The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-14

| on a day in OCtober-a laggard dav Of
! Irish summer, calm and beautiful Mary
| and Jessie and George went of for a az i've.
| together. Down the Burn road they went
| past Annoy and Goiteen. turned al lee
| more Crossways, and -kirtng the wilds Of
| Ardhill came az last TO the mountain and
began its ascent.
| Half way up the rugged path they left
| horse and cart AT farinhouse, then toiled
on 'ot 10 the summit. Jessie flowed with
| Cood spirits, nisChlevuus rs a kitten, 1.-the
and beautiful as a fawn fascinat ing In her
sweet youth. and desirable.
George, too, was on the heights of glory
| perhaps higher than the heights-gay,
| manful, hearty Even Mary felt carried
ou' of herself, brigh, and glad. her full
| heart overlooking il happiness upon her
face.
| But the way was long her strength failed
at last; 70 on the mountain top she sat
| down among the heather to rcst And the
| others wandered away.
| After while. she having recovered
! strength. ana taken deep Of the days
! bounty, Mary rose and i1lv went through
the heather, slowlr. happily. just seeing
| and adrrirng.
Ihs air wa wa. >, w ,H z great peace
! sight. The world seemed empty.
Full OF fladuesS Mary sauntered along;
! oil suddenly stopped quick nj sight OF
4
lay within clump of fir.
| They were close together: Jessie leaning
against a stump, hands smoothing n ribbon
| in her Int aud eyes h"n' upon them; George
| lying hesid" her. resting on an elbow, feet
! crossed and his eyes on her face.
| They wcr" not speaking \ score of
| tirn,s had Mary seen them side by side
and given no heed; but nov, ii" hooded
,,9nrh \ sudden pam struck her heart
In an instant IA" was changed and her
| .ifc was changed: and she stood ! l,ck with
| suspicion, racl<cd, stricken. the holsa Of
! her trust crun!hlci mi~erablv down. What
| Change Dear hsFven, what agony q:
! change
tiv" minutes went minutes black with
| ,he agony 81 ages
Still they did not speak, But soon, a.
| Mary watch' d., Jeesio's hand fell beside
! her, and with that George seized her hand
| scrambled - his knees and broke into
prote-tations mserahl. protcs'atons that
| lached Marvs heart
Dear God, that she should live 70 hear
them. Listen. listen. The same words.
| the words which but yesterday had been
only for her; aud now now,
An was it pos-i6le' Could that he
George? That bc Jessie? This he her
very self. Listen, listen!
JESSIE he says, before God I swear
to YOU that you're the one woman in the
| world for me. swear il. All. listen 10
, me. Jessie
Don't turn from me- Don't blame me
for Mary's sake. Dear knows, | pity her
but | can't help ". IcIn't
"iou make me, Jessie. You're the one
Oh, that again II was pitiful. 1t was
unb"arable. Then. hIessodly,. maybe Of
sudden darkness blotted the sunshine
and Mary lay still
When light came back the hollow was
empty. Weak and sick at heart, Mary
rose and went stumbling through tho
heather, down toward tho farmhouse.
her one desire now being To get home
But presently the two saw her; soon
they joined her; without word or look
Mary hurried on. face set hard. hands
clenchcd her heart like stone. And be-
hind the others stepped guilty with averted
eyes.
They reached tho farmhouse: and there
the two stopped TO get the car, but Mary
| went on down the lane, hurrying hurry
ing on. Her brain burnt; her heart was
ice
Let me get home" she thought; oh,
dear God, let mo only get home - get
home"
Like hunted creature she went Stun
bling over the stones. stumbling and hurry
ing blindy.
Nearing tho highway. however. and
close TO a spot whore the lane turned sharp
70 tho left, clalnor arose on the slope
behind. Shouts and cries came. a rumbling
Of wheels, a pounding Of hoof.: and turn
inc. Mary saw the car come tearing down
with only Jessie in 1t and George running
behind, shouting and waving his arms.
The horse was gnlloping. The car came
laundering over the stones, iolting and
swaying. Jessie lat pulling AT the reins,
arms outstretched and face white above
them. Well might she he pale, we'll Nigh,
George rave for the turning was there.
and black ruin near it,
Ruin; Perhaps DEATH Yes; Mary saw
we'll In flash all Vac clear To her The
horse was beyond control George could
do nothing. At the turning something
dreadful must happen.
Already Jessie had dropped the reina,
and now sat covering her face, shuddering
from what Law before her. Only one chance
was there that Mary should stand in the
way Then perhaps the hors" might
TO that fateful turning. Only chance-a
poor chance yet vet ---
Why should Mary stand in the way'
Why risk life for n chance-a miserable
chance OF saving the life Of this Jessie
whom she hated?
Her chance Jessie had wrecked her life
had blighted, and here was revenge. Justice,
heavens own opportunity Of repaying ALL
Of ending all. Only to stand aside, to wait
minute longer
All, the shame the shame Nerving
herself. Mary stepped into the middle
OF III" lane, and spread her arms. and
shouted loud. But just too late, For
''Ough chance served, and the horse
swer\ed and fell. and the car collapsed
and Jessie escaped Mary's own chance
did not serv"
Her decision came n thought too late.
So that IN falling the horse struck her and
swept her down
They picked Mary mp and took her home;
and for weeks she lay at deaths door Dav
and night Jessie stood against the door
striving To- keep it shut; while Hannah and
james and George watched constant, they
asking God to h. m"rCiful
God was merCiful Slowly Mary camo
back 20 some shadow of her old self: thon
kissed Jessie and smiled upon George, and
all was well again
And the rest? Well. Jessie is married
happily. Hannah Is dead. James il grow
ing feeble. Mary can never 10 quite strong,
but George, chastcned now and repcntant,
lives in hope that some day she NAV be- the
old Mary. strong. glad. trustrul tho ono
woman in he world"
\ Liberal Iducation and n Hcnediction