The morning call., 1892-10-06
Who SHALL JUDGE !?

ulLeItN tue OUlQo oloha9s 90 - N-NS
her She leaned against the old gate, her
hands tightly clasped, a look on her face
that almost frightened her companion.
This is the end of all My dreams-sueh
foolish dreams!-the end of my faith in you
Oh. Jack, l cannot believe it! Is all my
love, all MY devotion nothing, that you can
throw me aside for the first strange lace
YOU see? Tell me it is not true!
The man gazed past her, not daring 20
look in the sweet face turned so piteously
toward him, as if awaiting decision OF lie
or death. After silence that TO Ter seemed
uncomfortable, he said:
Don't take 1t so hard, Jean. am sorry,
but we must part You will find some one
that is far more worthy ofyou than L. For
give me, and let US be friends.
He spoke heSitatingly, still avoiding her
accusing eyes. As she did not speak be
added in complaining way:
After ali, il is not wholly my fault; had
Won married years ago, as l desired, this
trouble would have been ayerted; BAT de-
spite nv entreaties you chose to devote
yourself TO your father
'Stop, Jack! Do not reproach me for
doing my duty" Jean broke IN, tone ana
manner completely changed when
mother died l was obliged to take her
place in measure. II by so doing | have
lost your love / am content to live without
It. Good-by. May you be as happy as you
deserve"
She walked swiftly away, her head held
proudly erect. Jack looked after her unlll
she was lost TO view; then. with froWn,
turned to leave the spot.
II wonder if every fellow feels as mean
ss do when he filings off the cid love for
the new?" he thought. Poor Jean! Shes
spohle girl, and deserves better man than
T. Wonder If she will think so by and by?"
A pang shot through him at the thought.
Now that ali was over he felt an odd sort
Of regret at the turn affairs had taken.
Jean could not have loved him very deeply,
else she would not have surrendered HIM so
quietly. He had q longing that he could
not account for to 50 back. clasp that little
figure in his arms, and tell her 1t was jest,
dream, anything save the truth. But IL
was too late now, and he was Tree; why
should he feel so dissatisfied ana gloomy?
Was he not at liberty 10 Oller himself 10 the
girl whose blue eyes and bewitching man
ners had tempted him from his allegiance
10 the less snowy Jean-fair Beatrice Cor
don? Aud at thought of her his face
lighted up again, and Do TeIolced IN his
freedom
Jean walked on as one IL sleep. scarce
conscious of where her feet led her, I'LL al
last she reached her own room. She seated
herself by the window and looked toward
the spot where she had said good by to her
happiness. The apple trees were weighted
GOWN Will lH6 pllh-H ute OibSoOHlS tusk
would soon turn to golden fruit; the trees
cast weird shadows in the moonlight, and
from their depths a bird called teDderIy,
QuesUOningly, TO its mate. The almost over
towering fragrance of lilacs was waited to
her. turning her faint and sick for had not
Jack brought her bunch of these flowers
every evening from the yard in front OF the
cottage they had called ours"
She bad seemed benumbed, but the lilacs
and their memories opened the tl0odgates OF
tears. Through the long, weary hours she
kept watch with her dead love. and then
buried it forever" she said.
"Jean." said Farmer Murray. entering
the loom where his daughter was busily
engaged in domestic duties, do you know
Jack Phillips has gone out West; started
this afternoonY
mo" she faltered. us 1t not rather
sudden thing"
swell. you ought 10 know best about that,
seems to me, seems he's been danglin'
round you for the last seven years. And
now they say he's offered himself TO that
city gal up to Squire J0hnson's, and she's
refused him, and be has cleared out. How
came you to bungle your affairs 10 this
way? You ought 10 have married him long
ago, when he first built that coNage, that's
what you ought TO have done. l couldn't
have spared you very well, but I'd never
Jean did not answer; she could not All
her sacTifces-ail her loYe-had ended Ia
this-deserEion on one side, repr0aches on
the other. She held up trembling hand to
stay further words, and then lett the room,
to bear her grief alone.
After thai day il became an understood
thing that Jack Phillips name was not TO
be mentioned IN the Murray household.
Jean lived her life IN sweet patience-her
fathers assistant, her brothers counselor
and friend As the years went on she
changed somewhat, her girlshness giving
place to a noble womanhood; but her face
was fair and sweet sttll, notwithstanding
its look of suffering.
She never married, for her heart was true
to the Old love. But one by one her brothers
left the farm and founded homes of their
own. until she and her father were left
alone.
One day, possessed by spirit Of restless
ness, she walked down to the gate where
she had parted Tor the last time from Jack.
Why did he seem so near her? Why did
she feel new sensation of pity for him
Busy with sad memories she had not lis
tened 10 the conversation of neighbor who
was sitting on the porch retailing the latest
gossip to her father, but all at once she
canght her breath as she heard the words:
iIey say old Mis- Phillips son, Jack,
who has been so long away, has come back.
He got hurt in mine, and his partner
brought him home to-day. He can't get
well, they say, and is as poor as poverty,
after all his wanderings. Ii comes hard on
poor Mis- Phillips to have to nurse him
alone"
Jean heard no more. Jack was at home
not the strong, manly Jack who left her a
few years ago. but poor, manned dying
man.
lack has come back! Jack has come
baekP she kept saying over and over again.
Her whole being seemed transformed, and
not stopping to don her wraps she started
down the lane taWard the cottage of Mrs.
Phillips.
They needed her there, this poor widow
and her unfortunate son, and she whose first
thought had ever been the duty she owed TO
others would not evade il now. What mat
tered the wrong she endured In the past?
All was forgotten, save that suffering fell
Iow-creature needed her service.
In few minutes she had reached the
house. She opened the door and entered
the kitchen, where Mrs. Phillips bent wear
lily over hot FIRE.
e! have come to help you to take care OF
Jack" she said.
The sad mother understood and without a
tossing in delirium.
"leanl JeaDP' be called. "Will you not
IorgNJ me? 1t was all mlstake-i knew
nor VIVA 1 1 did! Come back, Jeanl Oh.
eyes. INV o@sn o'hoi
"He has been like TIL. ever since he couo
home" the elder said. 'inSe no o"nie
Then Jean few 10 the bedsda and e,no
Der arms about the sick han. "''N nu"s
II am here, jack" she whispered.
HIS rawlings ceased at once: the Ign. =,
. esSie returned to bis eyes. He lifted a
ceS hand and caresslngly stroked her
Jeanp he cried in glad tone then
buoed. kiss me, dear" And she kissed
I'D, while tba tears fell IN fba r,oor 80 -
ace which was as dear to her now as ever
q rms was their meeting. There was no
deestion OF forgiveness-no reference ia
M night which must ever remain in their
= sta9ry. no doubt of the love that should
f~iast Dc satisfied He had sinned and she
bad forgiven him-that was all.
The great happiness that came to Jack
was bis most potent medicinal hrinninn