The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-09-13

the pavement; he seemed to her to be
thinner than when she last saw him,
and he had rather worn and worried
look. A little child OF five or six
years was lettering along as we'll, with
her head turned the opposite way from
which she was going, in the annoying
way that children will walk in the
street; she bumped into bustling
commercial traveller, with the result
that she sat down rather hurriedly on
the pavement and began to cry Bit
terly; the commercial traveller took no
notice of her whatever, but Broughton
, stopped over her, put her on her feet,
ond gave her coin.
Mrs. Briefly just then rose from her
chair in the shop. She was woman
with a sharp manner.
What's the matter, Maude? You
have got tears in your eyes!"
Have l, mother? ! didn't know
it..
And the worst of it was, wherever
she went she heard his praises sung.
One night she, with her father and
mother, dined at the Murdochs. 1t
was large party. AS they stood and
sat about previous to dinner being an
rounced, Mrs. Brierley glanced with
very justiiab!e pride at Maude; she,
in rearl-eray, looked, in the subdued
light Of the standard lamps, q charm
Ing picture Of graceful refinement.
Maude was talking to commonplace
old lady about the ravages of influ-
enza. There were two young fellows
near her; suddenly she heard one of
them make remark which seemed to
stun her and stop the beating of her
heart.
Poor Jim Broughton got a bad
f'!I"
the park, l believe"
"Yes; served him right. He had no
business to ride such q fidgety mare"
Maude found herself praying hat she
might not faint or make a scene; for
this news hurt her terribly. Poor man!
Poor dear man!
After he had got his answer that
wintry afternoon he had Systematically
KEEP; away from her; she never met
him now at peoples houses, and she
never thought she would have missed
him SC. And now, perhaps, he was
going to die. The young man who
had spoken of Jim's fall took her in
to dinner.
us Mr.. Broughton badly hurt?" she
asked him, in voice she tried to keep
steady.
They don't know yet; he was half
stunned when picked up; the doctor
said probably his collar bone. was
broken and some ribs, but all that
won't matter, as long as his back isn't
injured"
DO you think his back may be in
jured?"
There was little catch in her voice,
which for the life Of her she could not
help. The young fellow glanced quick
ly at her. Was this girl in love with
Jim Broughton? He knew Jim was a
general favorite with man, woman and
child, but he could not conceive the
idea of anybody being in love with
him.
II don't know, Miss Brierley; he
may have only wrenched some sinews
you can never tell; he has been rid
ing like a mailman the last few weeks,
l can't think what has come into
him."
Maude felt she must do something
or burst out crying, so she talked hard
and fast about the Merediths' dance,
talked the subject to death. Discussed
floors, and how to make them slippery;
she complained that the music had
teen too far away, and then said she
liked it far away; said Mrs. Meredith
was the best hostess in the world, and
then found herself agreeing heartily
with her neighbor when he said she
never introduced soul; in fact, her
conversation was so odd, that the
young man told the other young man
that he thought she was rather
'dotty."
Next morning her father went in to
inquire for him; he drove Maude in
with him. Maude never before or aft
erwards prayed with such fervor as
she did that morning.
When her father came out and made
his report her heart was flooded with
JOY; as if in sympathy, the sun sud-
denly beamed out bravely, and a bird
nard by began to sing like a mad
thing, at least so Maude declares. Jim
BrnughtOn says he knows there
couldn't have been a bird within a
mile.
Jim Broughton was not going to die.
His collar bone was broken, and he
was one big bruise, but few weeks
of laying up would, the doctor said, put
everything right.
By that evenings post the poor fell
low, who had been eating his brave
heart out in silence for so many weeks
past received little note which put
him in state of foolish delight
'As soon as the doctor allows you,"
it ran, you must ask two of us to tea
with you; l think, perhaps, 1 should
recommend Lucy as being the most
restful; but I am going to be one OF
them!"
Death Of Stonewall jackson.