersed it, At the end a palace gate
and at the gate a white winged angel
stood, his pension IN her shining hand.
Sam gazed. Above those peaceful wings
was Mary's face She smiled as she had
smiled upon him long ago tie woke and
Slept n0 more that night.
With the morning he put on his we'd
ding clothes. No doubt or hesitation
possessed him now. There was terri
BE eXultation in his eyes. This time he
did not stop as was his wont, at Miss
Mary 5 house. The road down the noun
tain side was t0ItuOus and 10; e. There
Those who watched Sans face in this
last tiustanceo OF ever-recurling disappoint-
ment say that look came over it which
had never been there before. He rested
on the counter and drOWsed, and almost
tainted, but would not drink. This pro
yoked unbOunQed establishment. Sans
dying flesh craved the cup with an awful
thirst, but Mary's eyes were stronger,
and Mary's eyes seemed to be 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 rare occasion at the
Bloomington grocery.
''lt's all to 90 to Mary, he exclaimed
eNpiteLly "pension, back pay and ALL"
and wasting in his eyes. He rested and
doZed again. At noon he started for
home at four o'clock he had traversed
only one half Of the lonely winter road !;
at the foot Oi the mountain-it was sun
set-he staggered and fell down. We
shrink from the records OF tates so sad.
We need not fear. One greater than We,
and more compassionate by far, comforts
the death Of his lambs when they fall in
the desolate places. The pain in Sans
body ceased Across his mind fitted
brief trouble.
II wish Mary could know" he said,
''that | wouldn't touch it-for her sake"
And later and more solemnly II wish
Mary could know that seem-nOw-
understand. | seem-n0W-to see"
ALA Of hn nj ,l,c
wandered, and who came back to his
fathers house of the purpose, running
through all tie weakness and SIM of the
wandering ana suffering of our human lives
to make Us hungry and to bring us home.
50 over Sans wasting face there crept
first the infinite unbearable hunger of the
soul, and then the quiet look of one
whom God leads home; and the blue
eyes, piercing hey ond the light Of sun or
moon, met unshrinkingly the shadows Of
the deepening night, and unshrlnklngly
the clear gaze Of the solemn stars.
And Mary Ine3C. When they brought
sam home to her in his wedding gar
ments, she looked upon his face, and she
knew that the bridegroom had indeed
come back, clothed and joyful, to the
bride; the lost spirit to the strength
and beauty Of his first estate. And she
kissed the dead lips in the last act Of
perfect love and conservation, and knelt
and 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 the words,
''Of course it amt o no account, but |
thought ye mightlille tokeep it" handed
Mary the will in which Sam had devised
to her bis pension. AS he did this, the
mirthful grocer cast down bis eyes, and
blushed to the roots Of his hair, Mary
took the little parchment, read it quietly,
and Just the shadow of smile played
about the beaut ul tenderness Of her lips.
Then she turned to the grocer ard IN
consciously transtixed him with her clear,
thoughtful, half -inattentive gaze.
IL think Sam owed you sOmething,"
she said.
ooh, 10, no" stammered the grocer.
"Tbat's all right. The boys il see to
that"
81 should prefer to have you give me
the BILL" Mary said and still transfiXed
by that courteously compelling gaze, the
abashed and reluctant grocer complied,
Mary keeps the VII IN which Sam gave
her his pension, with a lock of hair that
was always golden and boyisb, and the
green covered spelling book Sometimes
in the pauses Of her toll sle can smile her
tender smile over these she can weep
blessed tears over them.
But if any one should say that hers
had been a famished heart famished for
all the joyful possibilities in the witehood,
the motherhood, that might have been
the thought would pale before the tran
quill glory of her eyes. There has come
to the life of this lonely watcher on the
mountain fullness such as few may
know. The autumn winds that speak
with their low wall Of death to the dwell
lers in the valley land below bring to her
clearer sense sweet messages OF home
The author "Cape Cod Folks" in Har-
perS Magazine for December.