Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-03-01

q Ae" udSS, TuSneQ 10 tne railroad
station. The whole Of the time was
practically bereft of my senses.
When l alighted from the train at
Jersey City, it was my intention to
cross to New York by the ferry and
proceed to the Grand Central Sta
ton, but as l was crossing West
street there was sudden Grassland
then darkness.
When l recovered my senses l was
in the Roosevelt Hospital They told
me had been there nearly fort
night. | had been knocked down
by cab, and the fall had brought
on concussion of the brain.
ut has been very narrow escape"
said the nurse Once or twice we
thought you were gone"
And when l was alone said to my.
self, Would to Heaven that l had
died" But lived on, sick at heart,
for there seemed nothing to live for
now.
AS soon as possible l left the hos
pital and went to Atlantic City to
recoup my health. On the second day
of my stay l was thunderstruck by OBJ
serving what thought to be Joan's
figure among the promenaders. but at
ter a while l assured myself that
must have been mistaken.
How longed to see my lost love
again, to fold her in my arms and
call her mine. But my heart ached
when l thought of all that had been,
OF how she had proved faithless to
me-
When l had fully recovered my
senses, all my sudden passion had
left me, with the exception OF dull
hatred in my heart for my detested
rival. Gradually it conquered me, un-
til made up my mind that would
follow him and never leave him until
l had killed him.
sat on the porch pondering on
this, and then l saw what confirmed
my suspicion Of the previous day. /
saw Joan, and with her was Jack
Carstairs.
Great Heaven! the whole world
reeled round me for a moment, and
then, with a bitter hatred gnawing at
me, calmly sat and watched them
pass. They did not see me, although
l sat quite close to them. Joan look
ed pale. and my heart beat with un-
wonted rapidity as / gazed at her
great, pensive eyes. Perhaps she re.
pented her step. but he looked happy
enough.
Then ] got up and walked in an op.
posite direction, until was on road
leading inland. Here lay among the
furze bushes. alone with my sad
thoughts. All was quiet, save for the
cease!ess murmuring of the might,
waves as they broke upon the beach
There lay. thinking. planning
wondering. and, Heaven knows. neal
to weeping. All my senses, all m,
feelings, yea, the whole OF me, criet
out for Joan, my lost darling.
Then l started suddenly, for
thought ! heard my name whispered
But 1t must have been the plantivt
note of bird that heard, and one,
more gave myself up to thought.
"Allan!"
There could be no mistake thi.
time, some one was speaking IN,
name. AS if in dream turned
my head and looked.
There was Joan.
Never until die shall forget thai
moment. The murmur of the sea
> changed into a march of triumph
played by mighty organ. The wall
ing of the sea birds seemed as the
notes of Orpheus. The yellow bloom
on the furze bushes changed to virgin
gold. And all the sounds that were
seemed to hymn the one word, Joan.
half started up, but the walk
combined with the sudden excitement
had been too much for me in my
weak state, and ] fell backward tc
the ground. In moment Joan was
beside me, and her arms were round
me.
oh, Allan. Allan, why did you leave
me?" she murmured.
stammered back some incoherent
reply concerning my rival. Wonder
ingly she gazed at me. and then sud
denly her eyes frightened, and a
queer little smile spread over hel
face.
why. that was Jack--my brother
Jack. from Oregon" she cried.
was too thunderstruck to reply.
"And that was all the faith You had
in me?" she went on, gravely.
"Oh, my darling, can you forgive
me?" muttered brokenly.
And her reply was to kiss me.
1t seems that Joan and her brother
/ had seen me on the promenade neal
the hotels at Atlantic City, and Joar
had turned back to speak to me. onl,
to see me disappearing in the dis
lance. So she followed me, and the
rest YOU know."-New York Weekly
"cHoPPlNG HIM DOWN."