The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1893-05-31

The music stopped with a discordant
crash. There was instant confusion,
and above it all there were the hoarse
cries for Jere Harman.
sprang through the piazza window
and faced the men. They knew me
well, and Big John shouted:
"We've naught against you, John
Spencer. We mean no harm TO any,
but the master must hear MS. Bring
out the master ~
"Come like honest men, in daylight,
and talk it over calmly, " urged mot
at night, like n mob of ruffians with
stones for arguments
Jere Harman had come out to them.
They greeted him with an angry shout.
''We are TO be put off no longer. Is
it our rights by fair means or by foul,
Jere Harman?"
"Your rights" began Jere
Harman in his harsh, stern voice.
saw that Nellie Harman had slipped
out TO her fathers side and laid her
hand pleadingly on his shoulder. She
did not fear the angry men, for will
ingly not one of them would have
harmed hair of her dainty head. L
saw that she would have pleaded with
her father to be gentle with them.
eyes, our rights % yelled voice in
the crowd with an awful oath. He was
drunken or blind with rage-surely he
did not see the girl at her fathers side.
A stone whizzed through the air. 1t
might have been Jere Harman's death
blow instead, it struck her. 1t cut a
great, cruel cash just above the temple.
They sprang toward her-her friends,
her lover-but Nellie Harman put her
two hands out to me with sharp,
gasping cry.
Jack, Jack?" she said, and / caught
her in my arms.
1 have lived over the agony, the
Joy, of that moment all through the
long, lonely hours of this night.
It was big John himself who brought
the doctor and cried like n child when
they told him she was dying. His little
crippled child she had loved and cared
for, and it had died in her arms. "Aye,
and that harm should have come to
her, who was more good and innocent
of wrong than the angels! ~ muttered
Big John, brokenly, as he went away
softened and sorrowful.
Jere Harman sent me out to tell the
men that he had yielded, and in the
silence of death they went away.
The strike is over.
As / sit here in the gray dawn, wait
ing, fearing, dreading the coming of
the morning and the news it may bring,
] hear the clatter of horses hoofs. 1t
is servant from the Hall riding to the
village on some errand.
"What news?" / call out hoarsely,
and learn that the worst is over and
that she will live.
Nellie Harman lowered between life
and death for long weeks, and l
worked as l had never worked before.
Jere Harman left much of the manage
ment of the mill in my hands, and 1
put heart and brain i'll the work or
should have gone mad in those weeks
with the longing to see her face When
she was well again I spent many even
ings at the Hall, talking business with
her father, who came seldom to the
office in those days. He had broken in
health with the recent troubles and had
lost energy, but he was gentler and
kinder than of old.
Harry Desmond was always there. 7
was but dull guest. could not en-.
dure his light the triumph
in his eyes, the happiness in his laugh.
| could not endure that he should call
her by name or smile on her.
was mad fool
/ told Jere Harman that l must go
away; that must have rest, change
a vacation. Gordon, the young fore
man, could take my place, urged,
and he consented, though grudgingly.
The last evening promised him to
spend at the Hall and go over the ac-
counts with him.
Never had Nellie been brighter or
gayer. 1 felt a vague pang that my
going was so little to her.
1t was early when Desmond left, and
1 Immediately rose to go. Jere Har-
man grasped my hand cordially in
farewell, and Nellie said simply "Good-
bye, +" and L went down the path slowly
anu bhulg.
Suddenly heard light, flying step
behind me as 1 reached the shadow of
the trees.
1t was Nellie.
l stepped back in the darkness. She
stopped, as if listening, and then came
toward me.
81 thought 1 should oyertake you,
she whispered, slipping her arm through
mine "Did you think l could let you
go away tonight without Il last word?"
There was something in her voice, a
tenderness, that explained all. She
had come out TO meet her lover, Des-
mond, and mistaken me for him in the
darkness. But to have her SO near was
very sweet. She seemed not to care
for speech. She was very still-iust
clasping my arm and leaning over 30
gently against my shoulder. The
temptation was great was going
away-just to take away with me the
memory of moments heaven!
kissed her.
"Forgive me- / pleaded, desper-
ately 'You thought me your lover,
Desmond, and : was cruel, mad, to
take that kiss Nellie, forgive me,
"But l kissed you, Jack" she
whispered "And you won't go--oh,
Jack Won won't 90 when L love YOU so.