The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-20
WON AT LAST.


worked.
But time goes by for young and old 1t
seemed but little while tlII Nellie became
almost a woman. and il was no longer
proper for her TO go to Joe's forge; but,
to be sure, he could go to her.
And now, not to finger by the way, Joe
had learned to love her with the love of
manhood, and she returned his love. They
would have been very happy but for Mel
lies father; the old man would have her
look higher than blacksmith. So when
Richard Ross-young, handsome and rich
came to the cottage the old man smiled
and encouraged him.
This Richard Ross was not worthy Of
Nellie. For all his riches, his heart was
merest dross beside the pure gold of Joe's.
When he passed the shop, the sturdy smith
brought his hammer down like an angry
giant, for, you see, this Richard Ross was
stealing his life away.
Yes, stealing his life away. Joe's rudy
face grew pale; if the torture continued
long, death would be the end. You may
judge from this how much he loved her.
Still he went TO see her. If he found
Richard Ross there, he left hastily, and
rushing back to the forge, worked like
mad till midnight
One evening Nellie's father shut the
door in his face with Il don't want you
coming here any moreP'
Joe knew how obedient the girl was,
and the words struck him like a sword
The next day he received a note, SO sad,
from little Nellie. 1t said she loved him
still, but he must not come again. Her
father said So. He commanded her to lis
ten to Richard Ross; she had never dis
obeyed her father yet; she could not do so
now. "But 1 will plead and pray, dear
Joe, and you must hope"
But Joe did not hope. He gave her up.
He felt angry with her, too. for her obedi-
ence to her father.
Time went on, and the blacksmith grew
paler yet. He grew morose, too, and I'M
like himself, and the village loungers no
longer loved to gather at his forge. The
name of Richard Ross maddened him.
Once he caught one by the throat for say
ing Richard and Nellie were to be married
soon.
One day the idiot of the village, "Crazy
SAM" stood watching joe The lad had
something on his weak mind and nodded
and shook his head in glee. Then he drew
from his pocket two silver pieces and gazed
/ on them with swelling pride. Finally he
asked:
"Why don't you cry, Joe Mann? Why
don't you cry?''
The blacksmith glowered on him from
under a frowning brow.
I'D cry if I was you, Joe," said the
idiot. 'I'd cry if Richard Ross stole my
gall
With sound that was half roar of
rage and half a groan of pain Joe sprang
upon him, and in an instant had borne
him to the floor and set his knee upon the
idiots breast.
In another moment he might have
killed the boy, but that the idiots help
lessness and terror made him pause and
recalled him to himself. 4 thought struck
him.
'who told you to say thats" he de-
manded.
Orchard Ross. He gave me the money
for to say it,
"The low houndr' shrieked Joe. "Heav-
en- have mercy on his soul!''
He released Crazy Sam and went about
his work again quite calmly, but the pal
Tor of his face was awful to see.
When evening drew on, he picked up
long, rusty knife blade and fitted it in to
stout handle Then be stepped to his
grindstone and sharpened and ground the
rusty blade.
All, but Joe was changed There were
despair and murder in his noble heart.
The night fell, and he stood knife in
hand silently waiting.
Orchard Ross leaves her home at TO-"
he muttered, land goes on the lonely road
through the woods.''
When it came 9, he could wait no Ion
ger, but sped away to his am bush. Behind
two trees, growing close together, which
tened.
He had an hour to wait. The silence
was awful No bird sung among the trees,
and the leaves hung lifeless, stirred by no
breath of wind.
Joe pressed his hand to his forehead and
found it burning hot. He began TO be
afraid, he knew not of what, perhaps his
own soul. He felt his murderous purpose
weakening. He rose and walked about
the wood and thought about his wrongs
This gave him new resolve, and he return
ed to his hiding place and crouohed again.
But again his terror was renewed. and the
hand which held the knife trem bled. The
village clock struck 10 and at every stroke
he shuddered
He heard footsteps on the road. Nearer,
nearer, came the man for whom he wait
ed. For a moment Joe's mind seemed
gone. Before his eyes be great sea
of blood. From him fell great drops of
cold sweat. Nearer the footsteps came.
His brain cleared, and he could dirnly see
the young mans form a few feet from
him. He gazed through the trees to the
sky and saw single star looking down
upon him like the eye of God. With
shrek of fear he flung the knife from him
and fed-from murder.
1t was over and blood was not upon his
soul.
All that night he lay like one dead upon
the floor of his little shop. The morning
sun, forcing its way through the dusty
window, fell upon him there. Miserable
as the man was, it saw no better sight
than this crushed soul saved from crime.
But some one brighter than the sunlight
entered the door. 1t was Nellie. She saw
him there upon the floor and her blue eyes
filed with tears She bent over him and
touched him gently.
''Joe, dear Joel'' she called.
He sprang to his feet, gazed on her cold
" and would have fed, but she restrained
him.
"Joe,' she said, III have hoped have
pleaded have prayed have won.
Take me in your arms
Not yet did he understand her, ana she
added: