The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-02-14
A STRANGE MARRIAGE.

John 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 al
most out of money-50 cents Is not
much. But he was not out Of hope.
lle was so delermnd to put his shoulder
to the wheel that he could not believe
that there would not soon be q wheel
10 shoulder.
Now. on this Saturday afternoon,
with everything at a standstill lie knew
that there would be no use in standing
before closed doors or of lettering in
empty yards; so he made up his mind
TO have holiday, aud all that sweet.
sunny afternoon to pretend to him.
self that he had nothing to worry
about.
There was music in tho park; there
were seats to sit upon.
A man could eat cents worth of soda
crackers rs well there as elsewhere. In
fact, they m.de quite neat lunch.
On Sunday he would buy paper,
aud get every item in the columns
headed, Help Wanted--Males" by
heart, but this afternoon his pro-
gramme was the park.
Accordingly he went home, climbed
to the top floor of tcnement-house,
where he had hired hall-bedroom of
a washerwoman, who did not need all
the rooms at her end of the fiat, aud
dressed himself in his Sunday suit.
The suit was not fine one at best,
and it was by no means new. but John
was handsome man, and there is n
good deal ia that.
He BACKED his boots, turned his
cuffs, thanked fortune he still had
clean collar, aud sat of parkward-he
was just in time for the music.
The sky was blue, the grass was
green, the park was just as much his
rs it was anybody's, and after the
crowd had dispersed and the musicians
descended from their pavilion. he be-
thought him to walk about awhile. and
took his way toward the reservoir.
There was not soul there. aud he
began to saunter about the brink, eat
ing his crackers, when his attention
was attracted to the singular conduct
of n young girl. who was creeping
along toward toward the reservoir
looking over her shoulder. as though
she expected to he followed.
Now and then she lifted to her eyes
a handkerchief that she had crushed up
In one hand. and it was evident that
she was crying.
What can she be doingp" John
asked himself. In minute more it
flashed upon him that she intended to
drown herself.
He was about to spring forward to
seize her, when he reflected that until
he was sure that she was actually u
would-be suicide it would hardly do
TO lay hands upon her. and so, con-
cealing himself as best he could. he
waited.
And now no observed the girl more
closely. She was young, she was
small, and her features were pretty.
She had that peculiar attenuated look
that comes to most women with worry
and poverty, but her clothes we're not
ragged. and she bad very respecta-
BILE air. She wore one kid glove. he
noticed At first she stood behind
stone parapet that guards tho edge Of
the reservoir. crying and looking over.
Then she folded her hands, and put
her face upon them. and John fancied
that she prayed. After this, by dint Of
scrambling she perched upon the
stones aud sat there. John drew
nearer.
At last she arose to her feet. and
John was there below her. though she
did not dream of II. 4
"Good-by. you dear. pretty world"
he heard her say. II wonder whore l
am going to-" and she made prcpara-
tions TO jump into the water.
Ipstead Of accomplishing this, she
was lifted landward by two big hands.
and as she touched ground she began to
sob.
"Oh, why couldn't you let mep" she
said. "And now you'll put me In