Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-07-22
A STRANGE MARRIAGE.

81 Collins was out of work. In common |
with many others, for reasons not necessary |
to enter upon, he had been idle for some |
time. He was almost out of money-ffty |
cents is not much. But he was not out of
hope. He was so determined to put his
shoulder to the wheel that he could not be-
lieye that there would not soon be wheel
to shoulder.
Now on this Saturday afternoon, with
everything at standstill, he knew that
there would be no use in standing before
closed doors or of lettering iu empty yards,
so he made up his mind to have holiday,
and all that sweet, sunny afternoon to pre-
tend to himself that he had nothing to wor.
ry about.
There was music in the park; there were
seats to sit upon.
A man could eat five cents worth of soda
crackers as we'll there as elsewhere. In
fact, they made quite neat little lunch.
On Sunday he would buy paper and get
every item in the columns headed 'Help
Wanted-Males' by heart, but this after
| noon his programme was the park.
Accordingly, he went home, climbed the
tod floor Of a tenement house, where he had
hired hall bedroom OF washer woman,
who did not need all the rooms at her end
of the fat; and dressed himself in his Sun
| day suit.
| The suit vas not fne one at best, and
it was by no means new, but Siwas hand
some man, and there is good deal 10 that.
| He blacked his boots, turned his cuffs,
| thanked fortune he still had clean collar,
and set off parkward. He was just in time
for the music.
The sky was blue, the grass was green,
the park was just as much his as it was
anybody's, and after the crowd had d;spers.
ed and the musicians descended from their
pavilion, he bethought him to walk about q
: while, aud took his way toward the reser.
voir.
There was not soul there, and he begar
to saunter about the brink, eating his crack
ers. when his attention ggas attracted to tht
singular conduct of young girl, who wal
creeping along toward The reservoir, looking
over her shoulder as though she expected t
be followed.
Now and then she l't,3 TO her eyes
handkerchief that she he'd crushed up i,
one hand and it was evident that she wa
crying.
self. In q minute moro it flashed upon hin
that sha Intended to drown herself.
He was about to spring forward to seiz
her, when he reflected that until he wa
= sure that she was actually a would.bs sui
cido it would hardly DO to lay hands upo
her, and 80, concealing himself as best b
. could, be waited.
i Aud nov be observed the girl more close
/. ly. SIZE wss young, she was small, and be
features were pretty. She had that peculia
attenuated look that comes to moat womel
with worry and poverty, hat her clothe
were not ragged, and she had Very re
: spectacle air. She wore one kid glove,
noticed. At fvst she stood behind a ston
parspet tnat guards the edge Of the reser
voT, crying ard leaking over
Then she folded her hands and put he
face mpon them, and 81 fapeed that sh
prayed. after Gnis, by dint of sorambling
| she peIohed upon the stones and sat there
, 81 drew nearer.
At last she arose to her feet, aud 81 Wa
\ there below her, though she did not dreaI
of it.
Good by, you dear, pretty world b
heard her say. Il wonder where I am g
ing to- and she made preparations to jun
into the water.
Instead Of eceon.plishinr this she wg
lifted iendwsrd hy swo bic hands. and !
shg.&gs he'd gsoand che began tc sob.