The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-10-09
BY CHANCE.

and showed him how to spin tops, ana
perhaps because 1 used TO help him
out of scrapes, either with his teacher
or some playmate too large for him to
slick" AT all events, got the name
and it has stuck to me. What sur
prised me most, however, was to hear
it few weeks ago, when 1 supposed
Jack was thousands of miles away. L
was strolling leisurely down nn old
street in Dublin, looking about for
some old landmark of the stamping
ground" of my childhood. How
things had changed! Yonder where
the little frame church had been was
stately stone edifice; over the old
golf links had been built long rows of
stores and houses, but there-yes, it
must be-there was house that had
not been changed.
Governor" said voice behind
me, "isn't that the house where Alice
lived?"
never should have known the
speaker had it not been for the cpl
thot; it was Jack, careworn and gray
and looking thirty-fve instead of
twenty-seven.
Jack, old boy, what brings you
here? thought you were in Amer
ica."
az have been in New Orleans for
good many years Helen used to like
the climate. But the company's agent
here has left, and ! must needs come
and take care of the business until
another man is appointed. Besides,
the president knew that l once lived
here, and thought it would be both
change from my surroundings and a
pleasure to see the old place. But,
isn't that Alica's old homer"
YES" said I, 81 am quite sure of
it; but you ought TO know best wasn't
she once a sweetheat of yours?"
"Oh, don't speak OF that You
pain me! 1t brings back such food
of sad recollections even to look upon
the old scenes. 1 don't know that
you have heard, but am widower."
"My poor fellow! L extend you
my most heartfelt sympathies. But
/ didn't know that you had ever mar
ried. However, we have kept such
poor track of each other that / don't
wonder at my ignorance. But can't
yop tell me something of yourself?
Come, I'm your governor.
"Well, governor, said he, with
faint shadow of his old smile, "I
left for America nine years ago. 1
went straight to Quebec and lived
there three years. 1t was there that
I met her who became my wife. We
were married just six years ago last
month. Her health failed and we
went South. She grew worse, gave
birth to our first child and died.
That was little over two years ago,
and as the child is in good hands (my
sister-in-law's) 1 consented to come
here"
''But Jack, what made you go to
America? Why didn't you say here?"
Well, it was the same old tale of the
young workingman not being fit to
marry his idol. AS you said, Alice
was my sweetheart; she said so her.
self, dear girl, but her brother Tom
there was the difficulty. called on
Alice very often and had asked her to
be my wife, though was but nineteen.
She said Yes, but Tom wouldn't hear
of it. Itried to bring him around by
all manner of means, but he was res
olute. He had never liked me and he
never hesitated to tell me SO in fact
he took great pleasure in berating mt
before me, as we'll as behind my back
"One night think it was Hallow
cen a crowd OF young fellows go
on lark and in their sport took Tom
small donkey ont of its shed, and
pushing it upon the roof of n wagol
house, which sloped almost to thu
ground, tied it there. Tom though
/ was the prime mover in the trick
though l knew nothing of it, and nc
cordingly the next night, when
called, promptly showed me the door
with the injunction never to set foo
inside it again.
, II saw Alice at times, but sh
seemed somewhat changed. So, afte
/ had tried all in my power I
straighten things. ! got angry abou