Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-03-25


of the drowning child, drew him out
into the open and held his head above
water till help came in response to her
shrieks.
"You saved my life once, and have
sometimes questioned whether its
value to me or to anybody else war.
ranted the effort
The tone was as bitter as the
words, and the clear-cut, handsome
face was overcast.
You have the ability to make 1t
valuable or worthless, as you elect.
Your destiny is in your own hands
ut is mott" he contradicted hotly.
"It's in your hands. You can make
me or mar me by just one word! You
saved my life and the responsibility
is yours, not mine!"
She knew him too we'll to try to
reason with him in this mood, and
silence fell between them. She stood
erect in the shadow of the great pine,
her sweet, pure face, pale and deter
mined, turned toward the cold sea. His
yearning eyes filled with boyish, an
CRY tears as the helplessness OF con-
tending against her will swept over
him. In shame he dashed away the
drops that hung on his lashes.
Then impetuously he took both her
hands. She resisted gently, but he
held them in strong grasp.
when will you marry me?" he de-
manded, searching her face with his
dark eyes. Unable to withstanding
his look, the honest gray eyes fell and
the rich color flooded her face.
You love mel" he urged, quick to
seize upon her weakness. when will
you marry me?"
She raised her clear eyes to his and
he released her impatiently.
When you have proved yourself a
man." she replied firmly. When you
have used your splendid energies for
something besides play Without
needing the derision of his glances
she continued. II could not marry an
idler who is content to live on his
fathers bounty.
Marry me, and I'll do everything
you ask me to-"
You haven't yet done anything |
have asked you to. How can hope
for anything better after We-are
married You would not at my ask
ing go to college, nor enter business,
nor give up friends who encourage
laziness. For five years you have
done nothing but cruise about In your
fathers yacht and otherwise amuse
yourself"
She saw the storm gathering, but
bravely she finished Prove your
self is all l ask"
He was smarting under the rebuke
of her words and his anger flared:
'I'l prove that you had better have
left me under the old float a dozen
years ago!" And with that he left
her.
A fair-haired girl sat alone on the
trunk of a fallen tree with her face
in her hands.
1t was springtime. The pine tree
showed rich and dark against the
young green of the birches and ma
pies. The tense figure of woman
stood on the bluff gazing with unsee-
ing eyes at the tints of the afterglow.
Five years had passed since he had
| left her in anger, and till now she had
hoped for his return. He had never
written but she had known that his
efforts were for her, and she had been
happy in waiting. For days past she
had felt that he would soon come back
|
! to her, man, and her heart had cried
out for him. But now-now-a after all
his toll his self-denial, his achieve
ment-after all her courage and patti
ence and faith, they would never see
| each other again in this world He
had at last gone down to those waters
from which she had drawn him when
child; and he would never come
back
The cracking of dry twig caused
her to turn with a confusion. The
man standing there saw a white face
full of dumb agony; then he saw 1t
suddenly transformed into such a
radiance of JOY that he dared not be-
lieve 1t was for him! But she held
out her arms toward him, and MUIR
murng endearing words he clasped
her to his heart.
Il thought you were drowned"
Il probably would have been. dear
est, if had carried out my plans, but
at the last moment such longing to
see you and claim you came over me
that threw everything over and came
here as fast as trains could bring me.
Everyone except those on tho Inflated
yacht thought that | .-aa gone on the
trip"
1t seemed as if the moments were
too precious for mere words, but pres
emily he said:
Again You have saved my life,
dear lovey, and it is you, alone, that
have made it worth the saving -
MARY B. LEONARD.