Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-31
A WILLOW BY THE BAR.

patiently Tor the Hnllkmniu.
One evening, young girl sat in that
and It's last rays touched her dimpcd
arms, the gold of her hair and the
streams that fell with n musical tinkle
into her tin pail She was singing a
merry tune in time with the dropping of
the milk. aud her white hands looked as
graceful as those of any girl who plays
the Piano nowadays.
80 at least thought the young man
who had stolen up to the bars and stood
regarding the unconscious singer admir-
ingly.
with you musici' lie said at length
Il was rendered specchless by il myself"
Molly started and the color flashed
over her face "ln which division do
you class yourselfg' she asked saucily.
He laughed II certainly am not a
bird, he said, and | hope | am not a
beast"
John paused by the bars. and, stoop-
iing' placed a willow, wand he held In
his hand IN the ground This viii make
4 shade for you some day, Molly, aud
VIII love you as long as IL lives"
IT Will be dead by tomorrow night"
Molly replied teasinGly.
will" " "'''' you
She remembered the words and their
y
days after this her lover told her that
he had enlisted in the army, aud that
~ Que more week he would go away.
Molly bore the news braVely, but her
heart seemed like lead in her bosom.
And when the day came that took him
from her, she flung herself down by the
willow and sobhed out her grief alone
Letters were not plenty In those days,
SO, the lovers seldom heard from each
other Molly spoke in every letter of
Cousin Harry and how kind he was to
her. Indeed. It seemed to John that the
two speut Most of the time together.
So after a little John began to read her
letters. with a frown aud to brood over
them in secret.
After a few months a furlough was
granted John. and he started ioyfully
hOmew1rd. Molly. Molly. Molly! The
name kept ringing IN his ears Ht would
see her soon. How long the way seem
ed!
When he reached the neighboring town
he fell in with an acquaintance who was
very glad TO see him, and the two men
set ont from the inn where John had
stopped to rest. As they walked along
his companion told John all the home
nows, and just before they parted he
said:
you did well to come home and look
after your sweetheart. Her handsome
cousin is consOling her only too well
In YOUR absence"
The words were spoken merely to
tease John, but to his jealous soul they
We're Confirmation suro." He muttTcd
an unintelligible reply and strobe away.
What if her cousin had stolen her
heart away She was all he had in the
world to love; his 'One eve lamb
Walking slowly along, buried In thought,
he became aware of voices aud the
sound of laughter. Two persons We're
coming toward him, but they did not
see him.
1t was Molly and very handsome
man. whom John at once surmised was
cousin Harry" Molly was laughing
| gniy, her cheeks We're flushed, and her
| eyes sparkling with fun. John was not
more selfish than other men, but it
would have been gratifying TO him to
see her looking a little pale and thin
| for his. sake. But TO see her so happy
| and enjoying life so well maddencd him.
He stood still, looking at her. Pres.
emily she saw him aud sprang forward
| with a glad cry, both hands Outstretch-
| ed. There was no answering smile on
his face, nor did he move one step to-
ward her. She paused, chilled and fright
encd
why. John" she cried, what is the
matterT
Her cousin, in the meantime, seeing
| that the newcomer was her lover, had
| strolled discreetly away.
"You have borne my absence well!'
John said with sheer. You look quite
| cOntpnted"'
What do you mcanT asked Molly in
perplexity.
fierce anger blazing forth: "lf you don't
promise me never to speak again to that
whiskered bahoon who was with you,
I'm done with you, foreyer9
1 10 n lifp md
set II admire your choice of Language
she said quietly. Your speech Is not
| only elegant but so witty
''Never mind my language" he re-
piled roughly. ut suits your conduct
very wellH'
"Will you promise met'
Certainly moi" replied Molly In low
voice MY cousin was my playmate and
has been a kind friend to me always. l
| would not be so unjust to him. a.,
"if YOU do not promise he said, 81
will never look on your face again.
"As Won please" she replied carelessly.
After a moments silence she drew his
~ from her finger and held II out to
him, saying, Il do mol care ior 'i'' "i'
He snatched the pretty circlet from
| hnr and ground 1t sayagely under ms
heel. then without word turned my ~,
strobe away. Molly watched nm WIN
| ouuuiglpu chart, M luei ahh'i -. r,ft'.s
| MI ,yby had She been so cruely why
didd' she not try to soothe his wrath ln-
stead of letting her foolish pride sepa-
r1te them foreveri Surely he wouiu NOT
i's She wv watched for his coming every
day, until she learned that he Re, was XII Gos ae
ibe DAYS went by, till the war was emu,
ed ed. The troops came marching mar aHs ,l HS@s
| with flying colors. but me Que ""oi"
M" No one could tell anything about him;
His comrades only knew Sh Sd f I6sI t heg
peun - I'm he was fighting CALAMITY.
Molly made the willow he had set ,,, a
monument to weep over ,,rrvs as she lHs S MSpa
1anca set around It to keep away wan
dering cattle, and she tended 1t care
| fully. -, ,..ioe but
| Alton in the midnight hours she WOKE
with the sick, despairing, feeling o. loss pss
md pain. Womanlike, she iorsnhe me
| - ~. nf tnp ulnrftls uHu