The Tupelo journal., 1903-05-08

"les. like you-but you drew back"
Il was afraid she murmured; 'the
water looked so black and cold. 1t
will be easier when the sun rises and
the river is all ripping and sparkling
oh. how beautiful and inviting it is
them"
.Let us go together" he said, hold
ing out his hand; then you may not
dread it so much." 3
"No, no." and the woman again
shrank away from him.
She was shivering now as with q
nervous chill. The man picked up her
wrap and carefully, even tenderly,
drew it around her shoulders.
"You are cold" he said; wait until
morning. If you wish, / will wait with
you."
The woman showed no fear now.
She almost clung to her companion as
he assisted her from the pier to the
rock.
Here they sat together in silence for
some time. Occasionally the woman
glanced wonderingly at the man who
had led her ava from the presence
of death.
At length he began speaking softly,
almost to himself. The woman listen
ed eagerly when she found he was tell
ing his own story, and that she was to
know what brought him to the rivers
brink where they had met.
+ When he had finished, she asked him
with a touch of scornin her voice: And
that is all?-for that you would leap
out Wonder? Oh, if l were a man, 1
should never give up for a thing like
that. a man can always get up again
but a woman-ah, how different"
''Will you tell me your sorrow?" he
asked gently. You are SO young, so
attractive-it is far sadder that you
should die than I, who deserve nothing
more of life. What brought you to
this?"
The merciful darkness hid her face
and she told him.
The night wore away and the solemn
hour, which is half way between mid
night and sunrise, arrived. a far-off
Dell lntoned the hour.
Three hours more of life" said the
oman
The man had not spoken since her
story was finished. He sat with his
head bent forward and so m~otionless
that the woman thought he slept. Now
he looked up as from a deep reverie.
You did not hear all L told YOU"
said his companion, with a somewhat
disappointed look.
Yes, L heard" he answered, land
| have kept silent so long that l might
answer you Alright" He drew nearer
to her and spoke in a lowered tone.
Here in the darkness, between the
sleeping world and the black river of
DEATH" he said, eve two are alone in
the world. | am the universal sinner,
you are the great sinned against. You,
poor soul, have been dashed and goaded
to this; l have marched w|illfully to-
a it. For us all sorrow and all dis
grace will be sunk in oblivion out there.
Thus will end our world. have
been asking myself if there were not
something less miserable, something
h a contains a CLEAN of hopefulness.
A my later life has been made up
of selfishness and of wrong to others.
| should like to think. he spoke hest
tatingly, ever bashfully, now, that
my last action was prompted by a good
thought-an impulse which had in it
something of nobility. d. :" He held
out his hand and now his voice was full
and vibrant. You feared to die with
me at midnight-do you dare to live
with me now? The river will always
wait for us in case of failure. stretch
out my hand to you, and wear 10 COM
fort and sustain you through all that
remains of life for us. | ask you to
take it, and in supporting y~ou"-here
his voice sank again, almost to a whis-
per-who knows but [ myself may
be lifted up? Is it worth the trial?!'
The woman looked up at him with
wide, startled eyes-"I do not under
stand" she said. You mean"
Nothing of evil" he replied.
, 1T is worth the trial, dear friend"
she whispered, and laid her little hand
in his.
He grasped it warmly, and with 10
backward glance they turned away
from the river.
Hand in hand they slowly assembled
the hill. AS they disappeared over its
brow the first streaks of the coming
dawn shone in the sky.