The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-28
SHE SENT JIM AWAY.

trees. Annie came to the door with
preoccupied air that was not altogether
hattering to d lover.
I've got just a minute she said,
Nellie's pretty bad this morning and
I'm trying 10 get things fixed around so
/ can put her out here in the front room
tomorrow-thats why I'm so torn up l
can't ask you to come in, jim"
Jim looked at a pair OF robins atten--
lively for ten seconds and then remarked
interrogatiVely: Il suppose it's no use
saying anything TO you about going TO
the picnic tomorrow
Why, l don't believe l could anyway,
Jim, You know. when other people are
ali celebrating it's d poor time for me
10 get anyone 10 stay with Nellie, and
! always feel bad TO go away from her
on holidays somehow. I'm sorry, jim
If you were sorry much you'd come.
] don't stand much show with you these
days"
A sound reached Armies quick ears,
There's Nellie calling" SAID she. Il
must go, dear Jim, L"
But Jim didn't even hear these last
words; his irritation was breaking out
into dangerous words. He interrupted her;
"All right go on; I'm finding out that
beng engaged TO you is about the same
thing as not being engaged to you Mel
lies the only person you care ABOUT, any
how
Il told you all the time how it was
the girl drew up her slender inquire ana
very seriously.
I'm ready enough to marry you both,
so to speak, but 1t seems to me l am
going TO get either one sure enough.
Then you had better take neither one;
consider that you are free of us both.
/ mean il. Yes, Nellie, sisters coming,
and Annie turned and disappeared in the
house.
There were only the two sisters living
in the little cottage. They were orphans
and Nellie, the youngest was the victim
OF some obscure spinal disease that made
her helpless; she would never be any
better
Jim came back that evening, all his ir-
ritation spent and scared enough OF MS
position. And well he might be.
Annie did not ask him in, and she
would not sit down on the porch with
him. though the flooding moonlight was
enough to soften any heart; but Annie
was a firm little person; her protective
instincts for her helpless little sister were
aroused and she was adamant.
80 come" said Jim, sinking down on
the steps and dropping his head in his
hands, don't be so hard on me. was
a brute, but it was only because l love
Yes said Annie, with alarming gen
tleness, you care about me in way,
but you don't care about my Nellie, and
not that you are TO blame-no man
could put up with things the way lhey
are with US. but Nellie and 1 have 10
hold to each other.
have I'm ashamed l spoke so, but An
ME forgive me and take ne back I'll
always be good TO Nellie; You know l
will"
But no. Annie was sad but firm. I'm
not going TO have any one feeling as II
Nellie was a burden" said she, and any
man would. It's only some one that loves
her like do that would be glad TO try
20 make it up to her for all she suffers.
She sent Jim away and ne left with a
head bowed as # doom had fallen on
it.
The next day was the Fourth of July.
The morning dawned as if the weather,
100. were patriotic. The whole village
betook itself TO the woods for its great
annual picnic. Nellie had been moved
into the front room for her celebration,
that is she could see the people go by.
Ii was Il gala occasion 10 her to sit prop
Jed up with pillows and see happy, Wen
people girls and children in their light
summer best, and stout mothers and
arms. all loading themselves into wagons
and buggies to go Dleasurng.
After the village was emptled ana quiet,
Annie got out some punches OF ire
crackers for Nellie TO play with. She
could not stand the noise of the explosion
near her but she wanted to have a
Fourth as much like other people as she
could so she held the crackers in her
hands and once in a while Annie would
fire one out in the yard. Annie tried
hard to make it a bright day for Nellie,
but she herself heaVed very deep signs
whenever she was by herself. Late in
the afternoon Nellie went to sleep and
then Annie stole out of the house and