The Cotton Factory Times. — 1910-08-12 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

CEL 1 A.  "It was pinned to the bed-quilt," said Batty„, "an' her hair lay on the floor where it fell as she put the scissors through it. Shan found them in the middle of the night. He had sat up late to give her time to sleep off her first fret. He told me the whole story when I missed me complete new rigout next mornin', and swore me toreereen, an' I helped him hide the letther an' the hair." "And thereby helped him to brand himself an unconvicted murderer. He knew questions would be asked and accusations made. But I admit am puzzled by the Rees' silence on the subject of Celia, and-" .  Wait a bit, sir. In the commencement Shan wouldn't gratify people to let her name he bandied about among them. They'd do it soon cough, he said, when she landed with Dan, an' his mauls got a chance to write home. But, sir, she didn't reach New York."  He spread Shan's thumb-marked newspaper in front of the priest, and showed him an account of a tragic occurrence on board one of the Cunard Line's fast vessels—that by which Dan had sailed. A steerage passenger had committed suicide two hours after leaving Queenstown. He had genes aboard early, and remained on deck watclrinw the embarking of a number of emigranta, with' one of whom he subsequently entered into censer nation when most of the passengers were below. Some time later he was observed leaning over the ship's side, alone, and evidently ill. Suddenly he threw off his frieze top-coat, placed both hands on the rail, and jumped into the water. The sea was boisterous and a gale threatening, and the unfortunate youth sank at once, despite an instant rush to the rescue on the part of several sailors, who were the only witnesses of the rash art.. "The youth," added the paper, "was of fragile physique, with roughly-cropped fair hair and delicate complexion. He possessed no luggage, seemed a stranger to all on board, and sailed under the name of Ben Rogan, his overcoat being initialed B.R.' in ordinary red ink on a strip of tape sewn Inside the collar."  " I sewed it meself where Stitch, the tailor, ought to gum his trade mark, an' doesn't," Batty sighed. " Yer reverence, the talkin' emigrant was Dan, an' he was in a righteous mood an' dictn't give her the reception she erpected, no the craters went crazy. She was the apple of his eye, ye, but he's Corner bred, an' wouldn't risk his soul —such as it is—by kidnap•pin' another man's wife. My curse on him! Why don't he take her to some kind, motherly woman, an' be a brother to her if he could be no more? But no. The smith's eon was howlin' in his bunk, an' Tom an' Ellen wastes' on the other side, an' he had his character an' resperAability to keep. An' the tendher bit girleen went overboard that he might keep them." 'Verily Dan has been discreet," said the listener grimly. "Beat like Shan he pays the price. Ellen Rees writes that he is in a law state of mind. Home sickness she calls it; soul-sickeneas say I. Alas I Batty, I would fain net my face against these unequal marriages, an common in our country. Youth should wed youth. Yet here Age was loveworthy. I see the motive of Shan's ooncluct, and if I auinee altogether approve—far sinners must shoulder their sins, Batty—l can admire the lofty pride which accounted the preservation of an erring wife's honour dearer than all else. Having no glimmering of the truth, I judged him harshly. lam most to blame." "He blamed nobody, sir. Nothin' mothered when he saved her from bein' dragged in the dirt. The one thing he admired in Dan was his mute. mouth. .  --Batty cast the plump stocking on the table. "Stone savin's," he said awk-wardly. Shan, bid me take them, an' I'm givire them to ye in payment of any service ye can do to him or bor. Money would hamper me. I wouldn't know what, to do with it." He dashed out of the house. As be sped through Fahey's comer under cover of the night, running 4 to warm his scantily-clad body, he heard pursuing, footsteps. At the arose-roads, where the font winds or: heaven met, the priest caught up with him, bareheaded. His hand grasped the stocking. "Are I base that I should rob you?" he panted. and Batty marvelled at the sweetness of that altered voice. "Nay, my son, make use of tit, and the Lord bless you whom heart is purer.thaai mine." "But—but--" faltered Batty dubiously. In the fine ivory of his thin face Father Lebseta OMNI stern eyes shone .ftly luminou, . .  "I will do.fo; your beloved everything the chogroh, demands. They shall not lack. But oh, doer lad, it is borne in upon me that Shan did not lose alight of much moment when he turned from iite to lay ' his ease before God."