Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-03-02

" ss be, vii iii a5i9ss. Sss:o1; ' Ia. i.:.' D"a; !
know it. Well, forgi' me what a
said. Goodby, Jessie, and God bless
thee, lass, God bless thee?'
Thus Steven Armstrong, as he
turned away from the cottage where
Jessie MacDavitt lived, that cottage
with the gay flowers around it's porch
that made the one bright patch of
brightness in this dismal. dust-be-
grimed country side, blackened every
where by coal, saddened by the lives
of men whose destiny had cast to delve
and burrow beneath the fair earth
that other men might grow rich.
But, somehow, to-day Steve Arm
strong could see no brightness in any
thing. He had been fool, and no
mistake, this great, stalwart, broad.
shouldered miner. He was we'll past
forty; his hair becoming gray, and
sparse on top, quite old to her.
He had been bachelor all these
years. Ho might have known it was
sheer madness now to lavish all the
wealth of his great manly heart on
pretty, winsome Jessie. She did not
want an old fogy like him.
At first she seemed to hear his tale
with gentle tenderness and pity. Bad,
indeed. must be the woman whose
heart remains untouched by the love
of true and honest man. Then u
word or two she dropped almost un-
consciously had revealed the truth.
OF course, Will Benson was the man.
He had been blind fool not to have
seen it long ago. Will was twenty
years younger than himself. On Sun
days Will was quite masber (the
Americanism had grown into common
use even here). Will was Just the lad
to please the girls fancy.
And SO, having settled that matter
in his own mind, Armstrong walked
slowly and sadly away about his bust
ness.
1t was Saturday night. Bar and
parlor of the Miners Arms were
crowded with men. Here the hard
earned money flew merrily; money
which should have gone to wife and
weans at home-money which might
have been as tower of strength in
fighting the battles that labor and
poverty always have to fight
Will Benson was there in the midst
of noisy throng, reeking of beer,
spirits and rank tobacco. He had had
a great deal too much to drink already.
Suddenly some one laid q hand upon
his arm. He turned tipsily, and en-.
countered the serions, steadfast gaze
of Steven Armstrong, who was not
drunk, and had only just entered the
public house.
"Dunnot talk ony moor" the latter
whispered, gently, but firmly.
"Who told thee to interfere, Master
Preacher?"
"No one. T ask thee not to, for t.
sake O. girl who loves thee"
"Did she tell thee to COON pryin'
afther me?"
"Tha knowest betther no that. l
ask thee for her sake, and fur tina own
good. ask thee not t. spend all t.
meet here. Think o. her who'st O. be
tina wife. These chaps do thee no
good. They'll maxi thee spend tina
brass, and when tbs oil gone, they'll
only laugh at thee"
sShew me t mon as III Taught at
mel Ye daren't! It's tina thyself as
are doin' it. Come outside, then, and
we'll see who's T. best mon"
81 Wilma fight wi thee-and GER
tainly not now," Armstrong answered,
slowly and with dignity; it was not
the retraction of coward. His we'll
meant remonstrances had proved
worse than useless; and from that
time those two men felt each other to
be rivals.
Horror and CONSERVATION are spread
e. @h,1,xl, h.