Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-01-10
and derelic,ions failed to in

tain there were two other homes. On.
was possessed by Isaac Travers with HE
belhgerent wife and numerous small chill:
dren; in the other Mary Ellsworth dwell.
alone with her mother.
Years ago, Sam and Mary had gone
down hand and hand to the school KEEP,
in the little hamlet at the foNt Of the
mountain. Mary still keeps the green
covered "speller" in which she and Sam
studied their lessons together. And they
were at the head of the class always, the
mountain boy and girl-slways at the
head of the class, and always first and
mos, imperious in play; Mary small
brown-eyed, sharp -wit,ed, and Sam
handsome and tall. with his cherubiC
curls and saucy red lips.
Then Sans parents died, and he went
over to help John Ellsworth in his mill,
and the work prospered under his strong,
blithe hand And as the days passed by,
sam and Mary shrank coyly away from
the sffectionste intimacy of their child
hood. and ended by falling as deeply in
love with each other as though they had
now for the first time exchanged glances
across the ,apturous bounds of manhood
and maidenhood. Their love, having
such tender root in the past, sent on,
brigh, branches Of hope for the future
and was as strong as life with them b1th.
Mary would have borne anything for Sam
and Sam. Who was Of quick and impet-
uous nature. found his equilibrium in the
sweet hrmness of Marys character, and
sdored her for the loving sarcasm with
which she rebuked his pet faults-such
bright and captivating faults as Sam :
were then.
sam aud Mary were engaged when the
war broke out; and the two men Of John
EilworJhs household went away, and the
two women waited in their solitary home
on the mountain, cheered by letters AZ
first; ai,erward, their only hope lay in
some chance returning figure along the
road that came winding up from the vii
lage low. John Ellsworth never came
back along that dear familiar road and
when Sam returned one day. weak, sgue
shaken, demeu,ed, but still fondly, fool
isnly faithful, Mary. called of God 10 en-
dure this greater sorrow than any death
could bring, spent the solitude OF on
black night in terrible rebellion, and
when the morning d.wned, laid her
broken heart at the foo; of the cross,
ami rose with Il calm II lrjU-ior ever
more"
Sam went back wonderingly to occupy
the long deserted home Of his childhood :;
but 1t was M.ry's hand tina, brought
him bread and meat. that made his bed.
and swep, his h)or. and furnished hi'
poor home with every comfort.
sam knew that II was all changed
some how. The tongue once so win
ningly sarcastic was nov ever too thought
tally kind, the once laughing eyes too
deeply compassionate. He sorrowed over
it Nth the vague SORROW of u child. But
he trusted Mary. She knew; she would
oct it all night in time. The light, the
hope. the promise of It's youth, so help
l,ssly, 80 mys,erioasly lost-;hey were all
kept waiting for him somewhere in Marys
grea; dark eyes.
But when Sam came tottering up the
hill on his return home, he had brought
with him parcel the contents Of which
he had not revealed TO any eye. /, con-
,ained his wedding clothes new and sleek,
Of the fines, broadcloth. In the pathetic
loneliness OF his home he acquired a habit
Of iOudling these, of gloa,ing over them.
even of irving them on before the glass :;
and then, as he stood in his best mood,
with MS bonny hair carefully curled. one
never saw so swee, and weak face. Sam
lcnged We, ever hesitated to appear be.
fore Mary in these splendid habllimen,s.
Tha; strange trouble on his mind deferred
him. lie was never so shy, so simple.
50 conscious of his lost estate, as when IN
Miss Mary's presence-neyer withal SO
strangely happy sad content. One eve
ming. a. he sat before her, the wedding
garments he had left at home filled all ms
thought.
M-Inever cared for any girl but YOU.
Marv." he exclaimed abruptly, with
spark Of the old FIRE in his eyes, IL
never could.
No. sam" Mary answered gently. 81
don't believe you ever could.
"You-you promised to marry me,
once" said Sam, that brief fire changing
for another instant TO look of solemn
wonder and reprosch.
A deathly pallor crept over Mary $ face
Then she came close to Sam. and laid hel
hand on his, and looked into his ewes
with all the BEAUTIFUL tenderness and pity
of her deeply tried soul.
II shall always be true TO you. Sam.
she said. There are some things We
can't understand. We must be patient
But that-what we hoped for once-nov
in this world-thdt, dear Sam, mus
never be -
Yes. Mary Sam answered. sweet!
obedien,. thrilled through and through b,
the touch of her dear hand. that mus
never be-" And he repeated the words
simply all the way home. That mus
never be- 1t was all right, somehow
MARY knew" But he folded the wed
ding clothes and put them away tina
night as one VINO should never need t
take them down again.
After this the ruined life clung close
to that strong aud patient one. and tn
little service which Sam was accustomed
10 perform for Mary, when not sutferini