The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-01-30
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


Dut yuurscn. know you now Tor wnat
you are. And loved you so and trusted
you God help mel What do you sup
pose my father would do If were to tell
him9"
He tremblod with foar and exclaimed
anxiously You wouldn't do that. You
couldn't be so foolish Think how 1t
would disgrace yourself. Nobody need
ever know anything"--
81 know, and that's worse than all the
rest of the world knowing"
"Come. Selma, it's too cold out here
on tho bluff to talk over thing of this
sort. Come to my room-the corner one
when all gots quiet, and I'm sure we'll
come to better understanding. You
will, won't you darling9"
mo, l will not. 1 never want to hear
or see you again"
"You feel that way now, but you take
things too seriously, my dear You will
think better of It in the morning. l can't
help the way I'm fixed now, but swear
that II anything ever happens that will
enable us to marry l will make you my
wife. But suppose you will got tired Of
waiting for me and marry some other
man."
I'll After She burst into passionate
weeping, and covering her face leaned
against tho tree.
Come, my dearest girl, don't take on
So" he pleaded, stealing an arm about
her waist.
She recoiled from him, exclaiming
Don't touch mel I'd as lief have o
snake'-
"Don't speak so loud, for Gods sakel
Somebody will hear you"
"Well, what IL they dop It's all got to
some out" But the thought of public
shame restrained her nevertheless, and In
q lower tone she continued: "You want to
slink away from here in the morning be-.
fore anybody is around, before / have to
meet you, and never let ne see your lying
treacherOus face again, or you'll be sorry
for it,
She turned away from him and walked
toward the house. He followed close,
pleading: "But say you'll forgive me,
dear. Won't your You know could not
help loving you"
THAT lie disgusts me. No; I'll not
forgive you. never will. Take heed Of
what 1 say. If see you at breakfast,
shall tell my father ALL and he'll shoot
you like dog, AS you are"
She entered the kitchen and shut the
door. Her mother and Mes had gone to
bed and the fire was smothered with
ashes for the night. The only light was o
tiny flame squirting from the end Of one
protrudng stick Long she sat staring at
it, but seeing only before her limitless
gulf of disillusion, shame and woe. Then
n paroxysm Of violent weeping oyercame
her. She felt that she was going mad.
Suddenly she sprang up, and while the
tears still rolled down her cheeks strode
across the room to the salt barrel, filled
her apron from it, and finging the shawl
upon her rushed out.
There was no wind and the stiffness Of
the night was deathlike. Starlight and
the ditfused whiteness reflected from the
snow enabled her to see clearly enough.
Swiftly she ran down the slOping road cut
through the bluff to the river and out up
on the ice, following faint path trodden
in the snow. In the center Of the stream
where the ice was thinnest over the deep
water of the channel she stopped and scat
tered the salt by handfuls broadcast.
Then she fed back to the house.
At 8 O'Clock Dick Beardsley, after q bad
night, set out upon his road, for he did not
doubt the girl would be as good as her
word. He would go on to Bloomington,
he said to himself, but return by way OF
Spencer and send for his horse from there.
The snow orunched and creaked under his
heavy tread as he strobe down the slope,
and when he went out on the ice 1t crack.
cd and bent alarmingly. But he knew
that young ice is tough, and soon, gaining
confidence, walked rapidly, and laughed
as he thought of his narrow escape.
Midway across, where the ice had beer
eroded and rotted by the salt, he broke
through. Once he rose to the surface
with despalring yell for help. Then
his heavy clothing dragged him down, and
he sank to rise no more