The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-03-06
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.
He was so deternind to put his shoulder
to the wheel that he could not believe
that there would not soon be a 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 in
empty yards; so he made up his mind
10 have holiday, aud all that sweet,
sunny afternoon to pretend 10 him.
self that he had nothing TO worry
about.
There was music in the park; there
were seats to sit upon.
A man could eat scents worth of soda
crackers is well there as elsewhere. In
fact. they made quite neat lunch.
On Sunday he would buy a paper,
and 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 a tenement-house,
where he had hired hail-bedroom of
q washerwoman. who did not need all
the rooms at her end of the fat, and
dressed himself in his Sunday suit.
The suit was not a fine one ut hest,
and il was BY no means new, but John
was q handsome man, and there Is
good deal in that.
He blacked his boots. turned his
cuffs, thanked fortune he still had a
clean collar. and sat off parkward-he
was Just in time for the music.
The sky was blue. the grass was
green, the park was just rs much his
as it was anybody's, and after the
crowd had dispersed and the musicians
descended from their pavilion. ne be-
thought him to walk about awhile. and
nz00k his way toward the reservoir.
There was not a soul there. and he
began to saunter abont the brink. eat
ing his crackers. when his attention
was attracted to the singular conduct
of a young girl. who was creeping
along toward toward the reservoir,
looking over her shoulder as though
she expected TO be followed.
Now and then she lifted 10 her ewes
q handkerchief that she had crushed up
in one hand, and it was evident that
she was crying.
What can she be doingsn 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
ne was sure that she was actually
would-be suicide it would hardly do
to lay hands upon her, aud so, con-
cealiHg himself as best he could. he
waited.
And now he 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 were not
ragged. and she had very respeeta-
BILE air. She wore one kid glove, he
noticed. At first she stood behind a
stone parapet that guards the 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
serambling she perched upon the
stones and sat there. John drew
nearer.
AT last she arose to her feet. and
John was there below her, though she
did not dream of it.
"Good-by. you dear. pretty world. y
he heard her say. Il wonder where
am going TO- and she made prepara-
tions to jump into the water.
Instead 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. ssAnd now You'll put me in
prison. Isuppese, for being too unhappy
to live"
.sTm not policeman. said John.
"Oh, thank goodnessin said the girl.
You'll let me 90, then?"
Not yet said John. You see,
although I'm not policeman, I'm a
man, and that makes it my duty to
take care of women folk when they
need it. You seem to.
You mean to be very kind. said
the girl; ''but You are not. / suppose
you have no idea what it is to be all
alone in big city, without money and
without work.
oh said John, .but 1 have. ]
haven't had any work for three weeks,
ard that is my cash in hand. !"
And he exhibited his half-dollar.
Oh she said, with an air of great.
er confidence. ''Well, yes, you do
know something about it, only you are
not woman
No. said John. s'Of course thai
makes it worse for you. But tell me
what drove you to that cowardly act. .
1T was very brave act" said the
girl
Not bit Of it. said John. sIt's
brave to live and fight as long as you
can-that's my idea.''
Il can't; I've nothing to fight with, y
said the girl. ''Oh. if you knew"
Tell me- said John
Ny father died, . said the girl my
stepmother hated me. She married
again. and her second turned me out
of the house. Pa had left her all his
money; had nothing. I came to New
York and got sewing to do. One day
the woman that employed me asked
me If I'd make her a waII-pocket fol
her papers. The kind I mean is made
out Of old steels from extenders. You
%nit worsted over them, you know
John did not know, but he looked as
wise IS possible
I was to make It as favor, not
went on. and al
liked doing Il; but