Little Falls transcript., 1886-04-09

lL'S SOln TO De q Dlt lone some, WITHOUT
neighbor, barring perhaps three
miles. I'm sorry we're not able to
offer much wages at first along of the
expenses we'll be to agettin' there, but
your bit all sup and an odd pound now
an. agin you'll be welcome TO-"
Like one dazed, Mary stood listen
ing to the kind offer, then, with deep
wor derment in her tones, she said:
''You are asking me to share your
home, knowing nothing of me? My
God! had / but met such women as you
in the past!"
Five years had come and gone since
the day when Mary joined her for
tunes of her helpful friends and pros
perity had dawned for them and her.
Toms and Jacks log cabins were the
envy of their less thrifty neighbors.
At first Jack had boarded with the
Bigharts, but after awhile it occurred
to him that he, too, should like a
home OF his own-a wife to share the
good luck that had come to him. And,
as the months slipped into years, he
learned to know that there was but
one woman for him, the woman he had
saved from death. While. Mary, when
it first .dawned upon he'd how dear
she had become to this simple, God
fearing man, was seized with an i'm
pulse to flee from the shelter OF the
happy home that for three years had
been hers, but her strength failed her.
She could not SO easily uproot such
tightly riven ties. For Jack had be-
come as part OF her. very being.
It was only for his sake that she
thought of going away. because of the
sacrifice she deemed it would be put
ting upon him if he should wed her.
Something Of this she tried to tell him
when he asked her to be his wife, but
he would not listen; he was satisfied,
he said. Then almost desperately she
begged that he would hear her, and
shielding her face with her hands she
related to him with pitiful pathos the
story Of her life before his path cross
ed hers, holding back nothing from the
bitter degradation OF the past. With
tears streaming down her cheeks she
implored him not to judge her too
harshly. She who had never known
mothers care; never had a home
until he came into her life.
Pityingly as he might have soothed
a little child, Jack gathered the strick-
en- woman to his arms, saying:
"Mary that old life is dead an gone,
buried away this five year back; let
it rest. Together we will start afresh.
If ye love me l ha' ma fear TO- the fu.
ture, lass"
What woman could have resisted
such faith? And so there was a quiet
little wedding, and Mary became Jack 8
wife, and went to dwell with him in
in the pretty log cabin he had built
"agin that day"
For two years not a cloud had come
to dim tl'eir happiness, Yet some
times Mary became possessed with a
wild fear that it could not last. One
day in her husbands absence she saw
a man approaching the house. There
was something strangely familiar
about the saucy, devil-may-care air
with which the stranger sauntered
along, but not until he stood within
few feet OF her did it fash upon her
who this man was. A smothered cry
escaped her, and convulsively clasping
her babe she hastened to enter the
house. But the man called out.
"Here, I say, carn't ye give me a
bite Of sumat? I've had a goodish
walk and I'm about dead beat"
White as death, she turned and faced
him, when, with an oath, heexclaimed,
as if thunderstruck:
"Mol! by all that's blue" Then,
insolently laying his hand upon her
arm, he added: "I'm blamed if didn't
think ye'd kicked the bucket. It's
rather overpowerin' to have ye turn
up here in this unexpected fashion.
You might offer me chair, Pm think
in, after our long separation" Me-
chanically Mary stepped aside and let
the man pass into the house; there,
tlinging himself upon q seat and
chuckling amusedly. he Gentinued:
eyer seem to be pretty we'll fixed;
but yer always was a lucky devil
suppose you've got suthin' to eat in
the house?'
Placing some eatables before the
man, Mary at last spoke, the<words
seeming to come with an effort, A> she
said
Eat what you will, then go. Ny
husband will be home shortly and he
must not find you here"
"Ho, no! is that the way the wind
lays?' calculated the man, with a
wink.
''The day has gone by for me to fear
your words, Jim: l have taken up
with a different life. With you and
the past have done.''
"Not SO fast, my fine beauty. Yer
didn't live with me for seven years for
nothin', an d-n me if don't claim
yer as my wife and then what 'ull be-
come OF yer-different life, like to
know? If I could just have a talk
with that husband Of yourn I'd fix
yer different life fur yer"
A wall of dispair issued from Mary's
white lips as u stalwart figure dark
ened the doorway, whilst her hus-
bands voice said quietly:
aye would speak with Jack Sturdy,
stranger, but first let me say, tha' be.
tween me an my wife lie no secrets,
an the man tha' says aught agin her
has to answer TO- it to me. Out here
the men are not given to many words,
an I've learned the way of the coun-
try. With us it is word an, q blow,
but ha' known the blow to come
fust.' Then pointing sternly to the
door he added: "It is three miles to
the next settlement. If ye would
reach theer before dark ye ha' best be
goin'" <
Perhaps it was" Jacks calm even
tones, Or an undefnable sense of power
that superior minds oftentimes exer-
else over inferior ones, that stayed
the clustering answer upon the mans
lips and made him stink out of the
house like a cur, turning, however, at
the gate TO shake his fist defantly.
'"Theer, theer, lass" soothed Jack