The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-02-01

but COulQ HOG uISCOH0E Lu0 CsSuSS' OIio
did not talk, nor take any food, but
soon retired to her own little room,
complaining of a headache.
do 1 love him?" she muttered, when
alone. Poor fellow! he studies hard
for my sake-to be more worthy of me,
| suppose he calls it. All, Joseph! why
did I leave you SO abruptly? What a
giddy, worthless thing 1 ami" That
night she could not sleep until she had
decided upon Il future course of action.
The next day, being Saturday, Mar
garet spent at home in household cares,
which she shared with her mother, but
she scarcely spoke a word all day. In
the evening she went to the draper S
and bought few ribbons and other lit
tie articles, for there was some object
now in being pretty.
On Sunday she appeared in church
dressed with more than her usual care,
and she may be forgiven if she was not
quite so attentive to the sermon as she
should have been, for there at a dis
tance sat Joseph Tregear, looking at
her with his great blue eyes. making
her blush, and inspiring her with the
desire of sinking through the floor.
On leaving the porch, after dismiss
ing her flock, Margaret found Joseph
Tregear and Tom Polglaze pretending
to read the Inscriptions on the tombs.
At the sound of her step Tom raised his
head and advanced with a friendly nod,
whilst Joseph remained still, but fixed
those great blue eyes on her.
''Good- morning, Tom" said she, in
differently; chow are youp''
Polglaze was replying as they neared
Tregear, when Margaret stopped. Tre-
gear still held back, trembling in his
heart, and apprehensive of his rival.
Margaret. however, was so apparently
calm that he was beginning to think her
heart as hard as her native rocks, when,
nodding an adieu to Polglaze, she very
naturally and very quietly put her hand
on Tregear's arm, and said:
II am very sorry l kept you waiting;
I can now only spare you half an hour
for walk"
Ii was the first time she had ever
shown preference, and Polglaze now
knew that he. too, was ''out of the race"
His face changed to an ashen hue, and
he tottered off with detected looks, but
with clenched fists.
Tregear squeezed the call hand that
had been SO unexpectedly FIT on his
arm, and led Margaret away for the
promised walk, which, it need scarcely
be said, was unconsciously heightened
into an hour. When Margaret once
more arrived under her parents roof it
was not alone that she came. Hence
forth, another had also q right to join
her there.
Tregear knew the price that must be
paid for Margaret's love. He knew that
Polglaze would not give her up without
a contest. Nor was it long before the
battle was commenced, for that very
evening, as Tregear was leaving the
house of the Powheles, he was attacked
by his rival. With him it was but a
word and blow.
''Joe Tregear, you've crossed my
steps, and now I'll be revenged on
your
So saying, Polglaze struck blow
which would have felled an ordinary
man. But Tregear was quite match
for him, and the two fought long and
desperately, until separated by the rural
policeman, who threatened them with
legal proceedings.
OF course Margaret was one Of the
first to hear of the battle. Distressed
beyond measure, she went to her lover S
parents, where she found him in most
unpresentable condition. A few words
soon explained the position of affairs.
when Margaret burst into tears and
blamed herself for showing her prefer
ence so stupidity.
Margaret" replied her lover, ''do
not take it to heart. I'd rather be fight
ing him again than see your tears.
.'Leave me alone minute. Let me
overcome this"
Yes, dear hearth" said hrs. Tregear,
"don't ye take on in this way. These
tinmen are regular vighters; but this
Tom Polglaze is the mortaciousest
fighter that ever I zee"
''Yes, Margaret, that's true. I knew
that the day | gained your love l should
find an enemy. But cheer up, cheer up!
fancy he will not attack me again in
hurry, for 1 know he does not at this
moment look bit handsomer than I
do"
And SO saying, he laughed the matter
lightly away, until Margaret TOO began
to smile through her tears.
On the following day, when the two
rivals went to the mine, their appear
anee caused many jeering and con-
temptuous remarks, for the tinmen were
in hopes of goading them on to renew
found an adversary worthy of his strong
arm, and was not SO ready to strike the
first blow as he had. been the night be-
g. T. Il - Il
with doubling his fists and saying that
the time of vengence would come.
Months passed away, however. IRE
goZe recovered from its unwonted eX-
citement, and matters took their usual
course. The mines We're worked, old
seams were used up, and new veins
opened out; but, though the battle had
not been removed, Joseph Tregear and
Tom Polglaze had not vet shaken hands.
At length new shaft was to be
opened, and the two young men, being
the steadiest hands in the mine, were
selected for the operation. There they
toiled together for few weeks without
exchanging u word, and there they were
alone, far from any other workman.
Margaret vas wretched, but to all her
applications Tregear still said that he
lad no fear. In her distress she spoke
to Polglaze and asked i'm to shake
hands with Tregear. He REF. ed, but
he pressed his rough hands to his tenn
Piles and said, Il loved you then, love
you now, as much OR more than Joe
Tregear.'
A day or two after that both men
were again at work together, and silent
as death in their solitary shaft. They
were suddenly startled by a falling
stone. A few Jumps of earth then came
tumbling down, and the whole shaft
seemed to tremble.
The works were giving way. The
two men looked at one another for a
moment with blanched faces. 1t was
the first time they had looked into one
another's eyes since that fatal day, ex-
-cept to dart glances of scorn and hate.
They ran to the kebble and gave the
signal to be drawn up. They were
touching one another now, their hands
almost clasped together on the rope.
Their very breath seemed to inter
mingle. 1t was terrible after such
course of hate to be brought together
under these circumstances. As they
were both shouting to be drawn up, the