The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-10-29

D
looking at the fire, then suddenly
broke out:
"Mother, don't you think Liza.
beth looks kind o peaked lately
Then, she don't seem to eat as much
as nSual.f
"There, father, you're always
fretting bout that girl. 1 don't
Euow what you'd II done if you'd
had six, like your brother Jona-
than"
II didn't know but the news
about Will might affect her some.
You know they used to think SO
much of each other."
"MasSy, father! that was years
and years ago, when they were
children. 'Lizabeth's too sensible
a girl to let feller like will Mar.
ton disturb her. When he stopped
writing 10 her she gave him up.
She's worked hard to day, and "a
good nights rest will bring her
round"
There seemed nothing more to
be s9id, so he took IA light aud pro
ceeded to make every thing safe for
the night, but long after his good
wife had gone to sleep he lay awake
thinking of the pale face his dangh.
ter had lifted for the good night
kiss.
Elizabeth was not likely to get
the strength her mother thought
from nights rest. Until the first
rays of morning lighted up the east
she lay thinking of the old days aud
living them over again. She could
not remember the time when she
and Will had not seemed to belong
to each other.
" hen they were children he had
drawn her to aud from school Ou
his sled, saved her the largest hall
of his apple or orange, aud fought
all her battles with IL vigOr worthy
of an oltlrn night. When the years
in their flight made them no longer
children il WAS always Will who,
at the close OF meeting or singing
school, drew her arm through his
with an air of prOprietorship and
started Tor the Allen farm. After
his mothers death he had not chOs.
en- his associates wisely; but in
spite Of scOrn aud opposition, with
ont diSObedience, she had clung To
him and trusted.
Then came the affair at the vii.
lH9c. One dark night IA party of
rOughS bad broken into Squire Peas.
lrN'S barn, tied together the legs of
all his hens, nailed up WhilefJol's
stall, and then climbing up the roof
of the ell had placed a board soak
ed in salt ana water over the chin
npy. The old gentleman, who lived
alone, was obliged to travel on a
slippery gIOuud TO the nearest
neighbOr for help. The villagers
were justly Indignant and TOR pun.
iShing the miScreduts, but no clew
to them could he found. -..
Wild was away from home that
night, aud suspicion rested on him
as one OF the party, until he could
bear it no longer and he decided to
go away.
1t seemed but yesterlay-their
parting in the old trySting place.
Will had slipped the tiny gold
band she wore upon her finger-it
it seemed but tread OF gold now
asking heI to wear it until he came
back.
"FOr,' he said, "I'il never come
back till / can offer you name aud
Il home. Somehow the devil has
had possession of me lately, but
bad as | am | would scOrn TO do
what they accuse me Ot-tOrture "A
feeble old mau. While you believe
aud trust me, there are plenty who
TO not Aud With last 'Good-
by, my Beth, !" he was gone.
When the first letter came adj
to Miss Beth Allen in Wills
round, bOyish hand, Mr.. Allen
trowne1 aud his wife scolded, but
when she was for stopping the cor.
at once he said:
"There, there, motherl let the
girl write TO him il she wants to;
she won't do him any harm, aud l
can trust her for true Allen not to
go far out of the way
So the matter had dropped. aud
for five years 'LizaOeth's letters
were received without comment;
then they ceased suddenly aud un-
expectedly. For months 'Lizabeth
tue mails with an anxious
face. Mrs. Allen shook her head |
with an 81 toldyou he didn't amount
TO anything" whenever there was
40 one but her husband TO hear,
aud Mr.. Allen waited n silence.
Time does much towards healing
such wounds, aud five years made
it seem more like an unpleasant
dream than a reality, when the
news OF Wills return came, awak-
ening memories Of other days.
For once Mr.. Allen was weather
wise. The SNOW bad fallen through
the night, covering the earth with
a mantle, the feathery fakes con.
tinued to come lazily down until
Just before - o'clock, then there
was rift in the western sky, aud
when the old yellow sleigh stood at
The door the sun shOne as bright as
ever.
"Be careful, father, and don't let
'Lizabcth get cold waiting for you"