Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-11-21


with much concern. Jim sets lot
on him. He's won many a fight. You
see he's only half bull, and fellows bet
against him when they see him first;
but he's plucky. and he holds on when
he hears Jim's voice, and pots lot"
"Ah," said, land he will take care
Of youP'.
81 must take care OF him. Meg
answered, an anxious look coming into
her eyes. Jim would never look at
me II lost Dick"
Poor Megi This was the beginning
OF our acquaintance; but 1 learned to
know her simple heart pretty well in the
months of Jim's absence. / got her
lodging with a decent woman, where
she could sleep in peace, without hav-
ing a boot ready to throw; but that was
all she would let me do for her.
Once, on one of our rare meetings,
for Meg had Independence OF life
which / respected-I ventured to speak
of James Bond, and even to urge her
leaving him. had made inquiries of
the police, to whom Bonds career
seemed pretty well known. The pres
ent was his third term of Imprison-
ment. He was q bad lot, selfish, cruel.
british; not the kind TO marry, the
inspector assured me.
was convinced of this, and yet had
noti the heart to warn her, until one
day L saw her walking upon the
Edgware road in front of me, with
Dick at her heels. She was soon over
taken. when the dog recognized me
with growl of recognition-lIke his
masters, his blessings sounded some
what like curses.
Meg said, "do you mean to 60
back to Jim when he comes out?'' l
had fallen into her unconventional way
of going directly 70 the subject.
She looked hurrIedly at dick as lie
plodded behind.
"If don't lose the dog" she said.
'.Is he kind to you, Meg?" l asked
with some difldence.
He's kinder than some, and !
belongs to him." she said simply.
Here was my difficulty; she belonged
to him or she thought so.
''He got me ring" she said, twist
ing the little brass circle round and
round on her finger. ''He don't think
much or them himself, but he got it
for me. Mother had one, and wanted
one. 1t was kind of him."
"Where were you married, Meg-in
church?' asked,
She looked puzzled. do not think
she connected marriage with church at
all.
81 can't remember-I don't know
what you mean-churches are for rich
folks" she answered in broken snatches.
"Was your mother there?"
"Where? Mothers been dead three
years We made 1t out hopping in the
country; when We came 10 London he
got my ring"
But, Meg" said plainly, 'if you
leavs Jim L could get you taught TO
read and write, and you could earn
mors-money, and live a less rough life
it must be very rough for you in this
London court sometimes"
Its not rougher than out hopping"
she said-Meg was a regular Mark
Tapley IN petticoatS. II don't want
to read and write, Jim would only,
laugh at Inc. So, l can't leave HIM,
he gave me my ring, and III wait till
he comes out"
As she spoke shadow crossed her
face, and she looked down.
"Some day, p'raps," she said quietly
and without any show of feeling, she
may not care to have me any more,
then maybe I'll learn to read"
did not speak to her again for many
months. 1 think she avoided me. for
OhSC VI l"ANC oAShS Va NANh
dirty whiteness In the distance, but
Meg was not to be seen, though she
could not have been far off. James
Bond came out of prison, and, much to
my surprise, found her out and took
| her home"
When l went to pay her rent one
Saturday. the woman with whom she
lodged told me her ''man" had fetched
her, and that Meg had taken her bum
| die, and told her landlady to thank me.
Ibid he seemed pleased to find herr"
1 said
"Well, the dog knew him, and he
| looked half pleased at that; and he
asked a lot, as far as L could find out,
about how she got room here, and
| told her she was a fool not 10 get more
out OF you, sir; and then he said he was
gong to supper, and she could come
too, if she liked, and he whistled to the
dog and went"
in the sense of the word as We under
stand it, she had never known. He
came for her, he had inquired for her
or for Dick-among their old COM
panIons, and he fetched her home, it
/ was not much. but she expected no
more, and followed him
The last time / saw Meg was when
James Bond had been out OF prison for
/ two or three months. 1t was Scrooge-
| like Christmas eve, which seemed re-
/ solved to crafty itself by making
everybody miserable.
walked home, since L could ind no
/ omnibus that would venture beyond
/ Chapel street. and had nearly reached
my destination, the fog having lifted a
| little towards the end of my journey,
when Just beyond the cheering glimmer
/ of little public house not a hundred
yards from my own door, 1 was con-
/ fronted by a short, girllsh figure,
which L knew at once TO be that OF
/ Jim's Meg"
They've run him In, she whispered
through the fog"
"How's that, Meg?'' / asked, not
very much surprised at her statement.
sswhat has he been doing-hls old ways
again?"
| She came close to me.
"Worse than that, worst Of all, the
worst there Is" she whispered.
Mot -'
CAV. that's it, though you can't say
1t; but can-It's murder.
"Good God! are you sure. Megr"
"Yes, am sure"
"Come In and tell me. Can nothing
be doneT"
| And as 1 took her into the house,
starting my old servant by doing so,
confess that for the moment all thought
of Justice fed, and was filled with the
simple human longing TO save fellow
man from a dreadful penalty. When l
got her in by the lamplight, saw how
Meg was changed. Her girlish round
ness OF face had sharpened, her country
color had fadded. She could not have
been much more than sixteen, seven
teen at the most, but round her mouth
and in her eyes was the touching dig
nifty of sorrow.
"what is 1t, MegP' asked.
sits his pal, !" she answered, almost
SILENTLY. 1 could see that she was
thinking Of something beyond. "They
ouarreled about the dogs. Jim struck