Evening journal., 1897-02-08


kissed his widowed mother, who would |
tho testimony of an archangol, and went /
out into the frosty air, straight to the
station and away to town 80 miles |
distant, to mako q fresh start. Ills
sweetheart was still in the min BE
ought of course, TO have waited for her
and told her. But he didn't He would
write. She would learn soon enough.
The village wculd buzz with the news
as though the now 'hcotor . he'd pro.
claimed If hy nightfall And it did
There were girls who seemed glad 20
iell Rachel, and when she fared up and
said:
"Yo' know as well as Aw do'at Jim
meier did it, d" they only replied;
"Wcll, he's ta'cn his hook, at any
rate. Yor Aunt Bot seed him goo an
SAYS good riddmce TO bad rubbidge
She doesn't seem 10 think as wcel o.
Jimmie as her niece does. What could
Rachel say? She went home with rage
in her heart against horaunt, and some
thing like resentment against her lover
for hasting away without a word to the
girl who could have died for him. All,
little did she think, yet even now dead
misery had taken possession of her.
''Wen, Miss Proudie. an how's thy
fine gentleman naaY' (Aunt Bets own
lad had had hopes of tho "ofiice" once,
but had turned out a wastrel; hence her
bittolmess) "Aw thout wot it 'ud be-
Some fowk can't stand gettin up i tn
world Prido'n hov a fa', an thy whip
persnappor's come a cropper, at ony
rate "
In tongue warfare Rachel was no.
where. Besides Aunt Bet wasn't worth
answering. Then, that very day, the
| overlooker had threatened to reduce her
/ to two looms ard had humblcd her SO
terribly before the other weavers that
all the spirit seemed clean gone out Of
her. She went to bed, but not TO sleep.
The "lnocker up had an easy task
next morning. That day was the black
est Of many black ones during the past
few weeks, and now no lovers comfort
awaited her Everything went wrong.
Tho stuff wouldn't weave. Her looms
seemed bewitchod. The overlooker over
looked with q vengeance
"Yoll start on two looms tomon, -
he said "Think ON thatl Aw've lots a
wcnches o. IL at weave better nor thee
an do moor wark ON two looms tan tina
con o. three.
1t was the last straw. She dare moi
face Aunt Bet and her sneers.
ooh, jim, Jim, was the cry Of hei
heart, "why couldn't you say a word {,
me?" For when her heart spoke it criot
for Jim, and not for looms Coming ont
of the hot mill it was bitter cold. Sh,
drew her shawl over her head and hur
ried away-nCt Go the place she callet
"homc. She scarcely knew whore Sd,
went A hopeless despair weighed OF
her sensitive spirit Tears, umchocLo,
and unhceded, dropped as she walked
Anywhere, anywhere, out Of Tn
worldv' would have been her oxclnma
] ton could She have expressed her deep
3 est wish. Suddenly she found herself o
e the top of the reservoir embanAmoni
q The moon was shining upon the water
D which sparkled ana shone with @ crys
D tallino brillanco.
4 "There's nowt left to live for, an
won't hve" and, casting her shaw
D from her she threw herself from ia
b embanlument. There was a sharp, ring
] ing sound. The moon shone on, and al
was still.
.
"Now, Aw wonder what's come on
r about this money?' thought Jim Sum
c ner as he struck the reservoir bank o
his way from the station home. Folk
Y are fain to stay in tonoot, Aw reckon
p Aw'm glad nob'y'n see me till Aw'v
2 cleared myself clearin it is-an
n what can tn masters ha' taken tn trou
s. bic to get my address fro' mother-fo
u no'dby else knew it--an telegraph fo
e me to come instantly, if it's not? My
% but tn frost has bin keen this two day.
Aw'll bet tn lodge Il bear sosayinf
p no ran down and tried it with his fool
e and, finding it safe, walked q distanc
l. on the margin.
S whats that? Good hcavensl' II
IS had stumbled over the prostrate form {
y q woman lying few feet from the en-
banlmont. The ice was starred in ever
y direction where her head had struck il
d Poor worchl' He turned her over, an
u the moons light fell upon face he ha
s. often kissed Hercelod as though he Ina
d received the blow that made the bloo
g flow from that marble brow. How col
r. she wasl But She breathcd. He pickle
/. her up and carried her, he knew nC
is how, up the bank and away till he stas
N gared into his mothers cottage.
* Could She be in better hands? Sti
Al unconscious, but with signso of rcturnin
It animation, hc left her and hastened
u the mill The lights still burned in q
)t Office The masters were seated by ii
e. fire, and in tho background sat tho me
sanger and Jabez Smethurst.
s. How dye Go, James-you got OF
rs wircg"
m 81 did, sir thank you.
D. "Boy, tell as again what you to'
this morning. Whcrcupon the penitei
lad, with fearful looks at Jabez, FOL
u how tho overloozcr had tarrofi2od hi
y about small betting Gcbts; how, 40 n
M inefi0afion be had obtained a blar