The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-04-14


sheep moved in leisurely fashion
along the steep sides of the fells, and
a pair of lovers fingered in the dene,
too absorbed in their own insignificant
portion of the worlds business to pay
much attention to the impending trou-
BILE.
The girl was young, and on her
cheeks doomed 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.
cts hard upon me, Ralph; you must
confess that!" she exclaimed, with
touch OF bitterness, as her blue eyes
looked wistfully up through mist of
tears. 1T isn't ma fault that aw can
ma keep him straight, and yet avn
to be punished for it, as if it was!"
cts to be all over betwixt us, then,
because yer fayther wishes it," the
girl went on in tremulous voice.
Ralph shuffled about from enc foot to
the other for minute or two, then he
burst out:
"How can aw say it-what would We
hev me do, Nelly? If the aad man
turns me off awe nowt O. my own to
live on. Aw nun stick tie the farm
and tie him-damn him! Ye swadn't
like to see me hire DOT for 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, manners,
sweetness Of disposition, loyalty of
heart? Though she was only the
child of drunken, disreputable old
shepherd, she could hold her own
against any of the farmers daughters
in the neighborhood It was this fact
of her unfortunate parentage that had
proved the stumbling block to their
happiness. They had been thrown to-
gether from childhood, for Martin Dag
lish, 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, it 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 to close, the drunkard
had made tremendous effort, for the
sake Of his child, whom he fondly
loved, to reform; and Farmer Wilson
had, rather reluctantly, given his con-
sent to the marriage
That eff" 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 it was that Farmer Wilson in
terfered with high hand, and with
drew his consent peremptorily. 1t was
all very we'll 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 poor girl whose father was
shame and a disgrace to the neigh
borhood was too idiotic an act to be
tolerated without some endeavor being
made to put a stop to it.
Ralph Wilson was weak, though
well-intentioned, and he proved as
wax in his fathers hands.
Before the conclusion of the scene
he had promised to see Nelly, and to
induce her to give him back his
plighted troth.
The Interview now proceeding was
the result of that promise.
Don't you imagine that you have
the worst of it, Nelly" said Ralph, as
he felt again the charm Of her pres
ence; "these things come more hard to
man than woman, because they're
not so patient"
Nelly sighed.
"But men can go away, and forget
all about their disappointments! They
ha' lots to think about But we women
folk-we just ha' to bide it and say
nothin', though our hearts be ever
SO sore! Oh Ralph, lad, I wish we'd
never seen one another!"
Ralph, moved by a sudden impulse
drew the girl to him, and, with pas
sionate vehemence, kissed her lips over
and over again. E-s. .. - .
IT cannot help it-they are the last"
he muttered alphabetically, as he re-
iuctantly released her; "but it is cruel
downright cruel-that we ha' tn
part! And all for the sake of q
drunken good-for-nothing, that might
have broken his neck half a dozen
times this winter, if that mistaken
providence that watches over such like
wastrels hadn't prevented it! Hang
him!~ I wish he were dead!"
Don't Ralph! I cannot bide to hear
you ...... 49,.
What good is his life? It doesn't
benefit one living creature-not even
himself! You ought to wish it, too.
Nelly, instead of Gliding me. Ay. and
you would, if you cared half as much
about me as do about you
Nelly drew herself slowly away, and
looked him straight in the face.