Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-08-06
Continued.

he Is doing better. Why, he has only
been away for years"
-Four years." said Richmond
sadly; lis 1t only four years?"
That's ALL dear, though it has
seemed like eight, and we will not
despair, even though IT is so hard to
bear Why, Rich, ! feel sometimes
when | kneel down NJ night that If he
were dead ! should know it; he would
not let us go on suffereing II it were
So
Janet dear, | feel sometimes as II
1t was wrong to have loved him"
What, dear Mark"
Yes"
Wrong? For shame! How could
any girl who knew my darling old
Mark ms you did help loving him?"
But 1t made him dssatlsed. | was
the cause Of his going away"
THAT foolish thought again You
were not, dear It would have been
the same II he had loved any girl
He said that he would not ask any
woman to be his wife while he was
tied down here without any prospects;
and he went off TO make his fortune,
as many another brave young English.
man has gone before"
But made him discontinued,
dear.
You made him behave molly Why,
what ether man would have said as he
did, 4 hold you TO no engagement
ask nothing Of you; only tell you
that love you with all my heart"
And some day Will return, said
Richmond, In low deep voice.
yes, and some day he will return,
dear; ! do believe II, | will believe II,
and oh, Rich, Rich Rich, why, why
are we such unhappy girIs?"
II was the oldcg's turn new to try
and comfort the younger who had
burst into a passionate I'll Of weeping,
so fun of anguish that, ut last Rich.
mond raised her friends face, kissed
IT, and holding the bonny little hoad
! etween her hands, She SAID, with
almost motherly tenderness
Janet, lIendon has been speaking
to You again
There was no reply.
81 knew IT, said Richmond half
angrily. 1T was thoughtIess ana cruel
of hint"
No, no, don't blame him dear. No
one could be more noble and more
good You know how hard he works"
YES" said Richmond, with n sigh.
And II he Is inpatient with his
home AMI your father, why, y0u nut
rocollcct that he is n man and men
are not meant to be patient as
'lo is too thoughtIess, Janet, and
! don't like to say II Of my own
too selfish"
No, MOI" cried Janet, flushing.
Yes, dear yes, Gould he have had
his way, yen two would have been
man and Wife, and he half living ON
The earning Of these poor tiny little
hands"
II don't think he would have pressed
mo to II, Rich; and m,cr all, it was
because he loved me So"
Yes, and would have taken al.
vantage Of your loneliness here in this
great cruel city, and dragged you
down to poverty and misery such us
am bearing now, Janet. janet dear
! Ieol sometimes as II cannot bear
this miserable degradation longer.
and that all these troubles must be a
for my net telling my
father about Mark"
why, Rich, said Janet. turning
comforter once more what was there
to tell? You made no engagement.
And look here, II SO much trouble IN
TO como OF love. why YOU and Will
take vows, and be single all our days.
There, now, YOU look moro like your.
self aud I'm going to tell YOU my
news.
"Nows2' cried Richmond, starting
eagerly, and then looking sadly at her
friend
"fos, two moro pupils, I'm getting
along tamously now. And 1t does
make mo SO happy and resigned.
There must 80, but"
You have something more to say to
me-"
Yes only there, will he firm.
Don't be angry with me, Rich dear,
Tor ! seem to have no one to care for
here but YOU and Some day you shall
pay me again, ana want YOU To Tor.
row this"
She slipped tiny little purse into
Richmond's hands, and chen turned
scarlet AS she saw her companions
palld face.
No, no, Janet ! could net: your
little acraped together earnings, Pray
don't speak 70 me like that again.
Il must VIM cried the girl.
with passionate oaruosness Il don't
want 1t, dear and II is only loan.
DO. do, pray take Il,
Il could not, said Richmond.
thrustng the purse into her friends
hand.
For Marks sake. dear"
FOR Marks sake," falterod Rich.
mond hoarsely.
Yes; how could | look him in the
face again, II had not behaved TO You