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

Mary striving to think, with the child
asleep beside them, and the bread burn
ing on the griddle and the letter N
Mary's. lap. The blow had come, sir,
had come.
AT last James lifts the tongs to stir
the fire, and at that Mary rises, comes
over and kneels by him on the floor.
q James, says she, sure it's not
true? Sure, it can't be true?'
g It's there, answers he, nodding at
! the letter; but Mary catches him by
:" .No-no,' says she; we can't We
can't. Ye mustn't go. No, no. How
can we go? Ye mustn't, James; We
mustn't
L must answers James.
But We can't; We mustn't. All, my
God, it'd break my heart. I'd sooner
die at once-now-here where I am,
than see We go. Why, il can't be.
Sure. God would never punish me like
that. To wait hereto lie awake
thinkin' an thin1in'-to sit dreadin' an
dreadin'-to see We in my dreams-to
know We were hghtin'-to have your
face always before me. All, my God, L
can't. James, you'll not go. All, say We
WON'T
" L must, answers James.
" What, go an leave US, go an leave
us,'
g I must answers James.
81 Go away from US for ever an ever
IN everl'
Its there says James, from his
stool, looking at the letter I'm on my
oath. I'd be a deserter. 1 must CO.
An you Will2'
" I must answers James; then turns
to Mary and strives to comfort her.
Sure there was little to worry about
With Gods help, all would come right
in the end. He'd be back before long.
People said the war would last only a
month or so. Maybe he'd never go
abroad at all. Maybe the doctor would
cast him; maybe more troops would not
be wanted. And if he did go, what mat
ter anyway? He'd bring her a pension
maybe, and medal, and loot from the
Cape. She'd have government money,
with the help OF friends she could man
age whilst he was away. He'd write
Talk! What's the good of talk when
the sky is falling? What's the use of
tongue comfort to a broken woman? AS
well offer life to a corpse, or preach
wisdom to a fool. James was going
James was going to the war. Just that
was all that Mary heard or knew, and
no words could alter IT. He was going,
going, going. One day soon ne ~vu.d
march away, and a bullet would find
him, and she'd never see him AGAIN.
/ There was the trouble for Mary. Talk
was no use, pleading could do nothing;
so she went back to her stool, took the
child upon her knee, and sat reading by
the fire. Like a stone she sat. dreaming
and thinking, as silent as Che grave
James is going, going, going, thinks
she; then, in a while, What can do?
thinks she. What can 1 do to keep him
And always through the weary days
that followed, her one thought was
that: How can / keep him? What can
l do to keep him? And so time went
Three days agO-that was Thursday
in this very week-was fair DAY in
ClOgheen, and after breakfast time
Mary puts on her hat. takes the child,
and sets out with James for the fair
Twas nearly the last day. says she.
Better, sure, to spend it together in
diversion Why, to be sure, answers
james, nothing 10th. and in they
tTudged to ClOgheen- saw them there
myself, going up and down the side
walks, and to all appearance the world
was well with them James had his
head in the air and looked a trifie
flushed as well he might. seeing all the
friends that were wishful to bid him
goodby, and Mary, a little wild in her
eyes and unsteady about the lips But,
sure, all that was nothing at all Not
every day a man went to the wars;
not every day a woman parted with
the man. So most of US pitied Mary
and clapped James on the shoulder and
wished them both well. God be with
them, said we, as the fashion is, and
might he bring them safe together
again. Cheer I'D, Mary, said we,
cheer w, Girl, Sure it's not every
woman in the town has married a
hero And Jarees laughed in his noisy
way, but never a smile came near the
lips of Mary. Her face was the color
of ashes. She had a wild, haunted
look All the time you were speaking
shs was just looking through you with
her big black eyes, and her lips were
quivering. Can l keep him? must have
been the thought with her always and
ever. Can Z keep him from going?
The day wore on, ane, about 2