New-York tribune., 1891-12-27
HIS FAITH COULD NOT BE SHAKEN.
THE COLONEL TELLS OF ONE MAN WHO BE
LEvED TO THE LAST.

THE COLONEL TELLS OF ONE MAN WHO BE-
LIEvED TO THE LAST.
at don't tell this story" said tho Colonel. "as
reflection on womanklnd. only tell 1t to snow tnat
tho faith Of some men is beyond destroying. This is
about man who loved woman.
ale had been a young fellow from New England
town. lie had little money but he spent about
all of IL in rather wild college career in the few
months following his graduation. lie was not man
of any special attanments, but when he had only
few dollars left he was as cheerful and as reckless
az OF old 1t Mt this time that he fell In lovc.
He had no chance Of marrying her then for she was
young woman Of society. Jack told me all about 1t
when came to know him out West. She had told him
that she loved him. and he packed out to Coiorado on
the next day to make his fortune
al never knew another man to work 50 hard as
lack Every dollar that he earned he saved. He
would work night and day for the extra pay NO
labor could tire him loss OF sleep could make um
close his eyes He did not mind cold or storms any
moro than a polar bear. lie was the incarnation OF
resolution and endurance.
"Jack invested his first earnings in cattle watched his
own herd and worked usual for his old employer.
He made money rapidly, but he did not relax one )os
from his terrible fight. 1t was move, move all the
time. And never one letter from that woman lie
did not expect IT, He did not need 1t. thousand
times he told me how she loved him. once he showed
| me some pictures Of her. think the only time he
ever wasted in looking at them. she was beautl-
full woman, with finely poised head, curvng neck
and ewes that looked down into ones soul.
at could see Jack hafsmiling when looked at tho
pictures.
| ".She's very beautiful said.
a.sbe,s good deal better than that he answered
| softly.
| aYou NAV imagine how interested got in the boy
| and how glad was at his success.
aTho time came when he decided that he would 80
I'm tho sptinC He we'll of then, and was
devotlng all his time to his own herd.
| "That winter was fearful one Everything that
| lived seemed to die Men and cattle we're swept OF
| on all sides There living in those winds and
| that that was always driving like cold lightning
or pIllng up in mountains There was too much to do
in the thick Of 1t all for any TO think much about the
future but when spring came and Jack looked at tho
skeletons Of his dead cattle and the skin and bone Of the
few that were left alive he was ruined man.
| 81 never heard him complain. For a few days lie
looked like man who hard hit around his heart.
but after that lie lie went to work again rs he had be-
gum with his teeth shut and his shoulders squared
! "He asked once II thought she would wonder
at the length of his stay ont there. i told him did
| not believe that she would, and the poor boy wrung
my hand until my wrist was lame.
| "a man who worked like him couldn't help getting
on his feet again. He fought In the old way until
| he had his own herd again.
al rode In to the railroad 10 see him OF. can't
|
| left me- II was something like that Of a who
| has got ont Of hell and is In heaven. The boy
promised to write Inc the first thing when lie found
her, but lie did not. lie came back In month. His
face was white and he was ten years older
" Good God jack said, taking his hand, is
| shc-is she dead
"'No. he said quietly. she's married and has three
children. IL was my fault, he said looking at me
| sauarely, for he knew what was or my mind. you
see, l never wrote to her.
:" Never nproach norsa regret passed his lips,
but he was not the same Jack. He didn't seem to
cnre after that whether lie made money not. He
couldn't bear to think Of the East and he stayed out
| there trying IN take interest In his affairs. .
:" But one day he came TO me with the OLD hgn'
| In his eyes lie was in frenzy to get away. liz
anything to forgive lie forgave II, for all he could
| say was God bless her. God bless her.
| Al want to tell the rest Of this story In few
| words. You see there had been a horrible scandal
Her husbsHd turned out bad. There was some fright
! fu disgrace-forgery embezslcment or something
like that. 1t took every dollar jack had to save the
| devil; the boy let the whole thing 80 for her sake
| could Rnt at any rate he saved them. for whon ne
got back he told that melody knew about IL excep'
| the bank her, her husband and Jack
| I" | shouldn't have known him whom he got back
| lie was gone to pieces lie was thin and his eyes
| were in hollows. sometimes his face looked as
knives were turning around his heart You sec what
broke him was that he had learned thet her husband
| than his own When the first cold weather came h>
took 10 his bed, and day he turned over quietly
| with a big tear on his drawn cheek and died
| You know" added the Colonel with . ltue brcal
I'm his voice some things In this world seem hard
! We all expect to take hard knocks but-Door JACK"