Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-10-04

walk. "Where's the use, Wear
Willie? If there was some one "a
care. I'd quit it, he went on one day.
Perhaps I'd never even have begun.
She cared once, Weary Willie; she
said she did; but it didn't last-it
didn't last. She got tired and skipped
skipped. There was a long pause,
then the voice began again. "You
don't blame her, do YOU, Weary
Willie? Maybe you'll skip some day
I-eh? She said twas incompatible
lty, old fellow; in-com-pati-bilit.
Long one. isn't it? But not half so
long as the misery 1t holds. S'pose
1t Will be that way with US, old boy
incompatibility?
The dog whined and leaped to the
floor.
Hal" cried the man, whimsically.
so you do want to leave me, sir?
BY Jove, old fellow, I should think
you would.P he added, suddenly, get
ting to his feet. "Come, let's go for
walk" q
| Days passed. Both man and dog
grew thinner; and the nights when
the man came home clinking coins
In his pocket grew fewer and fewer.
Even the walks at twilight were not
taken so frequently now, and the man
had fallen into the way of passing
long silent evenings, gazing blankly
into space. Sometimes there was in
his hands a cleaning thing of poll
! ished metal, which he handled linger-
ingly, almost lovingly.
Come, let's chuck it, Weary
Willie, you and L." he would say.
And when the dog barked and
whined, he would smile and lay the
thing aside with the laughing re-
proof: why, old fellow, it doesn't
hurt! It's all over before you even
know it's beguni"
There came day when Cinders
had no breakfast, no dinner, no sup-el
per. All day long the man had been
tramping the room like some wild |
thing. He. too, had not eaten, but he |
had twice picked up the cleaning
thing of polished steel, only to lay 1t
down again.
At dusk his jaws set in sudden
stern lines. With one stride he
reached the table, clutched the re- |
yolver, and raised it to his head. AL |
most instantly there came 2 frantic /
bark and sharp report. The woman
coming up the stairs thought the two
had occurred at the same instant; but I
the man in the bare room on the
top floor knew that the bark had
come just in time to startle him so
that the ball had found harmless
resting place in the wall across the
room.
Good Cod can't you let a fellow
be-" he stormed at the dog, as the re-
volver fell from his relaxed hands.
The next instant he strobe to The door
in answer to frightened knock.
@Oh-h!' breathed the woman ont
side in glad relief, as she saw that the
man was at least alive. Tom! how
could you? Are you hurt?" she cried,
stepping swiftly inside. and CLOSING
the door.
The man fell back in amazement.
Sally! your" II
Yes, dear, yes. I've come hack
Tom. I've been miserable, wretcbed
without you. Twas my fault, dear +
the whole of it. I've come back.
Won't you-take me?"
A shamed red came into the mans
face.
But. Sally, L" his eyes swept
the bare room. and a despairlng ges-
ture told how little he had to offer.
Yes, yes, know" murmured the
woman, coming close to his side.
s You got discouraged, and things
went wrong. But we'll change all
hat now. Wen begin again. Why.
Tom, I'm here. Don't you see? Wen h
start together. Tom, don't you n
want me?" h
Want Sally" And his 3
lungs arms closed about her. ID
Long minutes afterwards the man. !,
he woman, and the dog sa. down to-
setha Il
After all, Weary Willie, said the :
mar. softly, as he patted the dogs :
lead, reckon it's just as we'll YOU
lid lark when you did. little bit !.
go. There's some one now to--care. n
San Francisco Argonaut. !