The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-08-18


Zip, looking aside.
$50 awayP"
Eyes, Melinda"
"Where are you going?"
Anywhere. 1t makes no difference,
so get away"
''And ain't you coming back"
"Some day, maybe. if | ever get to
be of any account to myself or anybody
| else"
you are of some account now, Zip,
and you had better stay right where
you are"
"No; I've made up my mind to go,
and l am sure it is the best thing that
could happen for us all around, so I'll
stick to it," said Zip, resolutely.
Melinda was looking out of the win
dow. When she saw a man coming up
the lane toward the house, and recog-
nized in the conner Ben Button, a
shadow of annoyance fitted over her
| face.
Zip had been watching Melinda, and
when he saw the slight frown on her
face, he, too, glanced out, and seeing
who was coming he rose to his feet
ready to depart, saying, I'm call in
again before 1 leave, and tell YOU all
good-by. Good evening""
Melinda glanced reproachfully after
the retreating Zip. There was a sus-
picion of tears in her eyes, and a
little culver around her mouth, as she
murmured to herself: Fool Zip! He
is going away because he thinks l am
going to marry that hateful Ben Button,
and is Jealous. But can't make him
see, and 1 won't ask him to stay I'll
die first. Therem
The truth was that a serious thought
had at last come to Zip. He was in
love, and he knew it. He had looked
at himself as in a looking glass, and
found out his own worthlessness. More
than that, he had determined to
go away, change his habits of shift
lessness, and become q useful man and
citizen. He would not ask Melinda
for her love until he had made himself
worthy of it. If, however, in the mean
time some other man-Ben Button,
perhaps-stepped in ahead of him,
why, he would still be the gamer by
an ambition for higher things which,
in an indirect way, would be a gift
from Melinda.
That evening, Ben Button asked
Melinda to become his wife; but she
was in no mood to answer him then, for
lips foolish determination to go away
troubled her in no small degree. She
knew, too, that her mother favored
Ben above any one else, and that she
would be grieved if Ben received a curt
refusal, so she told him she would have
an answer ready for him when he
should call again, and Ben was happy.
Days passed away. They were days
of hope to Ben, days of doubt and ir-
resolution to Melinda, and busy days
for hand and thought with Zip.
The decisive evening came at last,
and Ben was on hand with his usual
clockworl1 regularity to receive what
he fully expected to be a favorable
answer to his suit.
1t had been rainy day, but the sun
had broken through the clouds in the
evening, and was setting bright and
clear, casting its last rays upon Mrs
Spratt, Melinda and Ben Button, as
they sat on the west gallery of the
house.
81 declare, Melinda" said Mrs.
Spratt suddenly, "if them well-diggers
haven't gone off and forgot to shut the
gap in the fence around the we'll"
''And there is Blossie's calf in the
yard now, and going straight for the
well. I'll go and shut up the gap,
mother; you sit STILL said Melinda, as
Mrs Spratt was about to rise.
Melinda ran toward the well, head
ing the calf off at the same time. She
was about to close the gap in the fence,
when her eyes fell upon the wide open
ing in the ground. She hesitated
moment, then entered the gap, and APP
preached the well cautiously. On the
brink, she peered over and looked into
depth below. She was asout to with
draw again, but the ground under her
feet gave way, and with loud scream
she was hurled to the bottom of the
well.
Mrs. Spratt and Ben saw what hap
pened, for their eyes had fondly fol-
lowed Melinda in her every movement,
and they now rushed to the scene of the !
catastrophe.
Stepping carefully upon some planks
that were lying across the opening of |
the well, they peered into the abyss be-
low them. There was no sound ex-
cept of crMnbling earth and pebbles
falling from the sides of the well. The |
earth was loose from the rain during
the day, and the break where Melinda
had fallen in had started the walls to |
caving all around.
Then a large mass of earth fell crash
ing to the bottom of the well and laid
bare huge bowlder hanging as if |
ready to topple the next moment.
A faint moan from the bottom Of the !
well reached the ears of those above.