Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-04-12

Evil tidings seem TO have fleet
wings, or someone seems to be lying
IN wait for sad happenings that they
may report at once to the ones most
nearly concerned. Two fair faces,
at the very moment that poor, Grave,
loving Jack fell in the gamblers
haunt, were bent over some delicate
pieces of wedding iinery lhat pleas
ant night in June in the white house
up the street.
Molly and Ina were listening for
the expected footsteps Of tho men,
TO be In readiAess 60 hurry from
sight any traces Of their pleasant
task, which, as it was not a dress,
they were desirous of screening
from inquisitive eyes; aud they lit
tie thought that one light step for
which they listened woul3 sound TO
them no more.
Soon there was rush of hurrying
feet; they stopped at the gate, sped
harshIy up the gravelly walk, and
hurried knocking echoed at the open
door.
as it you, Miss Molly up thero?"
Queued breathless voice. "You
are TO come % Aunt Betty's, for
Jack is hurt Come no once; they
are taking him there DO you hear,
Miss Moliy?n
A faint, moaning, wailing sound
came down the stairway; there were
hurried steps in the room above,
and piaintiye voice broke out:
"Ohl What is the mdtter2 Oh
dear! dear what is the matter with
Jack?"
But the footsteps wero rctreating
aud she only heard:
"Come to'Aunt Betty's for Jack
is hurtw
The informant had not the moral
courage to tell her the blighting
truth. But soon the two girls were
hurryiug with a dreadfal forboding
at the heart, up the dusty street, and
the crowd in front Of the little lilac
shrouded garden presaged but doubt
ful cheer.
II was Il pleasant moonlight
night in June; too fair for death TO
be lingering near yet he "hts all
seasons for his owE.a
The crowd gave way on the ap.
proaoh Of the two girls, aud plying
eyes followed one fair form az
, through the little picket gate she
went to the house Of death There
could be no mistaking the look
which the moonbeama revealed on
f the features of the wounded man as
he was carried among them to the
y house of the "good Samaritan
Sam Pilchard met them at tho low
p porched door, (he was sober enough
a now and spoke TO them rather
roughly in his great sternuess.
"Do 'ee go into the back kitchen,
both Of zee, an' stay there till !
send for zee. No! 'ee shan't 20 in
+, there, 1 tell 'ee!' as Molly made an
effort to break into the crowded
parlor where she first told the story
of her love.
81 ,oW 20 TO himl Who has a
! better right? Oh, my Jack! my
Jack! what have they done to you2"
f., and with that she fell to weeping
and was carried back into the rear
!. room, where she was left with the
terrified Ina and some other women
= who had been hastily summoned
Aunt Betty, with q calm, com
4 posed face, and cool nerves acquired
at many bed Of anguish, was in
attendance on the wounded man, IN
company with the doctor and his
i assistants, aud the room and house
being soon cleared of the curious
8 crowd, JacRsi injuries we're carefully
s examined. The result Of the doc.
o tors examination could be no worse.
"Shot through the lungs. He
can't live long. ! can d. nothing
% Even then there was a surge Of
/ blood into tho throat, and they
!. turned him that he might not
% strangle-he would choke or bleed
TO death. And then he would be
still for a while. On such au oc-
casion as this, when bis rest was
y longer than usual, he opened his
g eyes and gazed calmly bat cautious
y on those gathered about him.
His consciousness had returned.
n lie said nothing, but curiousIy gazed
as if trying to recall Then he
waved the others aside and beckoned
to Aunt Betty as if to speak 70 her;
and they stepped back while She
seated herself by his side and bent
her head to listen.
!. "It is all clear now-the cloud has
= passed that hung over me. II is
best that this should be. The bul.
let broke the spell-I remember"
She thought him wandering, and
4 stroye 70 quiet him, but after pause
i he went on:
oft would be best to tolI her all,