The Jasper news., 1908-12-03

fenQefeQ unnecessary Oy SuQQen passing
shower which effectively dampened the
lindied was thing of the past, save for
the smoldeIng ruins which marked the
spot where late the Burton home had
stood.
The shower brought another necessity
that of hastily carrying into the barn the
rescued goods which had been dumped
helter-skelter Upon the ground The work
was soon accomplished, for the amount
saved was not large Then, in utter wear
mess, they sat down within the shelter
Of the barn and gazed at the smoking ruin
before them.
Mary, who had been too full of excite
ment and occupation before, now found
time to begin to cry. Covering her face
with her. hands she bent her head and
sobbed aloud
"Never mind, Mary" said Dick, speak,
ing kindly for the first time. 'It was all
an accident and can't be helped now"
"Oh! Dick!" Mary sebbcd. "you are too
good, too kind, have acted dreadfully,
and oh IFS too bad. too badH
Dick looked steadily at the ruins of the
house in which were bound tip the recol-
lections of a lifetime and could not trust
himself to speak.
II will pay you for all this" Mary said
"Of course. I can't restore the old home,
but can pay all the money cost whatever
it is. | have more than twenty thousand
in notes and bonds and will agree to pay
you anything you say. will sign an
agreement right now." she concluded pitt
fully.
81 won't take cent" Dick responded
energetieally. 81 will sell the farm for
whatever it viii bring and go out West
and start life anew"
''You CANT do it," Mary said. "You are
too old"
"What!" exclaimed Dick with jump.
I'm not forty years old yet"
~ know that" said Mary. "You are
only two years Older than I am. but you
are old and am old and everybody is
old who ever had any part in the only
thing is gone. like that home which now
lies in ashes
"Ashesp exclaimed Dick "Ashes!
What has my life. but ashes? Every near
relative I have had has been dust and
ashes these many years. My friends have
died. gone away. grown into new interests
what remains of those friendships but
ashes? The home of my childhood is
ashes. Once, early in life I felt about my
heart the flames of as pure and ardent a
love as ever man or youth has felt. That
was long ago. For many years | have
had-ashes. AS YOU have said, am now
old"
ut was who laid your home in ashes"
said Mary, crying ~ will give you
deed to my house and the farm with it
and go away myself was foolish and
wrong. but you know did not mean any
real harm."
81 know it. Mary" said Dick, with
little husky catch in his voice. Don't say
anything more about it. 1t hurts me more
to see you feel bad than it did to lose
the house"
"How can you ever say that" Mary
said, sobbing afresh, "after the way
have treated you for so many years?"
Those years are past now, Mary" said
Dick, with an unsteady voice. land if we
it has cost me little enough Why" he
suddenly and irrelevantly added. there is
a red lantern burning where the green
one was. What does that mean"
at MEANS" said Mary. rising and look
ing, shat Abner was mistaken when he
hung. out the green light and that those
awful Democrats have won, after ALL
Then. her face still wet with tears. she
gave little laugh SO like that he had
heard twenty years before in their thou
sand bantering arguments that Dick stood
still. trembling with emotion.
Il had invited the marching club to
come out and have supper Thursday
night he said. after moments pause.
"But I guess I'll have to cancel the invi-
tation."
"Don't." said Mary. 'Let them come
to my house and I'll sec that they are
taken care of"
Dick nearly fell over in his astonish-
meat