Evening star., 1901-03-02

tramped by. spring came anu went, Sum-
mer slipped away; autumn brought the
harvest and left it 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 do!-
Ientide a child was born to them All
seemed well and promising we'll. AND tnen
the blow fell, came swift and sudden, IKE
a fash from the sky or a bullet from
trench. All, but war Is the sore
thing; but it's cruel and heartiess! Like
deatn, 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 dreading at home:
1T was only the other day that the thiils
happened-only the other day mary was d.
home in the kitchen singing to the cnild
and baking oaten bread at the table. Wnen
in through the doorway comes James Win
letter in his hand. He looked bit strange,
I'm thinkin'. for at sight OF MS race May
stops her singing and turns TO nm w hae
is it, Jamesg says she. That, answers
James handing her the letter It's come
at last Come says Mary. What's come
Tell me, James-ah, tell me! "Theyv We caileo
me out came back. Called We out! says
Mary. .Ay,' says James, that's so. I've
been expectin' it-but l said nothin'. What
was the use Of taakin? Called ye out!
says Mary again. Where. James. where!
of to the war, I'm thinkin' answers
James, and the word was said
"They tell me that for half an hour aIte1
the news came Mary said no word. MOI
James, nor much as looked at eacn otheI'
One this side of the hearth. ana one una IA
they sat staring at the fire, as dumb as tne
dead James sat striving to smoke, mary
striving to think, with the child asleep pe.
side them, and the bread burning on TN Ihe
griddle and the letter in Mary lap. Liz
blow had come sir. had come
AT last James lifts the tongs TO sur the
fire, and at that Mary rises. comes over aiio
kneels by him on the floor.
James says she, sure 1ts not Hue
Sure it can't be true?
Its there answers he, noddlng at tns
| letter, but Mary catches him by the arm:
Mono says she; we can't We can
Ye mustn't go. No, no. How can ye so
Ye mustn't, James; ye mustn't.
"I must answers James.
But ye can't: ye mustn't. All. my Coo
| it'd break my heart. I'd sooner Ole at onca
nowhere, where l am, than see ye go
Why, it can't be. Sure, God would neVe
| punish me like that. To wait here-to III
awake thinkin' an thinkin'-to sit dreadin
an dreadn'-to see''ye in my Dream ~
know We were fightin'-to have your lac'
always before me. All, my God, l can
| lanes, you'll not CO. All, say ye won't!
".I must answers James.
| "'What, go an leave US, go an leave U.s.
"I must answers James
| "'Go away from US for ever an ever ah
ever! -. ,.oo,
| looking at the letter. I'm ON my oath'
be deserter. l must go.
IAN you will" - !.
| 81 must, answers James: then turns t.
Mary and strives to comfort her sure tner
| was little to worry about. With Goo neip
ALI would come right in the end. He'd o.
back before long. People said the wa
\ would last~only month or 80. Maybe ne
| never go abroad at all. Maybe the docto
would cast him; maybe more troops "ouI
| not be wanted And if he did go what mat
| ter anyway? He'd bring her pension may
| he. and a medal, and loot from the cape
| Shed have government money Win IN
| help of friends she could manage Whi.s' Il
| was away He'd write often He'd
| ..Talk, What's the good or talk When IN
| sky is falling? What's the use OF tongu
| comfort to a broken woman? AS well one
| life to a corpse, or preach WISDOM ~ io1 y
| James was going-James was going TO III
| war Just that was all that Mary hearu o
| knew, and no words could alter 1t. he wa
| going, going, going. One day soon ne "oul
| march away and bullet Woulu IN, .liiu III n,,, a
and she'd never see him again. There wa
| the trouble for Mary. Talk was no us'
| pleading could do nothing; so she went pac
| to her stool took the child upon her Knee
and sat reading the fire Like ant d s,tise as h st
| grave James is going. going, going. thinh
she: then, in while. What can 90! tnlnh
she What can ! do to keep him! And
ways through the weary DAYS u, Una. al 1oti3s I've
hfmS what can do to keep him? And s
time went. ,
this very week.was falr Gay M NJ. Nioe 81 nebl ht
bat takes the child, and sets out wit
; James for the fair. Twas nearly the las
day. says she. Better, sure to speno II tt
swers james. nothing lotk and in the
trudged to Clogheen. l saw them ther
myself, going up and down the sldewalk
and to all appearance the world was we
with them. James had his head in the a
and looked a trifle flushed. as we'll h
might. seeing all the friends that WEI
wishful to bid him goodbye, and Mary
little wild in her eyes and unsteady aool
the lips But, sure. all that was nothing {
| all. Not every day man went to tf
wars; not every day woman parted wit
the man. So most of us pitied Mary, an
clapped James on the shoulder ana wishe
: we. as the fashion is, and might He brin
: them safe together again. Cheer up, Mary
said we, cheer up, girl. Sure It's not ever
woman in the town has married hero
And James laughed in his noisy way. bl
. never a smile came near the lips of Mar
Her face was the color of ashes. She hs
, wild, haunted look All the time ye
: were speaking she was just iookir
through you with her big black eyes. ar
, her lips were quivering. Can 1 keep hin
must have been the thought with her a
ways and ever. Can 1 keep him from g
, ing?
e 1.-THE day wore on, and about o'clot
4 | Mary takes James into Graham the watcl
t ! makers on High street to buy him son
| trffle of a keepsake to carry away Wi
4 him It'll be something to look at sa.
( she, and takes her place by the counte
D somet thing to mind ye Of home So CIR
! ham opens glass case and brings out h
:. | tray of nick-nack, lockets and chains al
' scarf pins and all the rest, lays 1t in fro
J., | of the two, and waits for them to NAL
their choice. Here's some hing I cs
: recommend says he. and here's a W
9 thing might take your fancy But thout
!. : A WOMA.