The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-02-11
OUT OF THE DARKNESS.

What bleak wild night it was
The weird spirits of the storm
marched up the valley bowling like
angry demons, and with giant
strength wrestled with the mighty
oaks upon the hillsides, until they
bowed their trembling limbs to the
earth in mute supplication- How
the windows of the old factory rat
tied in the driving blast, and the
young girl. Jessie Dedne, drew heI
shawl closer about her as the damp
wind came moaning in through ev-
cry crevice and Granny.
The 6 o'clock bell had rung, the
days work was done, but still she
fingered in the work-room, and sit
ting on the window ledge, close up
to the dirt-begrimed pane, her plain
face, with its framework OF
soft brown hair was almost hidden
in the dull November twilight.
With a, nervous restlessness her
slender brown hand tied and united
the fringes of her coarse blanket
shawl, while in and out of the wind
ing passes of her brain the busy
Thoughts came and went and went
and came.
Only factory grill" So a fair
haired lady had said that day as
she passed her on the pavement and
gathered up her silken garments
lest they should be defiled
by the touch. She remembered
what the old pastor had said last
Sabbath day in the little church of
the neighboring village of Ellen
thorpe: "Oh, ye itch men, all your
wealth will surely avail you nothing
when you reach the rivers brink. "
She knew all this, and vet it was
hard to walk always among the shad
ows.
With thud the waves came dash
ing up against the moss covered
walls of the old factory. and with a
thrill she looked down from
her dizzy perch in the third story
window. and thought of the one
frantic leap, a little struggle for
breath. all would be over.
Shonld she do it? Would any
body care? All mel There was a
pale face with the love-light ever
shining in the brown eyes. which
the knew was watching for her even
hen in the brown house under the
nill.
Blessed mother! Anything for her
Perhaps by and by the purple gates
,f day will open beyond the night,
outthvugh He bade her walk through
/ furnace heated seven times hotter
han before, she would endure it all
or her sake, and out of the depths
# her suffering the soul of Jessie
aeane walked that night white-rob-
d and purified.
There came dull, heavy footstep
long the lower floor and up the
stairs.
"Are you ready to go home, Jes-
ie?n
She knew Just what he would say,
or he had uttered precisely the
anne words every night for the last
ix months, standing in the same
lace, fumbling his fur cap in awk-
Yard embarrassment.
mo! I'm not ready to 90 home
Nth you, and Jessie turned with
cornful air from the sturdy country
'outh.
Here is my umbrella. You will
leed it."
It was kindly voice, and came
rom . manly heart. and locking ut
'er for . moment with questioning
Dok, plain, honest John Brace turn
q away and walked slowly down
nd out into the damp street.
sSuch an awkward specimen of
humanity" the girl murmured pet
ishly; and yet she knew the sun
Iiest spots in her lite were the pleas
ut summer evening walks with him
trough the green country lanes TO
be brown farmhouse.
IF be were only as handsome
nd graceful as Harry Bel" /" and as
he tied her hat her gaze wandred
Iistfully over the river to the brown
lone villa upon the bill, where, in
lately maenjfcence, dwelt the own
r Of the mill property Garrlson
|rIl. In her simplicity she bad
Nked with almost reverential ave
pom the portly gentleman. as with
rest pompoeity be made his week
! Waits to the factory to give orders