An Epic In Self-Sacrifice

NZ Truth, Issue 943, 22 December 1923, Page 12

An Epic In Self-Sacrifice

A T«le of a Loyal Lover and Two Fateful Chrtstmasea. 'Tin awfully sorry, Jack, but I couldn't possibly marry you. Ye* I know you love me; but you are too much of a wOwser. rm afraid your church-going ' men axe not sincere. There's too much hypocrisy. No. I (loh't think you are after my money- - I just don't like risking the smugness of you. That's straight, and I'm glad it's off my mind!" That was a sa\i Christmas for him. Jack had been a persistent lover of Sally-rSalvo he called her, because she went off at a tangent so frequently —for years and years, but although there was a liking for him on her part he waa always repulsed when they came to close quarters. "All right. Salvo— that ends it I'm not asking again. But there is to be no other woman for me." "Don't say that, Jack. There's plenty of good fish m the sea, you know." "Yes, but we're not living near the sea," • - "•• c j •'Why, Betty, old girl, what's the \ matter?" Jack was the speaker. He had come across the girl keeping bitterly. "Why!" she started up, affrighted, wiping her eyes hurriedly. "I'd no Idea there was anyone, about." "Tell me, girlie. Whafe it all about?" Jack possessed that unexplainable quality whioh invites confidence. Weeplngly, she told the tale that, is so common. She and a fellowworker had grown fond of each other. They had walked out. She had surrendered^ — and now he had deserted her. '

He had gone, leaving no address. "Oh, well," said Jack, after the tale was ended —"there's a way out, Betty. Suppose you marry me?" Then on the way home he told the girl his own tale of disappointed love. They were quietly married. Everybody who knew the young couple knew the double tragedy of their lives. The most surprised person m the community, however, was Sally. From that time onward, whenever she saw Jack, she said to her heart: "There goes a real man!" She dropped her animosity to churchgoers. She actually became a regular churchgoer. Three months after her marriage Betty gave birth to a son —and gave Up her life at the same time. Jack became as fond of the babe as if It waa his own flesh and blood, and he declared to his intimates that his Sacrifice had not been ln vain, but, Instead, he had been well rewarded. a c • Then came another Christmas season. On the Sunday evening, when jack waa returning from church, he Was overtaken by Sally. "Can I walk along with you, Jack?" "Why, Salvb, I shall be delighted." Then she opened her heart to him, told him of her great awakening, how Bhe had come to fall m love with him through hia act of sacrifice to nave Bettys good name, and astonished him by ending: "Jack, will you marry me?" Jack had a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.