The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-22

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patient"
Nelly sighed.
"But men can go away and forget all
about their disappointments. They ha'
lots TO think about. But we women folk
we Just ha' to iide it and say nothin,
though our hearts be ever so sorel Oh,
Ralph. lad. wish wo'd never seen one
InotherT
Ralph, moved by a sudden impulse,
drew tho girl to him and with passion
rto vehemence kissed her lips over and
over again.
II cannot help it-they are the last
he muttered apologetically as be reluc-
tantly released her, "but it is cruel
downright cruel--that we ha' TO partl
And All for tho sake of drunken good
for nothing that might have broken bis
neck half dozen nnes this winter If
that mistaken providence that watches
over such like wastrels hadn't prevented
it. Hang himl | wish he was dead!"
Don't, Ralphl cannot bide to hear
your
What good is his life? Itdoesnt ben
eft one living creature--not even HIM
self You ought TO wish it, too, Nelly,
instead Of chiline me. Aye, and you
would if you cared half as much about
me as do about you"
Nellie drew herself slowly away and
looked him straight ia the face.
"You don't mean word Of what
you're sayin. or would give you bit
of my mind Tor bf.r Eeartless! Poor
old dadl He's never scid cross word to
me in my life---rot oven when he was
the worst for drinkl He's nobodys en-
envy bnt his own, there's that to be said
for him. anyway If you won't marry
me because / mean 20 stick to my auld
feyther, wey aa'll ha' to bide it as best
aa may. But MS for me wantin him deid
ma poor, good hearted dad-that'll new
err, never be, and 80 ! tell ye plainly,
| Ralph"
At this conclusion the young fellow
hung his head, feeling rather ashamed OF
his i'll nature, and the pair walked in a
leisurely and detected manner toward
the farm. Where the two roads joined
they parted, sullen, miserable, without
their customary kiss or even q friendly
handshake.
Again the little dene appeared desert
ed and resumed its normal aspect OF ex-
| pectation, the spell having been broken
momentarily by the young and eager
! presenccs.
But the solitude and silence did not
have long to reign. Up one bank of the
stream struggled thicket of ragged
shrubs, alders and hawthorns, and from
| thence there emerged few minutes
afterward the figure of n man. He
crawled up to the level ground upon his
| hands and knees, like some prowling
beast that had been in hiding
When he reached the road, he rose to
his feet and stood upright, or at least
made as near an approach TO that posi-
tion as his own condition would allow,
for he was evidently greatly under the
| influence of alcohol.
He rubbed his hand across his eyes
and gazed in bewildered fashion in the
direction taken by the pair Of lovers.
ma canny Nellyl Ma bonny lassr'
he muttered in O tremulous, husky voice,
the voice of whisky drinker, 'just to
| tIllIik bilc ftlCh ny ihc ilhC Yum
| He stood silent for q moment after
this, as though endeavoring to master
the situation; then he gave himself a
shake like as q dog does on emerging
from the water.
"You boozy, dram drinlrin old soak
er, dinna ye feel ashamed o yersel'y'
he burst out ut last. whats wrong
wi ye? Lemme think"
But it was of no use for him to try
and consider. The earth reeled around
and met the sky, and the road rose up
and hit him in the face. His brain was
ON fire, and he could not think.
He stumbled down to the edge of the
stream again, and at tho imminent risk
of meeting death by drowning managed
to lave his face and head in the icy cold
water and to gulp down great drafts of
the same. making, it must be confessed,
wry face at the latter part of the pro-
gramme.
Then he sat down on heap of stones,
and resting his face in his hands made
another effort.
He was the miserable wreck Of fine,
stalwart man. Although little past the
prime of life, drink had done its work,
and he looked broken down old topper
on the brink of the grave. He had the
bleared, unsteady eyes of drunkard,
drunkard's loose, slobbery mouth, but
his features were of an originally good
and pleasing type, and it was not diff
cult to trace in his face likeness to
pretty Nelly.
"He was reet--the confoonded young
fool was reet-and my canny BARN was
wrong. There is no use in life like
| mine-none whateverl An if was deid
he marry her and She be happy-she'd
be happy
II was not pleasant retrospect that
life Of his, look at it how he might. Lost
opportunities, hopes that had died un-
natural deaths. ambitions that had been
drowned under that thirsty sea that had
engulfed his manhood and made of him
the sot he was
4 God forgive himi Tho face of thevife