The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-03-11


came this crueliettef. 81 Y
As Marion said to her mother, no
even the loss Of their home went to be
heart with 80 sharp q pang as did thi'
evidence OF. sthe change 10 her only
brother. That Jack should have grow
so worldly AID hesrtless as to conside
bis pecuniary advantage before the graf
lfcation OF bis mothers comfort: that b.
should allow them 10. be actually tnrnet
out Of the desr. old house and 60 aut
reside. in the strange city, where the,
could never feel at.home oh, this wa
TIE bitterest pang Of all !'afaaise esf
$50 Marion had thought upof firs
reading that letter; and it was not anti
bearing. Miss 'Melia's words. to he
mother that she woke to the conscious
ness that fate would have even create
sorro w,thnn this in store for her.
One year ago she bad parted from he
accepted lover, Walton Hinton, in an
ger on both sides. Walter had becom
jealous and had spoken sharply to her
and In q manner which she considered
herself justified id feseuting. Waite
was too proud to apologize, and Marion
too proud as well as too delicate to max,
advances to reconciliation; and so they
had drifted apart, both miserable, untl
Walter had broken the last link By 60
ing out West. .ssg.SgR " ss"
She heard of him from time to tint
through his family; but no word OF mes
sage to herself ever came. In all thi.
while she had looked forward, with {
faint, yearning hope, TO the possibility
Of his some time returning, and all be.
ing made up between them.
But nov, this hast hope was rudely
stricken to the ground. Walter was 60.
ing to be married. He had forgotten
her and was lost to her forever. IA
"Oh, It is hard-so hard to bearr
thought Marion, as with hands tightly
clasped, she, passed slowly under the ap.
pie boughs OF the old orchard. "Life
10 bitter. 1t has taken all fiom me;
can have nosemores to give. Only my
dear, dear mother aud Myra. For their
sakessI must be strong and try to bear
It ALL" s '17
On the verge OF the orchard. where
the high bank sloped abruptly to The
meadow. she came to mass OF tangled
honeysuckle fashioned into arustic ar
Dor. Walter had made i. for her. and
here, In fact, it was that they had last
parted.
Down in the meadow ran little path
leading by short cut to Walters home
q acouple OF miles away. How often she
had sat here OF an evening and watched
for him! She could scarcely look back
upon any time of her. or upon any oh.
ject now before her eyes, which was mol
connected With some association with
There was The walnut tree which be
and Jack used to climb, and there the
clear, laughing brook in which he had
taught her to steer the little boat which
be had made for her, laden with grain,
dowh'to Jacks famous water mill, al
the roots OF that old willow. Further
up was Tie real "gris, and saw mill''
which Jack,had always been SO desitous
Of owniag, and which everybody said
would be such a. good Investment fof
one whn could manage it properly.
Aod then Marion, seated on the bench
In the rustic arbot. turned and looked
long and yearningly. at the old farm
house peeping from the ihseches across
the orchard. No other place on earth
could be home to her, whose whole life
Of 30 years had been sreht under thai
roof. 81, j. aaa,ss.sl si..s.sis .ss3 ).
A sudden sound aroused Mafion--a
sharp whistle as OF some one calling q
dog -and she saw through tsar.ditame,l
eyes,the hgure ot man hurrying along
the patti wav in the meadow She drew
back behina the screen Of honeysuckle,
The path led past the arbor. but atthe
foot. Of the steep bank, and she would
not be discovered in her retreat. So she
thought bnta moment or tgpafter there
was a'sound Of foot-steps ascending the
hank, rustic Of the honeysuckle bran
ches, and Marion saw standing 10 the
entrance Of, the arbor the figure Of tall
ynnne man, who. looked almost as much
startled as herself
For an instant they gsxed at each other
pale. and the stranger with a
flush rising to his handsome face. Then
he said, as he held oht his hand:
.Marion, don't you know me p at
She gave him her hand in silence. I,
waso alter Aud suddenly. with the
sight of him came the full bitterness ol
the sorrow, IN the consciousness that he
was lost TO her forever. She was moth.
ing to him now, and be must be nothing
to her. -t,g.,..,,,. ..,.-
If am glad to have SO unexpectedly
found you here in this dear old spot,
he said. II arrived at home only an houl
ago. aud could hottest until. had seen
you." 4aosi 50 ssst Aasa 7sj .
She met his eyes. bent hpou her with
a strange earnestness, and her pale cheek
family flushed, but she could not have
spoken q word vsasaos wssss a4
-"Marion," he said suddenly, shave
you no welcome for me-? Il it possible
that you cannot forgive me p"
Forgive you 2"
"Yes. for all my absurd jealousy and
pride. I have never had q happy mo
ment since I parted from you. Marion
and / have at last come back to ask you,
forgiveness, and to beg, too. for the low
I forfeited, hut which l cannot live with
out" rsse.vpp s,s.s.,.,., s4.s.
II do not uuderstani you. Walter.
do not know why you should speak thu
to me, when You are. going 70 be mar
ried."
! "Who told you that Of me, Marioue'
It.camsfro N Agnss, your sister."
He smiled. io o5e ID aa. So
"Aegie knows my wishes. 1t was Sd,
who encouraged ma 10 come back. ID,