Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-08-28
MARION'S LOVERS.

1t is one OF the loveliest June days
the earth ever saw. Each separate
blade of grass seems TO rejoice in the
glorious sunlight, and my whole heart
is in tune with the day as L saunter
slowly along the village road. with one
hand in my pocket, holding tight the
dear letter that has made me so hap
py since the morning post came in; for
John is coming home at last. and we
are to be married and live happy ever
after, as my Old fairy stories used to
end, with the bridal of Prince Charm
ing and his princess. A poor little
princess this time, think rather rue
fuHy-more like the king who wed a
beggar maid, our story is; for dear
daddy was only farmer on very
small scale, though every inch a gen.
tleman, and when he died, three years
ago, mother and had hard struggle
for little while. OF course we took
summer boarders as every one adj
vised, and of course we lost more than
we made; only / shall never regret
that hard summer. since it gave me
John, and, although our courtship was
sealed by tho final question being
asked when l was picking peas in the
vegetable garden, it was none the less
sweet and romantic for that.
Ny John is DIR. John Westerly and
he was staying in Sunnyrock, making
some Investigations about the air of
the district, for pamphlet he was
tvt.ifiprr 10 hAo,.1al ,,rit1,
brilliant successful rich as he was,
he loved poor little me, plain Marion
March. as i am sure no one was ever
bowed before.
When think of the lovely accom-
plished women he must have known,
and look at myself critically, l cannot
make it true; but it is, it is and he is
coming homo from Berlin, where he
has been stud ying in the hospitals for
"a years. even now on his way.
When the happiness of it comes over
me, / can scarcely keep from singing
along the streets, as | return from my
walk. How lovely the world is! How
good people are, l think, as old Mrs.
Mallocks beams and mods to me from
her window
As | draw near our gate, | see dis
tastefully that mother has shut all the
sun out with closed blinds; well, very
soon. will let flood of light in, and
glorify the rooms.
Mother" / call out, gaily, running
up the steps of the porch, Its too
early for flies. What makes you shut
a. l. I Al. -
ting-room and open the blinds. Then.
turning round, see m)ther, white and
tear-stained and looking half dazed,
with a newspaper in her hand.
Mrs. Dawson, from the village, says
In loud whisper, "Do tell her, for
gracious sake and have it over" and
then. selling me in her strong arms,
seats me gently on the old sofa.
Mother bursts out crying, and puts
her arms about me and sobs. Prepare
yourself for the worst. May. Oh.
Mrs. Dawson, do tell her. l can'tl"
j am awe-struck and bewildered, but
my one thought is that the bank which
holds our few hundred pounds has
broken, for we have no near relatives,
and have just heard from John. "Do
tell me what it is" | say. impatiently;
and Mrs. Dawson, looking at me pity
ingly. says:
''Well. if you must hear it, you
must " takes the paper from mothers
nerveless hand, and reads: Terrible
Disaster. Pennsylvania, from
Hamburg. burnt at sea. Hundreds of
1fxrac 1nCf - A,,,,Nl,la h1a
Conspicuous among those who helped
the women and children into the life
boats was DIR. John Westerly, a we'll
known young physician, from Berlin,
who was coming home this way. When
last seen he was distributing life-pre-
servers to the women who had not
been able to get into the life boat
before another could be manned, the
TIansylvania sank. with all on board,
except those who had been fortunate
enough 90 crowd into the two boats.
The young physician will doubtless be
deeply mourned by the medical fra
ternity for" / think the woman
would have read the whole account
through; hut CHANGING ut me. she
AuNhpN AAWhbANniag III biiC anu
held it to my face.
1t was not necessary. | had not
tainted. heard her say distinctly, -
'.For heavens sake. Mrs. March. say
somethin' TO her. for / believe she's
a-dyin'." Then | felt as if | were
someone esle. and / mentally looked
at myself, ieaden and death-Iikc, all
the life crushed out of me, lying
straight and still in an incongruoas
blue muslin, with Mrs. Dawson's
shawl thrown over me- and thought.
Poor girl, how sorry am! What
n 1t we're ]. and it was my John who
was deadPn AZ this period, Mrs.
Dawson shook her head ominously !
think she spoke to me several times.
and / did not answer. Why should /?
Aud she said TO poor mother. who
was aimlessly walking back and forth,
Mrs. March, think I'd call Dr.
4 mae Won lie unnatural