Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-21
she was waltzed around in a whirl o
pycitamant

she was waltzed around in a whirl of
excitement!
And when tho evenings amusements
had ended Molly seemed cross when
John pushed his way to the front and
claimed his right of seeing her from tho
park to her fathers cottage gate. She
was irritable and moody. John had
never known her SO before, and it was
with a heavy, aching heart that he
kissed her good night. Nor WA the un-
happiness of his mind diminished when
for several nights after she refused to
take her customary walk with him.
At length the climax came, and one
evening, after he had succeeded in in
ducing her to come with him over the
hills, he received the dread ultimatum
which he had almost expected would
fall. Molly was frank. She avowed
shyly that she did not and could not
love him and then, with a pretty, dis
dainful toss of the head, declared that
she would be glad if he did not worry
her any more. John took the blow
quietly, but the agony Of soul he suffer-
ed no one but himself knew.
Then grave whispers and mods and
winks passed around from house to
house in the village. There were talks
in bated breath Of secret meetings at
night, and Of Molly and the young
squire being seen together. And John
rrD,x1I 1a r,,ncf;cnal hv1t ha nov,nv a =,
swered. His sorrow was for himself
alone-so he would tell himself - it
could not be shared by the curious. 1t
was his wont to 60 and sit by the sea,
and there find a sort Of melancholy sat-
isfaction in the low wall OF the pillows
as they broke in at the foot Of the cliffs.
As for Molly. after III final attempt to
reclaim her, John avoided her. To have
met her would have increased the in
convenience Of both, and in his cast
would have opened afresh the wounds
but hardly healed. In the months that
followed the whispers took all uglier
form, and Longville delighted its soul
at last in a village scandal.
And so Molly went away and left her
poor old father sorrowing.
There was only one who ever defend
ed the fair name of Molly when it was
made a byword with the young roughs
of the place, who loafed outside the vii
lage inn OF at the roadsides. John was
never known to have become SO incensed
as when Il evening in his hearing one
Of these thoughtless youths mentioned
appropriately Molly's name and cou-
pied it with a foul epithet. Then he
thrashed the young lout within an inch
of his life.
After awhile the sad incident was
forgotten-at least until Molly's return
to her home again. Then trouble began
anew. She was very much altered, and
the roses had faded from her cheeks. In
fearful sorrow she would sit and nurse
her baby all day long.
The last act i'll the tragedy came when
one day Molly's father received a note
from the hall. The steward brought it
round, and as Molly's father was grow
ing old and feeble and his sight waning
the steward read the note aloud. 1t was
a formally worded epistle giving the
poor, old, sorrow stricken parent a
months notice because the squire felt
that it was mot conducive to the morals
Of the village that people of Molly's
stamp should be harbored" in the midst
Of his oottagers. Needless to say Molly's
father was almost broken hearted at
the thought Of leaving the house he had
occupied for SO long, while as for Molly
herself her distress was too piteous for
words.
One morning not long after John
stepped down the old roadway, his face
haggard, but the expression firm, reso-
Lutte and determined, He presented him
self at the door Of Molly's cottage and
was admitted. 1t was only q look they
exchanged, and the hoodgates were
opened again, and, having sobbed on
his shoulder awhile, Molly gradually
recovered herself, while John, with a
choking sensation in the throat which
he tried in vain to keep down, avowed:
II have always waited for you, Molly.
I knew you would come back to me"
"But I can't. You forget that is
his" and she pointed in her anguish
to the cot wherein the babe was Stun.
bering peacefully.
John didn't turn his head to look,
but he took Molly in his arms again.
And love was contaminated III serv-
ice. London Sun.