The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-11-09

man; anu ~ Will hlll lilG. III. dHylnlng
should break tile engagement p
Lewis quit her presence crestfallen
The days slipped by. There had
been no date fixed for the wedding,
nor was the subject discussed by the
family Z
None but Mamie knsw the terrible
tremor in which the girl existed She
was moving about, her hands con-
stantly occupied. Day after day, rain
or shine, the two women were out of
doors. They had always an errand,
usually one of mercy. Mamie, how
ever disinclined, would have felt it Il
sin to oppose, and SO Agatha dragged
her off through the fitting sunshine,
the moodiness, the chill, or the storm
OF the springtime, until one last morn
| ing.
1t had been raining for three days,
and so steadily that the sidewalk aags
were cleaned and whitened.
Agatha said they would not be ham
pered with carriage, and they took
car for a mile or SO, alighting to walk
few squares to another line. The
storm had abated, and the rain was
but listless drizzle.
Agatha slipped and slid once, and
Mamie gave a frightened exclamation.
My overshoes are useless" said the
girl, carelessly. 81 must have another
pair. have good deal Of shopping
to do soon."
"Your outfit" ventured Mamie,
and stopped.
Agatha sighed, but the sigh was
lost in the noise of the street,
A poor little yellow dog limped out
from under passing vehicle, holding
up one paw and yelping pitifully.
ooh, see," cried Agatha, with her
eyes wet. "Poor, poor doggie l am
SO sorry p
The yelps died away in the distance,
and the ladies went on.
\ blind man crying Cough lozen-
ges?" upon the corner detained them
for moment
In the next block an old building
had been torn away 20 give place to q
new one. Careless workmen had left
the sidewalk unguarded in one place, Il
step from which would have landed
one in a deep cellar, where lay a mum
Der Of loose foundation stones.
Just as they had reached this spot
they were brought to sudden halt by
loud cries and confusion. Down the
street, and directly toward them, came
a runaway team dragging a splendid
carriage. p
Agatha took an irresolute step for
ward, and then sprang back as the
horse dashed up against the sidewalk.
The women were thus separated.
and in second Mamie was reaching
forward, cold with horror.
Agatha !" she cried, but too late.
The girl had lost her balance, and had
fallen backward from the unguarded
sidewalk down into the deep cellar.
and there lay upon the stones limp and
unconscious.
i 4 X
She would live, sadly crippled and
helpless; the spine had been injured
and one hip dislocated. So said the
best of surgeons. She would hence
forth require all care and tenderness.
"Thank God she is not poor l'' cried
Mamie. AS for the boys, George was
completely crushed, and Lewis paced
the floor for hours, crying for his
Poor, poor sister !"
Agatha insisted upon hearing the
worst, and, when it was made known,
was silent. By-and-bye Mamie could
see great tears trembling under the
long, dark eyelashes.
" l would not mind," faltered the
sufferer, "but for him. Who will
love and care for him now? ?"
Then she asked that he be sent for
at once. When he arrived Mamie
and the boys were in the room, but
they withdrew to the window. Peters
face was as pale as Agatha's own.
Norman, dear" she said, without
a preface, 81 am cripple for life.
may never walk again, l sent for you
to give you back your freedom"
\ frightened expression overspread
his cOuntenance; his lip quivered
and he sank on his knees by the bed
and buried his face.
agatha, darlingp' he cried, with
real pathos, don't, don't cast Inc off
You are thousand times dearer to
me now. All l ask is the right to
care for you"-his voice broke, and he
fell to weeping.
BY the window three persons heard
it all. They looked in silence at each
other, then Lewis strobe swiftly across
the room.
"Peters," he said, "we haven't done
right by you. /, myself, have acted
despicably. But if you will forgive
and forget, it will be very different in
the future"
Then Peters, who had risen, stood
silent and bewildered till, through the
mist, the room grew suddenly bright.
for they had encircled him and were
his hands with sudden warmth.
And as Agatha lay watching she
raised feeble hand to stay the tears
that coursed her cheeks.
"Inever thought" she sobbed aloud.
81 never dreamed l could be SO
happyp
An exchange acknowledges the re-
ceipt of two books called "Matri-
mony" and Heaps of Money! from
n ~