The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-07-31

got through my speech. / remember
1t well. IL began:
Mrs. MavOr Is greatly touched by
this mark of your love, and she will
wear your ring always with pride"
And IL ended with:
"She has one request 10 make-that
you will be true TO the league and that
you stand close about the man who did
most To make il. She wishes me to say
that, however far away she may have
TO 20. she is leaving her heart in Black
Rock and she can think Of no greater
joy than to come back to you again"
Then they had THE Sweet BY and
BY" but the men would not join in the
refrain, unwilling to lose a note of the
glorious voice they loved to hear. Be-
fore the last verse she beckoned to me.
went to her standing by Craigs side
rs he played for her.
ASK them to sing" she entrcated. 81
cannot bear it."
Mrs. Mavor wishes you to sing In
the refrain | said. and at once the
men sat up and cleared their throatS.
The singing was not good. but at the
first sound of the hoarse notes of the
men Craig's head went down over the
organ, for he was thinking, | suppose.
of the days before them when they
would long in vain for that thrilling
voice that scared high over their own
hoarse tones. And after the voices
died away he kept on playing till, half
turning toward him. she sang alone
once more the refrain in a voice low
and sweet and tender, as II for him
alone, and so lie took it, for he smiled
up at her his old smile full of courage
and full Of love.
Then for one whole hour she stood
saying goodby to those rough, gentle
hearted men whose inspiration to good
ness she had been for five years. 1t
was very wonderful and very quiet. 1t
was understood that there was to be no
declare that he would throw out any
cotton backed fool' who couldn't hold
himself down. and, further, lie had en-
joined them to remember that her arm
wasn't pump handle.
1T last they were all gone. al but
her guard Of nonor-Shaw, Vernon
Winton, Gcordio. Nixon, Abe, Nelson,
Craig and myself,
This was the real farewell. for,
though in the early light OF the next
morning 200 men stood silent about the
stage and aS II moved out waved their
hats ana yelled madly, this was the
last touch they had Of her hand. Her
place was UP on the drivers seat be-
little Marjorie on his knee. The rest
Of the guard of honor were to follow
with Graemc's team. 1t was Winton's
fine sense that kept Graeme from fol-
lowing them close. Let her 20 ont
alone" he said, and so we held back
and watched her 20.
She stood with her back toward Ahe's
pun9tng four horse team and, steady
ing herself with one hand on Abe's
shoulder, gazed down upon us. Her
head was bare, her lips parted In
smile, her eyes glowing with their own
doep light, and So, facing Us, erect aud
smiling. she drove away, waving us
farewell till Abe swung his team into
the canyon road and we saw her no
more. A sigh shuddCred through the
crowd, and, with sob In his voice,
Winton said, "God help us all"
l close my eyes and see it all again
the waving crowd of dark faced men,
the plunging horses, and, high up be-
side the driver, the swaying, smiling,
waving figure, and about all the noun
tains, framing the picture with their
dark sides and white peaks tipped with
the gold Of the rising sun. 1t is pic
ture l love to look upon, albeit it calls
up another that | can never see but
through tears.
! ok across a strip Of ever widening
water Mt group Of men upon the
wharf, standing with heads uncovered,
every man Il hero, though not man
OF them suspects it, least of all the
man who stands in front, strong, reso-
lutte, self conquered, and, gazing long,
| think | see him turn again to his
place among the men Of the mountains,
not forgetting, but every day remem-
bering, the great love that came to him
and remembering, too, that love Is not
all. 1t is then the tears come.
But for that picture two Of us at least
are better men today.
To BE CONTINUED NENT WEEK.