Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-31

unchanging.
They used to say then that Pau
Jennings was mad. Every one kne"
it and said so. Sydney Greg was mad
with this difference: no one recognized
it, and no one said so. Between these
two forms of incipient madness lay
world of intermediate degrees, but
they grasped hands across it and SO
found life more tolerable.
Twelve years ago Jennings then
newly awakened to the responsibilities
of life, had found himself cast on the
world with an invalid mother and four
sisters to keep. and a profession which,
far from supporting him. needed sup
port itself 1t was characteristic OF
him in those days that he never looked
ahead to invent threatening future.
but lived in each day with renewed
vigor. That was the happiest, and at
the same time the most miserable
period of his life. for extremes always
run in pairs. On the dark side there
was grinding poverty, needing his
every effort to fight against it; on the
bright side was Helen Forsyth.
When they became engaged, Helen
knew as well as Paul that the prospect
of their being able to get married was
exceedingly remote; but he. knowing
that he had her love fully and unre-
servedly. was content to wait any time.
With unlimited confidence in her he
found nothing unbearable, and. with
the knowledge that through all his
worries and troubles some one under
stood and was ever sympathetic. he
went his way unhesitatingly and thank
fully, though, like the rest of the
world, he had his fits of depression
and relapses. And Helen, she thought
very much the same; it seemed to her
then privilege, which she scarcely
deserved, that one little gentleman,
however poor, however insignificant,
should love her more than life itself.
''And we are the best of friends" she
used to say, land, though we may
never be able to marry, yet no poverty
can come between us here" Nor did
it
Paul was not in any way brilliant,
and industry and perseverance,
though they eventually come forward
to greater or less extent, have to put
up with long apprenticeship; so the
years passed by with his financial posi-
ton scarcely changing, while mutual
relationships remained unaltered.
At the end of four years Paul al
lowed himself a holiday. He was tired
and overworked. Again and again he
had been on the point of breaking
down. SO when this great temptation
came-a trip across the channel with
Helen and Tom Forsyth-he cast all
hesitation to the winds, and went.
Then for brief space he was per-
fectly happy. Never before in his life
had he known such happiness. and,
until all too soon, like dream, it was
dissipated, he enjoyed himself to the
utmost
That was the year when the Dublin
City was run down. and it was on that
ill-starred vessel, disabled and rapidly
sinking, that Paul and Helen found
themselves one summers night. Tom
had disappeared-whether killed in
the first collision or drowned after
ward was never known-and in the
excitement and shouting which en-
sued Paul, like many others, was too
distracted to notice accurately what
had occurred. All that he could re-
call afterward was seeing the dark
outline of another vessel as it backed
off slowly into the darkness, apparent
ly sinking too, and then even that was
lost sight of in the horrors around
him.
For brief space there were confu-
sion and awful uncertainty, terror
stricken men and women impeding
those who alone could save them-a
fearful sceIe; and, for Paul. a CHASTITY
descent from the heaven in which he
had been living.
1t was almost relief when the first
strain was over and all knew the worst,
for with that news the panic subsidized,
and in the presence of death came a
temporary hush.
Having found his way to Helen. he
took her hand quietly aud waited; with
her he would face death as cooliy as
he would life.
Helen was the first to break the
silence. Is there nothing can be done,
Paul?"
He shook his head. mo. Not till
they begin to lower the boats. Then
you must be ready; they will put the
women in first"
"And you, Paul. you will come. too?"
''Once you are safe, can save my
self-easily."
But l meant for all these Others"
and she shivered a little, while her
eyes filled with tears.
He followed her eyes and felt some
thing of her fear. though he tried not
to show il. I'VE can only wait-and