Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-09-17

thought: but still the wind moaned in
her ears Come. coae.." And the
thought of that uuiet pool would not
be lanisl,ed from her mind.
Was she not deserted and friandless.
for who "a there now 10 whom she
could turn for comfort and support?
Forsaken Ivy Ernest Hartrey-aban-
t,oned 10 the fate she dreaded by her
father-her mother-little more than a
cypher-and John Grldley resolved. at
all hazard. TO make her his wife. She
WAS alone in the world. with no RELIEF
from her Sufferings but death
Sleeping and waking. the thought of
that clear. still pool was ever present
in her mind.
For W days she struggled resolute-
ly against the feeling-combatted the
longing for deatll-and argued with
herself of the sin of self -destruction:
but the agony of mind which she was
in. and which time could not assu?ga.
was too much for her 10 bear. Her
burden WAS too heavy; and on the
morning of the third day she left her
fathers cottage, resol:ed never again
TO return.
1t was no sudden resolution formed
in the wild delirium of despair. II
was the result of thought AMI reflec-
ton as calm rs her anguish would per-
nit.
The world seemed to her but n dull
void. in which she could not live. 70
pass her allotted days on earth as the
wife OF 4 man whom she more than
disliked-to surrender herself to him.
was Il more dreadful fate than she
dared contemplate.
Poor little thing. Her heart was
well-nigh broken, She was not strong
minded and hard, but a loving. tender
hearted. crushed and disappointed girl,
with nothing to look forward to, moth
ing 10 live for.
She did not hide from herself that it
was Il great sin which she contemplate
cd. b had been well educated. and
SHE knew that such an act must offend
the Supreme. who. in His infinite wis
dom meets ont the length of days either
of Joy or suffering TO his creatures.
She knew this. and Ii made her wa
YER in her determination. till. as if the
fioodgates of her mind were opened, Il
torrent Of bitter thoughts and painful
anticipations rushed on a headlong
course, sweeping with them. annihilat-
ing, and celebrating her better nature.
IT Is Il fayorite theme with many that
suicide and temporary insanity are in
SeDlrable: and certainly poor Mary's
mind must have been in a sadly dis
ordered state before She could have
brought herself to think OF self-destruc-
ton us a relief from her sufferings: bur
the thought was there. and would not
be dismissed.
The desire to escape from life, re-
@;lrtlless of the future of another world.
Was strong upon her.
Perhaps She hardly realized what it
was she MISUNDERSTANDING it was
but a giflish fancy. which the sight of
the pool would cause 10 disappear: but
be thar as it may. when she descended
from her own room that dreadful
morning. ii WAS with the determination
that ere night came again she would
sleep the sleep OF death. Graded in the
moss. with the transparent water lap
ping gently over her, and none but the
birds 10 sing her funeral dirge.
She had intended writing a farewell
letter to Ernest Hartrey; bur then. she
thought, why should she send him what
would read like 4 %reproach?
Not would be better she should die
without Il word that he should forget
her--perhaps never care to inquire aft
or her, and in the course Of time marry
some one more his equal in rank than
n maltster's daughter.
Little did her mother know the rea-
son of that tender. loving embrace with
which her daughter babe her adieu: lit
tie did her father comprehend the
meaning OF her more than usually af-
fectionate words To him.
They saw she was sad and mclan-
choly, hut neither guessed to what Il
pitch of despair she was driven.
Ont she went into the open air. The
cold east wind blew blightingly around
her, the dead leaves whirIed in eddies
on every side. and the bare branches
nodded and beckoned to her rs they
had done when she looked ut them from
her bedroom window-the window of
that room which She had resolved
never more to enter alive.
Would they carry her thither, she
wondered. when they found her?
She pictured the scene to herself. and
did not shudder. for she felt that she
should be far beyond the grief and an
guish which now tormented her.
She walked quickly on. hardly motto
ing the looks of those Of her neighbors
whom she met, and who stared after
her amazed. for she walked rapidly,
II returned no answer TO their greet
ings: and they saw, by the expression
on her face. that something ont Of the
common must have happened.
May had soon passed through Anna
dale. and was out in the open country.
come after the hustle, turmoil. grief.
disappointment. and dispair Of the last
few days. No good angel WAS there 10
whisper words Of comfort and consola-
lion. 10 dry her tears. and bid her hope.
Tt was rather a demon who walked by
her side. reminding her of the hateful
fate from which there seemed no es-
cape. but in the eternal rest, and urg.
ing her onward, ana still onward 10
seek relief in death.
AS she approached the spot upon
which she had hxed for self-destruc.
ton, she saw a carriage drawn by two
horses rapidly drawing a
With a natural dislike TO facing her