The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-04-24

GIt(t. 3tlN ltS NttS iiIo oN4i '''''
was lonely. for he had no other rrla.
tive. The house seemed de>pIatc, and
he used to think how Ruth $ presence
there would brighten it. He s.sw hel
growing Sweeter and Sweeter and
6earer to him every day, and So he
spoke agaln
Are you waiting for Jack snlI:~
he said. :.
She answered: 4 am always wait,
ing.
lie was her friend again as he had
been. but he could not think OF any
other face by the tireside of his home,
nor did ne seek TO place one there.
Weeks Slipped away and months. An
other wear, then. AS the holiday
time was coming on, and people We're
trimming up their dwellings with
evergreen and holly, he took her a
great armful of fragrant branches Tor
her little room. and meeting her face
70 face. saw look in her eyes that he
had never seen before. He took her
hand in his and held it. aud her cheek
flushed. He bent his head low and
kissed her mouth.
Are YOU waiting for Jack stlll:'
he asked softly. She answered.
Il have waited long, long while.
I shall never forget Jack: but
But You'll remember me little.
When they parted Clifford thought
himself the happiest man on earth, for
Ruth had promised to marry him in a
week.
The afternoon before he went to
see her, and they spent long and
happy hour together.
Tomorrow she would be his-to.
morrow-to-morrow. He told her
all his plans for their life together.
At last he arose to go.
His hand was on the latch, and he
had kissed her, when there came a
knock upon the door. He opened 1t.
4 man stood there, IN sailors dress.
bronzed, Drowned with wind and
weather, who opened his lips to speak.
stopped with the words upon his lips
and uttered low Cry. 1t was echoed
bv Ruth-Ruth, who tore her hand
away from Clifford. and screamed.
Its Jack. Ny God it's Jack, come
back
Jack. Clifford heard that, and knew
what it meant. His heart seemed to
turn to lump of stone.
Jack has come back to her" he re-
peated; and then rememberingthe wo,
man he loved more than himself, he
spoke bravely:
"Good-by, Ruth Don't mind me.
I'm glad you are happy
Then he was gone, leaving them o.
gether. What was to have been his
wedding eve had come, and Clifford lay
cast down upon the carpet before the
blazing fire, with his head upon his
hands. # he had been a woman, he
could have sobbed. Asit was, he only
moaneo. He was thinking. Just now
the clergyman's servant was lightning
the gas in the parlor be ready for them
and the clergyman was waiting and
his good old wife. Just now, but for
Jack, he would have tapped at her
door, and he would have handed her
into their carriage, and they would
have driven to the parsonage, and the
words would have been uttered, the
sweet, sweet words Of the marriage
service, and those whom God had join
ed no man could put asunder. Alas!
Jack had come and had parted them
forever.
Just then the house door, that al
ways creaked when it was opened,
creaked woefully, and a step crossed
the hall, and the futter of a woman,s
dress came to his ears; and Clifford
lifted up his head, and saw that some
one had come into the room. The day
light was gone, and the fire just gave
a little CLEAN of red, and he could not
see who it was, and called out: WHO
is theres'
Then whoever it was came toward
him and knelt down, and put her
hand upon his head.
Ruth" he cried; "oh, Ruth, why
do you come here?"
Light the lamp" she said, ''and
see why"
lie LII II.
She stood before him in her dainty
wedding dress, in which, no doubt,
she was to be married to Jack. 1t was
very cruel-but he did not tell her so.
He only said<
why do you come back to me,
since Jack has come back to you!"
She lifted her eyes to his and smiled.
SACK did not seek me out, she said.
He rang atmy door by chance. He
dreaded nothing more than meeting
me; for he married to another woman
-hefor whom I waited so long"
Married. Then he looked at her.
Married, and you"
Il have come toyou, she said. i
have not even memory now that IS
not ours. Theman | thought | loved
only a myth that wore his likeness.
And the knowledge has given me no
pain, but only joy, if you still love me,
Clifford" !"
And the lights were not lit in the
parsonage fruitlessly.