The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-03-07
SELECTED SKETCH.
NO SUICIDE.

am as alive as ever was in my life y
And Molly sat up in the little back kitchen.
of the Widow Waxley's cottage, where they
had been rolling her in heated blankets and
putting bottles of hot water to her feet, and
pushed back the jet black masses of her
drenched hair with both tremulous, uncer-
tain hands.
Yes; she was alive That was very GER
,ain. But it was also very certain that she
had been appallingly close to the other
world. Closer, by several hair-breadths,
than she would care to be again. Aud the
pale, frightened faces OF those around her,
bore witness to the narrow escape she had
had.
Molly Browne had been little willful and
defiant all day long. She had come down
on the excursion to Wave Beach, with half
dozen other merry, young girls all, like her.
self, operatives in the Waller Street Glove
Factory She had danced gayly ON the
smooth floor OF the upper deck of the steam.
or, to the wild strains of the Thousand
and One Nights, she had been the widest
and merriers Of all the fiock-and she had
persisted in swimming far out beynnd the
life-lines, when they oil went in bathing, to
the infinite terror OF her companions. But
she came back, all laughing and safe.
"Now for a divel" she cried. "Who
will dive with me?"
With sudden spring, she vanished into
the surf But she had misealealated her
distance, and struck her head against the
solid sandy bottom with stunning force
That was all she remembered, until she
found herself struggling, with wild gasps,
back to consciousness in the Widow Wax
leys little cottage
She had wished for death the day before,
when Harry Bell had sent her his wedding
cards She had told herself that life was no
longer worth living. But she had not
known then what dying was like. And it
had been lesson to her.
They have telegraphed it back to the
city that am drowned !" she cried, with q
'hysterical laugh. g What for? Is there
such a dearth of sensational items as that
What does it matter to any one whether !
live or die?"
And Mrs. Waxley quieted her, not without
difficulty
Laws, miss" said she, consolingly,
"they puts everything in the paper now.
Even the big eggs Squire Sunderlands hen
lays, and the color of Deacon Kershaw's
garden fence. But there's one comfort
nobody believes nothing that it says"
So Molly Browne fell asleep, lulled by the
licking of the old clock, and the sound of
Mrs. Waxley's niece's sewing machine.
Molly Browne was very pretty-and there
had been one or two newspaper reporters on
the excursion. Moreover, rumor had
somehow got afioat that Cupid and his wings
were mixed up in the affair-and in the
evening papers there appeared the tidings
that Mary Browne had attempted TO COM
NIT suicide at Wave Beach And with the
morning train appeared half dozen aux-
ious inquirers. Mrs Wakley stood APP
palled.
81 dunno nothin' about it," said she.
But the DOCTORS there. I'll call him."
And DR.. Field attracted by the sound of
voices, ut that moment stepped out of the
back bedroom into the little parlor.
Gentlemen" said he, rather surprised,
"to what are we indebted for the pleasure
Of"
Each of the six strangers had been glazing
Indignantly at the other five, but now they
all spoke at once.
"How is she p
"Oh, better" said the doctor. "a great
deal better I'm fact" smoothing his chin
with professional dir, "she is progressing
quite satisfactorily"
Gould / speak to you privately, DIR.
Field ?" said stout gentleman with a bald
head and immense watch seals,-a the
doctor ushered him into the Widow Waxley's
back kitchenl
81 desire you, doctor" said the stout gen.
tleman, to send those prying fellows away.
Newspaper reporters, every one of 'em."
"Oh, l think not pleaded the doctor.
"They-'
~ can see through 'em hike 80 many
panes of glass;" said the stout gentleman.
"Send 'em away, say. / won't have my
domestic infelicities paraded before the
greedy eyes of the public"
"Yon arc" The doctor paused inter-
negatively.
81 am Mamie's husband" said the stout
gentleman. My name is John Browne.
We differed. / won't deny that was q lit
tie unreasonable. Mamie would f1irt. And
If there's anything l can't tolerate, it's firt
ing. So when heard that she was coming
to Wave Beach with Captain Fitz Starkey,
confess that lost my temper. / told her
he paa1,,pt oon,a hail aoo;n R,1f T dtdnsv
suppose she would try to drown herself.
She does love me, after all, it seems"
And tho stout gentleman blew his nose
sonorously.
"But, sir" said the doctor, this girl
seems too youthful"
Mamie was forty" admitted the stout
gentleman. "But she didn't look thirty
seven!"
''This lady is eighteen" said the doctor.
Sand it is my impression that she is un-
married"
I" cried the stout man, "are you de.
ceiving me9"
"Not in tn, least" said the doctor.
"Why should II"
"Then," cried the portly stranger "wha.
he deuce has become of Mamie9 If she
and Fitz Starkey have gone of to-
gether--"
And he rushed out of the house, while the
doctor finished his sentence for him by
quietly remarking:
1t would serve you right"
just then a second visitor tapped him on
the arm he turned to behold a tall young
man with long hair dropping over his coat
collar and no visible displayof linen.
Scan / see her, sir ?" said he, in hollow
tone. Mary Browne. We are engaged.
/ told her yesterday morning that our mar
rage must be indefinitely postponed, ON &C.
count of an ungrateful public emitting to
recognize my abilities as an actor. II she
has committed suicide in consequence Of
this, shall never forgive myself"
Ahem-well," said the doctor, in some