Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-01-13

rang out the. hour of nine. He turned
suddenly on his pillow and clutched
her arm convulsively, muttered:
Don't you hear them. don't you
hear them! the bells. the bells!
They are coming to take me away
but they shall not-you will not let
them-you have promised a hundred
times, and you will not break your
word"
He struggled to a sitting posture
and his gaunt. wasted form, trem-
bling with fear. was weird enough to
appal the stoutest heart.
mo, no, Jack, they shall not take
you away from memo one shall do
that. 1t was only the church clock
striking the hour. They are ringing
no bells for you. No one shall harm
you; I would not let them. Trust
me, Jack; / have been here with you
so long; do you know how long /
have been with you? Can't you
think? Can't you remembers"
The tones of her voice soothed him
to quietness and he lay still. Jack"
she began again, slowly: Jack. I am
going to ask you a question. and
want you to answer me. 1t is very
important, Jack. Do you know what
night this is? Try and remember
1t is night you used to love. 1t is
Christmas eve, Jack; Christmas eve"
"Christ's evening"" he murmured.
dreamily; "the night for telling sto-
ries-stories of home and love. Did
we not once tell stories on this
night?"
"Yes, Jack, yes, and we two Will
tell story together. Once upon a
time. Jack-that's the way we always
began our stories-you haven't for
gotten, Jack?'
She was having a hard struggle,
this brave-souled woman. A mans
reason was in the balance and sin
gle word might win or lose it, The
demons of the storm shrieked and
tore at the shutters as though they
would get in and fight against her
for the mans soul. 1t was a slender
woman pitted against the fates. She
realized this, but went on bravely.
"Once on q time, Jack, there was a
grand old forest, and through it
wound shining river, ana in it's re-
cesses was a beautiful lake" The in
tense earnestness of her voice, and
the frequent repetition of his name,
arrested his attention, and he seemed
to follow her. Something like the
CLEAN of consciousness came into his
eyes. She looked at him steadily and
continued: "And there were green
hills and wide meadows and an old
rambling house.
"And the grass was thick and soft
and green on either side
True, Jack; see how you are help
ing me with the story? And on one
side of the gate grew a lilac that
bloomed early and gave to spring it's
sweetest fragrance; on the other
side a lofty pine"
"The blackbirds sang in it's
branches all day long"
He said this so quietly and with
such seeming faith in his recollection
that even she, who was striving with
all her strength for this result. was
startled. Then hope leaped in her
heart; her eyes shone with renewed
light and the warm blood stirred and
kindled in her bosom.
There was spring at the foot of
the SLOPE" he continued.
Eyes, yes"
"And just above it grew a pollard
willow"
''Oh, God, I thank Thee!"
The nervous, strident quaver had
gone from his voice and he spoke
with the calm assurance of one who
is moving over familiar ground ST
remember a narrow path that led
down from the rouse to the spring
and IN the early summer mornings
the grass that bordered it was lit
like a million diamonds where the
dewdrops were kissed by the SUM-
ut was all very cheerful and bright
and-and-" She could say no more.
The tears would flow with another
utterance. She must not weep now,
and yet her joy was so intense that
she felt if she did not that she should
die.
1T was a pretty place, jack" she
forced herself to say, "and there
were some who used to run up and
down the path trying to count the
jewels"
Three" he said, confidently: .'two
boys and girl. One of the boys was
slight, with hair like gold and great
blue eyes that seemed always to look
beyond the hills into another world.
The other was a sturdy lad with
thick. dark hair that fell in wavy
masses round his sun-burned face.
They called him Jack"
True, true; go on. The third. the
girl-can YOU remember what sho MN