The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-03

were more than friends; when James
didn't pass Mary in the lane, but
strolled with her across the hills, or
stood looking at the moon with her
across the gate, or sat with her on the
warm side of the hedge. Ay, that day
came. 1t comes to us all. Sure it's love
that makes the world go round. James
dear, says Mary; Mary, darlin',' stam-
mers James, and there's a new world
spinning below the stars. All, sirs, but
youth is heavenl
ITO all appearances they made a
well-matched pair, as likely, you might
say, as two saplings that grew on the
same ditch; only, when you eyed them
well and looked below the bark, you
were blind if you saw no difference be-
tween them. Difference? Why, there
was the wide world of a difference
James was a big, strong lump, sober
and willing, and ready with his hands,
good looking, too, in his way and big of
the heart; but as obstinate and thick
in the temper as a tinker's mule. HUI
NOR James and he'd go on wheels;
thwart him and he was like any gate
post. But Mary was slim and supple
and soft, q likely colleen with hair like
jet and eyes that were always dream
ing. She had the look, sometimes, Of
one that sees things in the air, or pic
lures in the fire. You'd find her stand
ing by tlA roadside just incoming at the
sky, or sitting By the hearth staring at
the crook; and if you spoke maybe
she'd hear you and likely she wouldn't.
What used she to see2 What kind of
a mind had She2 What was it she
found in big thick-witted James TO
care about? How was it she gave
herself to him? How was it, at last
that she nearly broke her heart when
one day they quarTeled over a, trifie,
and he left her there on the hillside,
and took the queens shilling, and
staggered away to foreign parts2 God
only knows. No man can rad the
heart OF a woman. Shes a curious
unknOwable mortal; and Mary was
more than unknOwable, with her big
eyes that looked at you and never saw
you.
80 James marched away in his reg
imentals out into the big world, and
there behind him Mary waited and
watched all the days of his soldering,
hearing from him once in q blue moon
writing to him often and often; just
lived lonely on the hillside and waited
patient till one day he came swagger-
ing back to her. straight in the back
and like a niger in the face, bringing
little with him but his big self. and a
handful of trif1es from behind the sea-
and q spear wound from heather be-
low his shirt. Man. but he marched a
hero among the hills Boys but his
tongue scattered lies about the hearth
stonesi All sir, but Mary was glad to
see him and walked proud by his sidei
She was happy now. happy as any
queen. There was no dreaming in her
eyes now when she looked at James, no
signing when he spoke, no incoming
when she sat by him at the hearth. She
just worshiped him; and he thought
well of her to be sure, and one day
they Joined hands before the parson
and he married them.
They. settled down on q wee farm
back there beyond the canal; and in
their way MANAGED bravely. True
enough their roses had lenty o. thOrns:
still, blossoms came sometimes. James
WIS steady and ready, the knack Of
work came back to him after "a while;
he did what he could Mary strOVe her
best, looked happy, and was contented
Like many another couple in these
parts they seemed settled down for
life; little beside them, little except
drudSery before them, but enough
with the help of God for all their
nee'Is- They had health they had
friends. they had a roof above them.
a bit TO eat. and as much to spare as
would pay the rent; what better or
passed and the months tramped by
Spring came and went; summer slipped
away; autumn brought the harvest
and left II snug; winter crawled in
and the land went asleep. James put
away his spade and fell to making nets
by the hearthstone. Mary took to
dreaming again as she sewed near the
candle. About Hollentide a child was,
born to them All seemed well and
promising well. And then the blow
fell, came swift and sudden, like a, flash
from the sky or a bullet from a trench.
All. but war Is the sore thing:
but it's cruel and heartlessl Like
death it spares no one. The happier
you are the harder it hits you. And
the ones it hurts most are the ones
that never see it, the ones that sit
ireading at home.
1T was only the othe- day that the