Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-15
,oor May plodded on her way to Win

As't
The excitement which sustained her
Mt starting decreased as the panGs of
hunger attacked her, and a sense of
WEAKNESS came over her. and it was
as much as she could do. slowly and
painfully. to drag one foot after the
other; till, at last. worn out, for
van of food and sleep, and exhausted
by fatigue. she sank donn by the road
side.
"Oh. If l might only die!" she muir
INJURED.
She had started at such an early
hour from Annadale that the sun had
obtained no great height in the heay-
ems when she was obliged to succumb
10 the deadly faintness which came
over her.
For a long time she remained in 4
state of semi-insensibility. She felt as
II her spirit were winglng it's course
away from her body, and size smiled
and rejoiced, for she knew it would
be the happier for her.
After several hourS' rest. though ex-
hausted for want of food. she man
aged to crawl on a few miles further,
and then. emboldened by the good
tempered. rosy face of a farm labor
ers wife standing at her cottage door,
she begged for some bread and water.
Food was brought her, but SO ex-
hausted was she for want Of it, that
she could not eat; and after repeated
efforts she flung herself upon the neck
of the astonished country woman and
burst into a hysterical tit Of sobbing.
1t was a relief to her feelings and
did her good. 1t opened the dam, in
side which her tumultuous thoughts
had been pent UP ;and after a length
ened rest in the cottage she rose re-
freshed and strengthened to continue
her journey.
If my strength will but last me-
she repeated again and again toe her
self as she toiled along the road, Il
will not pause until | reach Winches-
ter. | will not give myself time or OPP
portunity to WAIVER or go back. have
set myself a task. which, painful
though it be, by heavens help, L Will
perform"
On, and still on she went, convinced
that she was doing right and happy
in he consciousness of being able To
alleviate her fathers sufferingS.
But her strength was insufficient for
the task she had set for herself, and
again and again she was forced to stay
and rest by the road side.
She was weary, faint and footsore.
and the shades of night fell, and yet
she was many, many long miles from
Winchester.
Worn out alike in mind and body, she
lay down beneath the shelter of a
hedge and passed the night in the open
air, with the stars shining brightly
overhead and the armament for her
canopy.
Early in the morning, cold and unre-
freShed, h rose TO pursue her way,
but ii was not till the Afternoon that
the sight of the cathedral of the old
town gladdened her eyes.
A few years ago what pleasure IL
would have given her TO visit that fine
old town.
How happy she would have been
then to enter the noble cathedral, TO
gaze down its noble aisleS, and look
with interest on it's many monuments:
but now
Now she had neither eyes nor ears
for the wonders or beauties of the
quaint old English town-her mind
was filled with n thought alone-the
Thought of her fathers deliyerance.
and her consequent misery.
Many eyes rested in admiration on
the pale. regular features of that love
ly girl. as YEARLY she moved her feet
along the roughly-paved streets.
The way to the ~prison-the way TO
the prison!
Ii was her only question; and still
she dragged her weary limbs along,
until she reached the gloomy portal.
She had resolved first TO see her IA
Their before she sought John Gridley;
not with the intention of acquainting
him with her purpose. but simply be-
cause her heart yearned for him-be-
cause she longed to rest her weary
head upon his shoulder, and, If posi-
BILE. comfort him in his affiiction.
My father, Matthew Rivers. is here:
l must see him. she said, to the con-
sequential-looking warder who stood
at the prison gate.
Without altering his position, he
looked Mt her deliberately from head to
foot. dwelling with an admiring ex-
preston upon her face, and then
deigned to answer:
Then you can't"
Il must" rejoined May, decidedly.
You cannot keep me from him am
his daughter
Its impossible"
"Oh. pray let me see him. she cried.
supplicatingly. II have walked many,
many miles for it. oh, you cannot be
so hard-hearted as to refuse me adj
mission
Il have got my orders, and / mean
to stick TO EN-"
Just at this moment n tall. gentle
manipulating man. attired in a suit OF
spotless black. emerged from an inner
door. and the warder, respectfully
touching his hat, spoke a few words to
him.
He nodded his head in reply. and
then advanced to poor, weak, trem-
bling May.
what is it, my poor girl?" he asked.
kindly. Can l do anything for you:'
ooh, sir. my father is there, and they
will not let me see him."
And his name!"
Matthew Rivers, sir"
Il am sorry to say, my poor girl, you
cannot see him. He is too ILL.,"
Ill? My father i'll, and l not there
to nurse him? Oh. let me go to him?
1t is cruel, cruel. thus to separate us!'
ar ;cton 10 vnay said tho naptlapnnn