Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-06-05

street, while she seemed always busy in her
room with her household duties. One
morning while I WAS on duty she attracted
my attention by rapping sharply on the
window pane with her thimble
AS looked up She said Just loud enough
for me TO hear II you've time, come
through the back alley up the steps at left
entrance at II o'clock this morning
AT the appointed hour / was SITTING IN
an entry leading to the stairway, and she
was with me AS you may know, she be.
gan, there's n dreadful miXture OF people
IN this house, with whom | have nothing
to do and they in turn hate me for it. One
under this roof is IN unpleasant looking
man, whom my father wishes me to marry
ON account Of his business prospects, and
suppose, his attachment for me. lie has
annoyed me so with his attentions that
almost hate him, and he knows it, lie is
Jealous and has very mean disposition. |
dare not go out at any time without his
knowing it and speaking of the fact in
such way that my father, who is dread
iuly strict, hears him and gives me lee.
ture. II he sees me walking home with a
young man, or sees me get "A letter or hand
one TO the postman, he tells it; then, of
course father wants TO know all about it,
The rest Of these delightful people are
forever spying too. The consequence is |
am forever in hot water. Now on Lehigh
street, $50, there's a man whom like very
much Robert Barring is his name. He
knows you quite well by sight. | will
thank you exceedingly if you win give him
this note and stop there when YOU'RE on
your way here, 80 if he has any message
for me he will give it To you You see,
father doesn't allow him to visit me. so we
don't see each other very often-only when
| can slip out for an hour or so, when he
joins me and we take u walk. If you'll be
our letter carrier wen get along much
better. Then by being IA little careful
George Birch viii De 50 nicely outwitted
When he has no more tales to tell | won
der what he viii do. Well, / suppose you
are willing 10 be our mutual friend. aren't
your
''She WAS standing there and had laid her
hand in mine. Ipromised to serve her, then
left her by the way IA come In the
months that followed ] saw her many
times and carried to and fro many mes
sages between the sweetbearts. | had been
their mail carrier for six months and had
given her a start up the pole almost as
many times, when her father died or
course her lover went to see her then as
often as he liked, 50 there was no more
need Of me- One morning about two
months after her fathers death she ran
down stairs and overlook me as turned
the corner. She told me she was to be mar.
ried that night at the minister's residence
and that she and Robert wanted me TO be
one of the witnesses
81 consented, though wondered il she
didn't know what hard request she'd
made Of me. ] stood up there bravely,
though it took all my power to do so, and
saw Katie Allen give herself to Robert Bar
ing, and | wondered IL he did then or ever
would love her asdevotedly as did. Short
ly afterward doubted it very much. He
was not overly kind to her, staid out at
clubs late and was not as considerable for
her feelings as he should have been. saw
her just often enough to know she was
very unhappy, though only bride Of ten
months.
George Birch became very suIlen. He
never spoke to Barring except to tantalize,
and when he'd been married one year Birch
so grossly insulted him that there was an
alteration in which both were wounded.
Barring died within twenty-four hours, but
Birch lived to suffer awhile.
HE had alingering spell, then improved,
only to get worse later. Katie had been a
widow for year, when she sent for me TO
tell me that George was dying and wanted
to see her She was very nervous and mis-
cradle; she dreaded going, yet had no wish
to refuse. | advised her to 20 and went
also, at least rs far as the steps. ] wouldn't
go in the room. When she came ont there
were tears in her eyes and she looked pale
and frightened. She told me in low voice,
almost in whisper, that he was dead.
walked with her to her door, then left her
alone with her unhappy thoughts Her
husband left her bat little wealth, so she
went back 20 the northwest room Of the
red tenement, the one in which I'd first
seen her, which she rented quite cheaply
and managed very we'll, with her baby
girl for company and a small hired girl
for help.
81 visited her only occasionally until she
left off her garb Of mourning, then went
there more frequently IN time she prom
ised to be my wife, but three years went by
without her setting our wedding day She
told me that George Birch had said that IL
she married me or any one else he'd give
her no peace, but haunt her day and night
She did not want to believe that he could,
but weeks be %. tbs q y se, for our mar
Fiage she was . terribly u r, oua sta,s,
and declared sle'a seen George in ner door
every night for a month.
THE evening before we were to be mar
RCD ] W IS ait. 'h- o. he DOm holding her
child on my knee and thinking OF the bright
morrow when the back door opened sud
denly and she screamed: 'L0Jk a5 George
Birchl 1t is not bis ghost, but him, him
self See how he looks at mel Ny Godi |
can't stand it, | can't marry you, Simon
| can't can't. Save my child; don't let
her see that facet She moaned. wrung her
hands and looked mad.
II went two blocks for physician. but
when returned Katie was gone. | looked
for her, and others, too, but we never found
her or heard any tidiags bearing on the
subject. The general opinion was that in
her fright and excitement she had destroy
ed herself But how, without there being
some evidence afterward, | avn puzzled &c |
know.
81 sold my new home, or the place that
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