The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-11-24


But the young editor shook his head
and smiled
You have her public name, Janet
You might tell me where she lives. At
least, half poutingly.
Oh, among the Rockies, believe
You may think nae foolish, being a
T woman, and to talk 20, out love her
would give my preftiest ring to meet her
+ just once.
+ And the mans heart unconzeiously
echoed the words, love her. No. I
loved her. am not 80 weak as TO love
her now
There had been an unintentional list
ener to their conversation; within
windowed nook. half hidden by vines
and swaying roses, dark-haired woman
sgi with hands clasped closely and ewes
too full Of pain to have any room for
tears
And thus | see hin. after all these
years and to think If has to be ike
this
At last. al last / came an these
hundreds of miles for this only. What
a lovely charming girl that was who
complimenied my poor little story 20
much How different from myself, and
yet if read her gIileless heart aright
We both love him, but hers win be the
happy love, and mine, as Is my fate, only
the weary pain She wondered how l
could write a. do the wonder would
be If could write differently
Eight years before my story opens, let
ters not altogether confined TO their mu-
tual work, had passed between the young
editor and his contributor A much
warmer feeling had sprung up until
yes, it had gone that far-they were en-
gagged. and the time set for a future
meeting
Circumstances arose that embittered
bis life and wrecked hers A bad man
face, but a heart in kin with the evil
one, waS thrown across her path. She
was bewildered for time; married him,
tried to love him until she found ont the
blackness Of his heart then he deserted
her before the birth Of her little
daug tier.
after that she took up her pen in her
slender fingers, kissed II, and thanked
God for her one talent that would clothe
and feed herself and child. Love and
hope had forever fled from her life but
the world. stern and Implying mad TO
be faced
Ii was wears before she ventured 10
send an article 10 her old lover, and then
under a false name and copied by
strange hand. = But ne knew IT, He
would have recognized the soul had the
story come all the way from India
He accepted it at once, paid for it, and
respected her desire to remain unknown
The name Of Janet became a house
hold word, and the knowledge Of her
husbands death made little difference IN
her life or death, 20 crushed had been
her faith and hope
one night a famous lecturer came 10
address the people Of the New England
town. and among the audience near each
other sat Charles Harris, the editor. Ros-
amond Clyde. the fair girl to whom She
had seen him speak that day, and the
famous, but incognito authoress, Janet
The lecture was but half over ere the
dreadful cry Of fire fire filed the house,
almost instantly followed by the smell Of
smoke. and the sight Of creeping flames
The audience became thoroughly de-
moralized in vain few cool heads
tried to preserve something ike order,
and To eyade the fatal crush at the doors
and stairway, but all in vain
Charles Harris held Rosamond in her
seat by force and tried to '-oothe her.
while he looked about for some means OF
escape
Even a. he paused in grave perplexity
calm voice on his right addressed him
Wrap this heavy shawl about the
Young lady's head and shoulders and
follow me. Hasten. We have no time to
lose"
He saw only pale, sweet face, dark
earnest eyes, and seizing the shawl
wound II around Rosamond a. directed,
then taking ber in his strong arms fol-
lowed the lady.
Under the stage was stairway known
TO almost every one, but thought Of at
this time by only a few. Towards this
the lady hurried, for the noom was now
filed with smoke and the cracking flames
ragged not far off
Cfo in there You can find the exit
Hasten, for Gods sake
~Gol go you have not a moment to
lose. viii follow"
And he. wondering AT her unselfish
kindness, the almost reckless risk OF her
life. turned and obeyed her. But ere he
had gone entirely from her be saw her
pause and lift into her arms screaming
child that had been abandoned.
How he Succeeded in reaching fresh
air again with his almost helpless bur
den. he scarcely knew: but choking,
g..sping for breath. he emerged into the
street, safe.
As soon as he could move he left Rosa
mlond with her friends. and turned to
look for their deliverer He searched
long time among the excited crowd,
and at last, some distance from the burn
ing building, he found her, almost fatally
burned, and surrounded by a pitying
groupe Of bystanders- The heavy hair was
burned away and the sweet face was
Scared and blaekened almost beyond
recognition; but the little child she bad
wrapped in her dress folds was safe and
unharned She looked up as Charles
Harris approached and stood - sorrowful