The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-05-03


the waters OF the burn foamed and
frett0i about the great gay powders
contb uously. A dull. red sun scarce
managed Go pierce through the pre-
vailing grayness. and masses OF blue
black cloud lay low upon the horizon.
Anyone familiar with the district
that wild. bleak. barren country con-
,lguous 10 the Cheviol range would
have known instinotiyely that bad
weather was In store. that the long
expected snow would make lis appear
ance ere long Between the fitful
gusts Of wind there vas something
solemn and impressive In the aspect OF
nature. and In the heavy. liieless at
mosphere; something that suggested
a breathless awaiting FOR the coming
storm.
Meanwhile the scattered fooks OF
sheep moved In a leisurely fashion
along the steep sides Of the fells. aud
a pair OF lovers fingered In the dene'
too absorbed In their own Insignificant
portion Of the worlds business 20 pay
much attention To the impending trou-
BILE.
The girl was young aud on her
checks bloomed the roses Of vigorous
health, but she was poorly dressed;
while the young man. who was enact
ing-after a somewhat mean fashion
the part Of lover. looked prosperous
and well-to-do.
Its hard upon me. Ralph; you must
confess that" she exclaimed, with
touch OF bitterness. as her blue eyes
looked wistfully up through a mist OF
tears. II isn't ma fault that aw can
ma keep him straight. and yet avn
to be punished for il. az II II wasl"
Ralph turned his head away. lie
could not bear TO meet the pathetic ap-
peal Of her eyes. lie had imagined
himself stronger until that moment
II had required some courage 10 face
the ordeal which proved worse than he
had anticipated He was fine, ath-
letic looking young fellow. but there
was feebleness about his mouth and
Jaw that did not promise much moral
stamina.
Its TO be all over bctwixt ms. then.
because yer fayther wishes it," the
girl went on. In a tremulous voice.
Ralph shufiled about from one foot TO
the other for a minute or two. then he
burst out:
How can aw say lt-what would "a
hev me do. Nelly2 II the aad man
turns me of awe nowt o. my own to
live on. Aw nun stick te the farm
and te hlm-damn him! We wadn't
like TO see me hire DOT for a hind or
a shepherd-me that's been browt up
decently?"
Nelly knew nothing OF the world. In
this remote north country nook had
her whole life been passed. and from
the larger life that books might have
opened out her lack OF education had
debarred her.
Where. in all that countryside. could
her equal be found in looks mannerc.
sweetness OF disposition. loyalty OF
heart? Though she was only the
child Of a drunken. dIsreputahle old
shepherd. she could hold her own
against any Of the farmers daughters
In the neighborhood. Il was this fact
Of her unfortunate parentage that had
proved the stumbling block to their
happiness. They had been thrown to-
eether from childhood. for Martin Dag
llsh. the shepherd. had grown old In
Farmer Wilson's employment. and an
attachment had sprung up between
them when Nelly bloomed into woman
hood; but. alas. for the course Of true
love. Il had from the first been shad-
owed by the shame and degradation
Of the girls father.
During the course OF the year that
was drawing 10 a close. the drunkard
had made a tremendous effort for the
sake OF his child. whom he fondly
loved. to reform: aud Farmer Wilson
had. rather reluctantly. given his con-
sent to the marriage
That "ifl" A month before this the
shepherd had broken out again. worse
than ever for his enforced abstinence.
and had become the object Of public
scorn and contumely.
Then II was that Farmer Wilson in
terfered with a high hand, aud with
drew his consent peremptorlly. II was
all very well to marry a poor girl
though even that was "A foolish con
Germ when capital was required to de-
velop the resources OF the land; but
TO marry a poor girl whose father was
a shame and a disgrace 20 the neigh
borhood was too idiotic an act TO be
tolerated without some endeayOr being
made TO put a stop to II.
Ralph Wilson was weak. though
vell-intentioned. and he proved as
wax In his fathers hands
Before the conclusion Of the scene
he had promised 10 see Nelly. and TO
induce her to give him back his
pllghted troth.
The interview now proceeding was
the result OF that promise.
Don't you imagine that you have
the worst Of Il. Nelly" said Ralph. as
he felt again the charm OF her pres
ence; these things come more hard to
a man than woman because they're
not so patient
Nelly sighed
But men can 30 away. and forget
all about their disappolnimentsl They
ha' lots TO think about. But we women
folk-we Just ha' 10 bide Il aud say
nothin', though our hearts be ever
30 sorel Oh. Ralph. lad. | wish we'd
never seen one another"
Ralph, moved by 4 sudden impulse.
drew the girl to him, and. With pas.
sionate yehemence. kissed her lips over
and over again.
Il cannot help it-they are the last"