New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-04-07
at the unwontoned caress from such

lips.
One by one the days OF that week
slipped by and the woman still re-
manned with the Bigharts. It was the
day before the departure for America,
all business having been satisfactorily
transacted, when Mrs. Bighart, laying
her hand kindly upon Mary shoulder,
said:
"Do you know, Mary, I've been
thinking that | don't see how Pm to
spare you, an I've talked it over with
Tom, an the long and the short of it
is, my dear. if you've q mind to 90
along with us, I'd be glad to haveyou.
The children they've took to you so,
an you see, out west in them clearings
it's goin' to be a bit lonesome, 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 a gettin' there, but
your bit an 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
wonderment in her tones, she said:
"You are asking me to share your
home, knowing nothing of me? My
God! had l 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
Of thoir huff ~ L
At first Jack had boarded with the
Bigharts, but after awhile it occurred
to him that he, too, should like
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 hehad
saved from death. While Mary, when
it first dawned upon her 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 a 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
a mothers care; never had 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.
IT we love me 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 S
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 their 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
a few feet of her did it flash upon her
who this man WAS A smothered cry
escaped her, and convulsively clasping
her babe she FASTENED to enter the
house. But the man called out
: "Here, say, carn't we give me a
bite OF sumat? I've had a eoodish
walk and Pm about dead beat. !"
| White as death, she turned and faced
him, when, with an oath, exclaimed,
asst thunderstruck:
| "Moll! by all that's blue.' Then,
insolently laying his hand upon her
arm, headed: "I'm blamed If .Ididn't
think ye'd kicked the bucket. It's
rather overpowerin' to have We turn
up here in this unexpected fashion.
You might offer me a chair, Pm think
in, after our long separation" Me
chemically Mary stepped aside amdlet
the man pass into the house; there,
finging himself upon seat and
chuc5ling amusedly. he continued:
eyer seem to be pretty we'll fixed;
but yer always was lucky devil. /
suppose you've got suthin to eat in
the houseY'
Placing some eatables before the
man, Mary at last spoke, the words
seeming to come with an effort, as she
said:
''Eat what you will, then 60. My
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. | have taken ur