Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-04-30

II should have missed him." he said,
simply.
1T has been ten yearssince we stood
here at the end of the path and you
gave me the dog. Do you remember?"
the woman asked.
''It does not seem so long ago as
that" the man replied, abstractedly.
"And yet many things have occurred
since then. Father is dead; Bingo is
gone, and have no one left me-"
mo one but your little sister," the
woman rejoined shyly.
''No one but my littie sister" the
man repeated, noticing the brilliancy
of her hair in the sunlight.
"You may never know how proud I
am of my big brother" she said. He
must have been lonely all these years
and at times discouraged. But he has
been brave and strong and has fought
his way onward and onward until-un-
til am proud of him."
In the mans breast the song was
throbbing.
81 have tried very hard" he replied,
"but / have not succeeded as i wished
I might. I am only poor man, with
my future all uncarved before me-"
az know" she said, "but you will
succeed, for you are courageous"
She plucked blossom out of the
grass and fastened it in her belt.
''Do you know" the man said sud-
denly, glancing at her half shyly,
"that l used to have dreams-when
] was boy?"
"Yes?" she said.
II used to dream about working
hard and some day gaining wealth
and power and building a big house
like your fathers" he continued
"And l used to dream that when l
had done these things, that / would
come TO you and that you"
All the ambitions; all the smothered
hope of years were in his words, but
he hesitated. The girl had grown
strangely sober and her face was
pale.
"But they were only Dreams" he
continued. softly. 81 used to tell
them to Bingo and he used to bark
and scamper around in delight. But
after all | knew it could never be-"
He glanced at her half inquiring-
iy. Her face was tense with pain,
and her eyes were dim with tears.
R,,t she did NOT sneak
In the light of the moon the face
of the man on the bridge looked
CHASTITY pale. His dark eyes gilt
tered like diamonds as he glanced
over the railing at the rushing tide
below Anguish-dcep, devouring
anguish, was stamped upon his fea-
lures.
Another mana large man, with a
bushy, untrimmed beard and broad
shoulders, came out of the shadows
and touched his arm.
you are in trouble?" the large
man said; you have been thinking
of ending it all-there?"
wei! the Otnef asked.
"Only this" the large man an
swered, Il know you are the cashier
in the bank back yonder in the town,
and l have followed you here, be-
cause"
Il am short in my accounts-short
more than | can ever hope to earn"
the cashier replied. The examiner
arrived this evening. Tomorrow he
will go over the books, and
And you are coward enough to
leave your wife to suffer the disgrace
alone?"
The other quailed before the IN
dignation in his eyes and the two
stood in silence gazing at the misty
moonlight. Then the large man
spoke.
''In my boyhood," he said. Il was
known only as Bill Gordon's Jim.'
My mother and my father lie yonder
in the churchyard. 1t was Is years
ago-15 years ago to-day-that
mother died. The sunshine was drip
ping through the trees along the
road and the birds were singing in
the hedges. But l saw only the
shadows upon the highway and heard
nothing but the croaking of the frogs
along the river, and, God, how lone
ly they sounded. But little girl
gave me some violets and told me she
was sorry.
THAT was the beginning of my life.
could feel my heart beat after that,
and l knew l had soul
AS the years went by, l had
strange dreams. / used to plan
but no matter. 1t couldn't be.
II went away then-went away,
burning with desire to conquer in
spite of all; to gain power and wealth
and honor and come back-to her.
Far up the frozen Yukon / found
that for which l sougbt-gold. Ma
ture opened to me the storehouse
where she had been hiding wealth
for ages, and riches poured into my
lap. And then-I came back here
and found-but 1 should have known
it could never be-"
He paused to gaze dreamily at the
ripples dancing in the moonlight.
Then he thrust his hand in his pocket
and drew forth large roll of bank
notes.
"You must never tell her that
came back" he said. ''for her heart is
tender and her sympathy is great.
His voice softened and he pressed
the banknotes into the others hands.
81 shall be penniless, but I shall be
glad that l was able to save her the
pain and the heartache your sin
would have caused her"
He turned away. but the cashier
caught him by the arm.
"But you?" he asked, solicitously.
The calm light of courage crept
into the large mans eyes.
.sI?" he replied, gazing at the mist