Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-08

her knees to the floor ana streicnea
forth her arms in an agony or ehtrea'.,
Her beautiful hair came unfasteneo
and fell in Il luxuriant shower oVef nei
shoulders and her eyes. always Deau,i-
full. looked doubly ST as, b~eseechlnSi!,
she turned them from one TO the o'ler
of the two men, who. in the name oi
the law, had come TO Annadale 10 per
petrate so great a cruelty.
TO see this fair young girl kneelihs
nj their feet-to see the agony OF spirit
of the poor feeble old MAINLAND 10
know HAT separated from them only
by a few planks. was the corpse OF one
who had been so dear TO rather anu
dauchtpr-moyed even the hearts OF
the Two men. whose daily life was
passed I'm scenes OF distress.
They withdrew into a corner OF the
room and whispered together.
II Tell you what. miss, it's against
all rules, but in this ease we THINK we
ma venture to 20 out or the way Il
bit"
"Oh. thank you-thank you a thous-
and times"
Nav poured forth her acknowiedg-
mpnts for their forbearance with un-
feigned eagerness: and Matthew XIV
ers raised his head from the taDie,
scarcely able 10 believe that he heard
Alright.
I'VE can give your father till AFTER
the funeral. miss. but that's al Az
SOON as he comes back from II ehurch-
ward lie must be off with us to WIN
chester"
May sighed. She knew it would be
useless for her to ask for further ln-
diligence. and she was truly gratefui
TO the men for that they had already
granted.
Had she been left alone with the
earthly remains of her mother IN mat
cottage she would have been driven
almost distracted by sorrow.
But we must have some secu-
rity, miss, that there will be no
attempt at escape in the meantime
no running away to Portsmouth. Tor
example, or anything of that kind
Il promise you | will attempt nothing
of the sort. said the maltster.
That's all very we'll. and we believe
YOU: vet still. if we were deceived, it
would he ruin to us: so, if you can just
get a couple of ~householders to stand
security for YOU until tomorrow
cIHIIOi uo IL. lhul wv IN hi'NN
ster. mo one here would be answera-
BILE for me-"
DO not say that. father. They an
not refuse To aid you in so great a
strait
'"They IAN and will!'
NAY. father; | will beg and entreat
Il will supplicate until it will be inl-
possible for them 10 refuse!
AS she spoke. she hastily put on her
hat and clok, and prepared to go u
into Annadale, determined not to re-
turn to the cottage until she had ac-
complished her purpose:
The proud spirit of the maltster de-
INJURED at imploring aid o those
who, when misfortune was upon him,
turned their backs instead of lending
him 4 helping hand; and, moreover, he
doubted his daughter being b that
which she was about to undertake.
But the emergency was great; and,
with a weary sigh, he suffered her 10
depart upon her errand.
May went forth in her mourning,
sorrowful yet hopeful, leaving her IA
Their to the custody of the two men
whom the spite of John Gridley had
sent over from Winchester to ruin him.
Poor May had, certainly, moderated
the difficulty of the task she had un-
dertaken; but the e~loquence of grief
and the energy of despair nerved her
to great exertjons; and when she re-
turned to her fathers cottage it was
with two nelghbors, who had consent
ed to become answerable for Matthew
Rivers s~afe-keeping until after his
wife's funeral.
The funeral of Mrs. Rivers was as
sad a sight as Anuadale had ever wit.
messed.
The news of the widower's insolven-
cy, of his arrest and of his misery.
had spread rapidly through the vii
lage; and the sad tale had moved the
hearts of many who had before been
disposed to speak slightingly of him.
1t was a pitiful sight to see hat old
man, as he stood, bareheaded by the
side of the open grave, his white hair
blown about by the wind, and his eyes
wet with tears.
Tears to the memory Of his wife;
tears at his own sad position. and tears
at the thought of the possible fate of
his W darling May, left penniless,
fricndless and homeless. TO wander
whithcrsoever she would ii carr q pre-
carious livelihood, and, perhaps, TO
look forward 10 death as the greatest
blessing earth could afford.
The funeral was over-the coffin was
covered with mould; and Matthew Riv-
ers, almost blinded by his tears, got
int o the gig which was waiting to con
vey him to Winchester. having first
tenderly embraced his daughter and
hidden her adieu.
One of the men sent over by John
Gridley took possession OF the cottage,
and remained behind; and the other,
esated by the side of the broken
hearted, ruined maltster, drove the
fa~st-trotting pony which ives to. con-
yey the old man to his prison.
AS they passed through Annadale,
many a hat was raised in token OF ST
lent respect to Matthew Rivers. What
ever might have been his faults, they
could not choose but sympathiZe with
his misfortunes.
Poor May stood at the garden gate,
gazing down the road long after the
gig had disappeared in the distance.
Her eyes were fixed but tearless-her
lips quiyering eve I'D anon, but no
sound came from between them.
Words of comfort and consolation,
gently whispered in her ear were I'M
noticed.