The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-20

yearsv' he told himself, as he sal
propped up with pillows in big. black
wooden rocking chair that had roses
painted on the head rest. and gay cal
leo sleeves tied over its stiff arms.
1t was soft spring afternoon; he
was much better: Mrs. Hayes and
Mary had gone home, and only came in
for an hour or two each day to see that
he was comfortable. 1t was Mrs
Hayes who had packed him snugly into
the big chair in the south window, and
put a footstool under his feet, and
drawn a little table with his medicine
and glass of water close to his side.
"Jacob'll help you back to bed. Dicky
as soon as you feel tired; now. mind
don't sit up minute longer than you
feel like 1t! And I'll come in tomorrow
morning and bring some beef tea.
Mary's great on making beef tea"
When she went away Dick sat there
in the sunshine, looking out Of the win
| dow. He made up his mind that he
must get over thinking about Mary;
there was no use; It only worried her,
land it kills me-" he though simply.
He wondered If he could always feet so
duly Indifferent to everything, just be-
cause he couldn't have Mary? The sun
was warm on the grassy slope in front
of the house; a big vessel. coming slow
ly up the river with the tide, leaned,
and her white topsails swelled and
CLEANED and tapped loose again; the
trees at the foot of the garden showed
q faint mist of green; pigeon wheeled
and iuttered down to the doorstep and
sat preening itself and putting out its
white breast. The feeling Of spring,
and Joy and promise was in the air.
"And / don't care darn" Dick
groaned to himself "Well, I've got to
get over this. I'll go away; I'll get out
of It, Mary shan't know why; I'll let
her think I've never thought of her
since the last time spoke. Good Lord
it was two or three years ago! and
I've not gained an inch with her." And
then he opened his eyes. and saw Mary
coming up the path; she was on her
way home from school, and stopped to
know how he was getting along.
Look at you, you careless fellow"
she scolded, you've dropped that
shawl off your knees; what would
Mother Hayes say?"
"Oh, Mary" he said, and somehow
the tears stood in his eyes, he was SO
weak, "I-I've got to go away"
Mary's instant look of concern, and
light touch upon his wrist. showed
what she thought Of such crazy words,
and poor Dick gulped and tried to get
back to his resolution not to tell her.
II don't know why said that-I didn't
mean to-" he told her.
you are tired" she said, soothing
1y. you've been sitting up too long"
Nothing of the Sort" Dick answered,
Grossly. II am only tired of this busi-
ness! Good Lord! Mary-there! I
can't help it; will you take me? didn't
mean to ask again: was just saying I
wouldn't when you came up the path.
Mary, will you take me? If you won't,
I'm going off. I've stood this just as
long as I'm going to-"
Poor Mary turned red and white with
pity. "Oh, Dick" she said.
you know he's dead and gone; you're
only making another men miserable;
and-and you'd be happier yourself"
'Of course he's dead" she said, trem-
ulously, that isn't 1t; it's because l.
I shall always love Don" she burst
out and then fell to crying: and Dick
swore at himself and was ready to tell
her that he didn't care the least in the
world for her-if 1t would comfort her
any.
But nothing comforted her. She went
home along the river road in the pleas
ant spring dusk, her eyes blurring and