The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-06-17
THE BETTER
CHOICE
BY G. v. Gregory


Z peotantly she raised her eyes cues
q tioningly.
Fathers bought farm In Dakota,
y he went on. and he wants me to &c
Q out there and run ii for him neXi
7 year" He paused, but she did not
2 reply.
q "Well?" he asked at length.
= ut will be a very good chance for
I you
5 And you?'
I'm getting on very well teaching
school"
But / don't want you to teach
school Nancy he pleaded. Think
how much nicer it would be 70 have
/ a little home of our own
81 don't want a home of my own,
she replied, turning her head away
"Have you forgotten your promise
he asked, note of mingled pain and
, surprise in his voice. you told me
once you loved me" There were
tears in her eyes as she looked at
him imploringly.
81 know ! promised. Jimmie" she
said, 'but | was young then and
scarcely realized what it meant"
But, Nancy"
/ She checked him with an appealing
/ gesture. Il don't love you, Jimmie,
I've tried and tried, but | can't, !
| don't believe ! ever did" Mechanical
4 ~ she drew off her ring and held ii
ont toward him He made no move TO
take ii, but rose abruptly and walked
over TO the window For a long time
he stood there, gazing At the whiriing
snowhahes outside, and when he
finally turned and came back his face
was so changed that the girl in the
big armchair hardly recognized him.
He came and stood iii front OF her |
fore he spoke Think of these four |
years, Nancy he said. These four |
happy years. and that one particular |
evening long ago when We We're out
on the lake and the moonlight turned |
the waves to ripping silver Oh /
was happy then. II all seemed too /
good to be true. To think that y0n
the dearest girl in all the world, had /
promised to be mine and only mine
1t seemed like glorious dream. Yes
it was a dream, and am just begin
ming TO waken." His voice broke ard
he buried his face in his hands
Don't, Jimmie. please don't" she
sobbed Don't you see that can't
help III? You'll find some girl ont
there, Jimmie, a nicer and truer
girl than | am
Il never want to see another girl"
he replied. "Good-by, Nancy, hope
youll be happy
In a moment he sas gone out into
the storm and darkness with an awful
loneliness freezing his very soul, and
back In the house fairhaired girl
leaned her head on the arm Of the
old chair and sobbed herself to sleep,
Slowly the weeks passed away The
bleak winter with its sleet and snow
had gone. and the beautiful summer
flowers were fading ore by one to
make room for the gorgeous colors of
autumn Nancy had been attending
summer school and was coming home
again--home to the little white school
house and the dear, exasperating
children Somehow the thought OF 1t
did not awaken any of the old en-
thusiasm. She used to think she
loved to teach, but now-well. she
was almost afraid she was beginning
to hate It. She kept thinking of
him and remembering his many
little acts OF Kindness. How good
he had been and how manly,
There was sharp shrek Of the
whistle and the passengers were near
y thrown from their seats as the air
brakes were suddenly thrown on
Then there came a crash. and outside
he cries Of excited men mingled with
he hiss Of escaping steam The pas.
sengers hurfiedly climbed out and
ran forward a stock train had
broker truck and in stopping to re-
pair il had neglected. to put out sig
lals to warn other trains that might
be approaching The caboose was a
ota wreck and the passenger engine
BADLY damagod The train crews,
With the help Of some OF the passen-
gers, set to work at once TO remove
he wreckage. Before they had gone
ar they came upon a body OF a man,
rushed and bleeding. but stil alive.
'areiully they cut away the timbers
hat held him, and carried him out
md laid him on the grass. A well
meaning old gentleman attempted TO
cad Nancy away from the gruesome
sight. but too late. She had recog-
lized the blood-stained features. and
With frightened sob she sprang for
ward
"Jimmie." she cried, as all unmind.
al OF the wondering crowd she knelt
reside him and threw her arms about ,
lis neck Jimmie, don't you know
me-" Slowly the eyes opened and
he lips parted in a wavoring smile
she bent over aud kissed
hem u love you, Jimmie" she f,
Ehispered I'm just beginning to
eslize how much I do love Won.
'oure not going 10 die are you. Jim. {
ME? You'll live for my sake. won't
our
Ills bruised face seemed almos,