The Jackson herald., 1907-02-14

| Don't, don't, GEAR! There are two
OF me now, and one cant stand the
pain. There is a man in me, sworn
to do a mans work like a man, and
| duty to God and the priesthood has big
! chains around his heart dragging 1t
across the river. But, low, now
there is little. forlorn boy in me, too
"a poor, crying, whimpering babyish
little boy, who dreamed of you and
| longed for you and was promised you.
and who will never get well of losing
you Oh, | know it well enough-his
tears will never dry, his heart will al
ways have a big hurt in it-and your
face will always be SO fresh and clear
in it,"
He put his hands on her shoulders
and looked down into the face under
the bonnet.
Let me make sure shall lose no
look of you, from little tilted chin, and
lips OF scarlet thread. and little teeth
like grains of rice and eyes into which
l used to wander and wonder so far"
She looked past him and stepped
back.
Capt. Girnway is coming for me
yonder away down the street. He
takes me to Carthage"
His face hardened as he looked over
his shoulder.
81 shall never wed any woman but
you. Can you feel as deeply as that?
Will you wed no man but me?"
She fluttered the cherry ribbons OF
the bonnet and fixed a stray curl
in front of one ear.
Have you q right to ask that? !
might wait a time for you to come
back-to your senses and to me.
but"
"Goodby, darling!"
What will you go that way-pot
kiss me? He is still two blocks
away"
81 am so weak for you, swcnt-the
little boy in me is crying for you, but
he must not have what he wants.
What he wants would leave his heart
rebellious and not perfect with the
Lord. It's best not" he continued,
with an effort at a smile and in q
steadier tone. 1T would mean SO
much to me-oh, so very much to me
and so very little to you-and that's
no real kiss. I'd rather remember
none OF that kind-and don't think
was churlish-its only because the
little boy-I will go after my father
now, and God bless you!"
He turned away A few PAGES on he
met Capt. Girnway, jaunty, debonair,
smiling handsome in his brass-but.
toned uniform of the Carthage Grays.
81 have just left the ferry, Mr.. Rae.
The wagon with your mother has gone
over. The other had not yet come
down. Some of the men apr0ar to be
a little rough this morning. Your
people are apt to provoke them by be.
ing 100 outspoken. but l left special
orders for the good treatment of your.
self and outfit"
With half.smothered thank you
he passed on, not trusting himself to
say more to one who was not only the
enemy of his people, but bent, seem
| ingly, on deluding young woman tc
| the loss of her soul. He heard their
voices in cheerful greeting, but did not
turn back. With eyes to the front and
shoulders squared he kept stiffly or
his way through the silent, deserted
| streets TO the ferry.
Fifteen minutes walk brought hin
to the now busy waterside. The ferry
a fiat boat propelled by long oars, was
landing when he came into view, anC
he saw his fathers wagon driven on
He sped down the hill, pushed thrcugl
the crowd of soldiers standing about
and hurried forward on the boat to lie
the old man know he had come. Blu
on the seat was another than his ia
ther. He recognized the man, ant
called to him.
What are you doing there, Brothe
Keaton? Where's my father"
The man had shrunk back under TIL
wagon n-cover, having seemingly beel
frightened by the soldiers.
i've taken your fathers place
e Brother Rae"
a Did he cross with Brothe
Wrisht?"
|, "Yes-he-" The man hesitated
o Then came an interruption from th'
G shore.
, Come. clear the gangway there 81
s we can load! Here are some more o
n the damned rats we've hunted out o
u their holes!"
|, The speaker made a half-playfU
II lunge with his bayonet at gaunt
9 ycllow-faced specter of a man whC
o staggered on to the boat with chile
in his arms wrapped in a tattered blue
o quilt A gust of the chilly wind picked
$ his shapeless, loose-htting hat off as h
| loaped to avoid the bayonetpoint, an'
o his head was seen to be shaveu. The
u crowd on the bank laughed mud a
y his clumsincss and at his grLtesqu'
o head. Joel Rae ran to help him TO-
u ward on the boat
;, Thank YOU, brOther-Im Just nj