The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-01-01
The Sacrifice
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mat MS body was quite quaint and
thin, and his narrow shoulders droop.
ed pItifully under the weight Of his
worn brown jacket. Much trouble
and Joss of sleep caused the tre1ib;
i ling OF his fingers as much as tie
I flight of time, which had whitened
his long thin locks.
rH:Theield sailmaker. they called him.
or perhaps more often Sold Jean
No one guessedlfhe TRAGEDY that lay
behind his faded blue eyes.
! 1t was in his early eos that he had
fallen in lovetw3th{a pretty dark.eyed
maid, and after a short but ardent
wooing they had married. The
honeymoon had hardly begun when
Jean was obliged to sail away on u
distant fishing trip. How hard it was
to part, with their happiness Just be.
fore them. He would not have gone
only that he had already pledged him.
self, but this should be his last voy.
age, he promised his young bride. 1t
would not be for long, he comforted
her, only a few short months, and
then he would be back, never to leave
her again. So with a fond kiss he
babe her farewell. But 1t was three
long, weary years before Jean saw
his young wife again.
1t was on the return trip, after an
especially good catch. that a furious
storm overlook them. - The. gallant
ship held out nobly, but the fury of
the gale swept her far ont Of her
course and she struck on; a rock,
ftearingsa "a great hole in her<side.s. ~
After three years 81 terrible, hard.
sship Jean found himself back, among
sthe' old familiar scenes: How good
everything looked. He laughed aloud
gin Ills joy. And Mathflde! Iiow she
would rejoice in his Homecoming.
All, 1t was good to be alive, and to be
home once more
FL will not tell them TIL / have
seen Mathilde,n he said to himself.
So he went along till he came to
his little home. With mingled feel.
ings he lifted the latch and opened
the door. BY the side OF a small table,
with her back toward him, sat a wo.
man sewing. humming gayly as she
worked and on the floor by her side
played a dimpled, golden.haired child.
Jean caught his breath sharply.
"Mathilde!"
The woman turned, frightened at the
sound of a strange voice and the sight
OF a. strange man standing on her
threshold. There was no recognition
In her eyes as she looked at him.
"Mathilde. don't you know me? 1t
Is J.. Jean" With a wild cry the
woman staggered toward him.
You! You! thought you were
dead. They told me So"
"Yes. but that was a mistake he
answered. taking her in his arms and
holding her close.
See. ! am really Jean, your 'hus-
band"
Wild.eyed, she shrank from him,
painting. NO, oh, no. They told me
You were dead. I waited two years,
and then-then l married Philippe.
lie Is my husband. And now you
have come to tear me from him, and
my boy, my little Pierre!" She
caught the child to her flercely.
Slowly the light faded from Jeans
eyes, and his heart turned cold with.
In him. Evident enough It was that
his wife loved him no longer; it was
only Philippe and the child for whom
she cared.
you are very happy" he quest.
toned. surprised himself at the dull
calm Of his voice.
"Ah, so happy" she answered
softly.
The l would not make you un.
happy. l will so away again. No
one here knows who | am. You need
not tell them. Farewell, Mathilde.
Nay, do not thank me- And SO stun.
ned by the blow OF Mathilde'sr faith.
llessness, 'heH at last wandered into
Bon Secour, and there he had lived
ever since. There was no reproach
In his heart against her. no bitterness,
only the great desire for her happi.
ness.D! tt7 No-c "~sm'"Usst ga Ef'i
Outside a fierce wind had arisen,
the light drizzle Of the early
evening had increased to a steady
downpour, and the angry waters
crashed and Numbered against the
rocks.
Suddenly, above the roar OF the
storm, he thought he heard a wo-
mans voice calling. He rushed for.
ward and flung the door open wide.
The rain beat on his uncovered head
and against his wrinkled cheeks. A
sudden exultation seized him a fierce
uncomfortable passion took posses
sion of him. and he reeled out into
the darkness, following the light of a
woman's eyes and the cali OF her
voice.
All that wild night he searched for
her, tramping up and down the little
stretch. OF beach,. and cropping and
stubling over the wet. slippery rocks.
oblivious to the fact that his clothes
were torn and bedraggled and that he
una enoEad fhray0h ,od @k..u-L