The Springdale news., 1914-02-27

month she had ; ANl listened to that k. sN wild,exultant cry ~ of the monster as
 1t rushed In with it's human freight On clear morning it's shout: Il come-from the sea-the sea-the sea; come from the sea-come from the seal" brought the roar of the breakers dashing against the cliffs.
 To the girl listening with strained expression on the pale face, it's cry was threatening, accusing, pleading. and as the last echoes died away, they were drowned by the cry of a human soul in mortal fear. She saw him again, standing beside her on the rear platform of this same train, bored expression on the handsome face above her, heard his voice as in an awful sickening dream:
 Surely you must have understood that it was impossible, such mar riage now would ruin my prospects forever"
 But you promised, you promised"
 tYea, as many fellow has prom ised in an idle summer, lured by the scent of honeysuckle, a pair of beau, tiful eyes and splendid August moon."
 But you must, you must. I am not the only one to be considered; there is another-another life to be eonsid. cred
 The devil there is, And you think it possible for me to marry you after this? Why, two months from this very day 1 am to marry my cousin. But did not dream it had come to this. Here, take this and let me know when it is gone
 The bills fiuttered from her nerve less fingers, were caught in the draft of the rapidly moving train and whirled away
 "Oh, very we'll" And with a grat. ing laugh he leaned over to flick the ash from his cigar. Just then the air was rent by the shriek of the whistle, as the train dashed on to a long bridge with a hollow roar Suddenly something seemed to snap in her head, and with strength born oi desperation, she had thrown the weight of her slender body against him as he leaned out over the steps; for a moment he had swayed. clutch ing wildly at something to stay his fall. and then with that horrible cry that rang yet in her ears, he had pitched headlong down, down into the rushing waters below
 There had followed weary months of waiting, and when at last the wait. ing was over, the tiny life fingered only a few weeks. Afterward there had been nothing to keep her. and waiting only until the grass was green on the little grave, she had left the old home, the little she had learned of stenography was brushed up, and when fate placed the chance of a clerkship in the superintendent office in her way.
 Each morning when her days work began the prayer had gone up: Don't let it come today, God-oh, not to- day, Give me strength to bear 1t, for if I go away I can never come back. Give me strength, my Father, until it is over. You have promsed: Though your sins be scarlet they shall be white as snow Help me to wash them away"
 Each day the struggle had grown stronger At the first shrill note her fingers would clench on the arms of her chair, her nostrils twitching spas medically, as the pale lips whispered Not today, o God; not today" AS it grew louder and reached the full limit of it's mighty voice, the blood would beat in her head until 1t seemed bursting. then as It died down to a whisper, her hands would slow ly unclench themselves, and her breath would come slowly between the closed teeth She had conquered once more.
 On this morning she had come to work feeling strangely weak, and as she heard the crowd gathering. the vans creaking and preparations being made for the incoming train, the old and oftrepeated prayer rose again to her lips: Not today, oh, not today, Father" Then with a quiver, the air trembled with the first long-drawn note.
 Slowly, as moved by an unseen hand, the girl arose and went slowly forward, her hands grasped the door knob and clung there until the veins stood out and the nails turned white under the strain, then seemingly un- clasped by the same unseen power, they relaxed and hung limp at her side, as with wide, unseeing eyes, she walked hatless through the crowd and into the sunlight beyond