Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-12-22
HOBsONs CHOICE.


few loungers in the little waiting room
glanced curiously through the window
of the telegraph office. Without was the
clear and intensely cold twilight of a
winter evening, a streak of vivid red
light dying away IN the west, and
white crescent moon high above it.
Lights yet flashed from the numberless
windows of the great mills in the dis.
tance, out of whose doors dark lines of
operatives were still issuing in appar-
emily endless succession. Lights stream
ing brilliantly from the windows of the
store and dwelling house defed the gray
shadows that were slowly settling over
the pOpulous and snowy street, where
freedom seemed to be running riot in
wild laughter and wilder shouts, in the
beat of horses hoofs and the gay chime
of bells. Within, through a close at
mosphere impregnated with stale tobac-
CO, the gas lamps flared yellowly on
dingy walls decked with the usual col
lection of colorcd posters, railway maps,
and advertisements, on the rusty pyra-
mid of iron used as stove, and on lines
of rickety settees occupied by various
heavily coated individuals, who were
DOING and smoking away the ten min
utes that must elapse before the arrival
of the night train from the city.
Reused by the laugh, more than one
sleepy individual Strengthened himself
and stared into the telegraph office,
where a petite young woman, with the
glossiest of short black curls and the
sauciest of bright black eyes, was lean
ing her two elbows on table and talk
ing with lank and lght-haired girl op-
posite.
The young woman first mentioned
was dressed in alpaca that was rusty
from long wear, besides being somewhat
white in the seams and frayed at edges
of trimming and braid. Her collar and
cuffs were far from being clean, but the
coquettishly tied red bow at her throat
and the snowy bracelets on her wrists
were supposed to atone for slight de-
fects. The little brown hands that sup.
ported her chin were also somewhat
grimy. She had slipped two broad gold
rings on the slight forefnger of the
right one, ard it was the action, accom-
panied by grimace, that had provoked
her companions shrill laugh.
go Tilly M'Ewensl l never saw the
likes of your
"Sh-h!" said Miss M'Ewens, her black
eyes dancing with fun, as she pulled the
rings off, dropped one in her pocket, and
placed the other on the second finger.
Don't make noise in my office, Poll
Evans!"
It's the queerest thing that you can't
tell your own mind. 1t would take pow
er of talk, though, to make me think you
amt putting some of it on. guess if /
had two after ms-"
30 pshaw, Poll, wait till you know
something about it. You never had a
beau in your life, and I've had dozen
or so. And nOW Imean to get married" +"
WE'LL" said Poll, rather sullenly,
1 amt so old as you. Anyway, ex-
pect always to be sharp enough to know
which of two things like best"
Sharp isn't the word, Poll. It's not
question of fortune. l don't know
whether I'd prefer to be Mrs. Jones, the
wife of the jeweler, or Mrs. Johnson,
wife of one the bosses of the mills.
don't know whether like best Jones'
blue eyes-and / adore blue eyes-or
JohnsOn's black mustache-and l lore
black mustache. Ohp-and the
brown hands were thrown out so impa-
tiently that the big ring came near fiy-
ing Off" there never was girl in such
quandary"
1.-TWO kinds of pie" Poll said, COM
prehensively.
wish the two fellows were as near
alike as the two rings. keep one in my
pocket and one on my finger, and each
one thinks am wearing the one he gave
me. Good jOke-eh, Poll?"
Poll laughed again, but queried, rather
doubtfully: "If they amt engagement
rings, how'd they happen to give 'em to
your"
"Oh, had philopena with johnson,
and won it, and the foolish fellow bought
me ring for present, and tried to
propose. rather think he didn't sue
ceed, though" and Miss M'Ewens
laughed at the recollection. "And as
for Mr.. Jones, he first stole that narrow
gold ring / used to wear, and then,
when l asked him for it, took the ring
off his own finger and offered me that in.
stead. l told him it was worth twice as
much as my own, and I'd sell it if he
didn't return my own property. Bahl
I'd like to see either of them propose to
me till I'm ready TO have him"
When'll that be?"
Honestly, Poll, don't know. When
find out which like best, suppose.
You see, If one should manage to pop
the question, should have to accept or
refuse. If / should refuse either of
them l should be sure to be sorry after.
ward; and, if accepted one, should
be dreadfully sorry couldn't accept the
other. They're like two pieces of dress
goods you try to decide between, you
know; after you buy one and get home
with 1t you're always sorry you hadn't
taken the other"
"H'm" was Polls response, as she
tossed of her faded shawl. "Did you
ever hear of the man who fell between
two stOols?"
o Pshaw! understand flirting pretty
well. 1 know how TO manage" and
there was another flash of the black eyes
and settling Of the coquettish red bow
shall marry one or the other, you'll
see won't be telegraph operator all
my life."
There was whistle and roar of an ap-
preaching train. Miss M'Ewens tossed
aside her sewing, and pulled her hat and
cloak down from high peg, upon which
Poll proceeded TO hang her own outer
garments, saying, with u chuckle: "See
here, Tilly-suppose one of 'em should
write TO your don't see how you'd get
round that"
Don't you bother your head. They're
not very good with their pens, either of
them. III they should"
"What them"
why, should have TO take the first.
See here, Poll; Sunday Pm going to
church with Jones, Tuesday Pin going
10 the theater with Johnson, Wednesday
I'm going TO ride with Jones, and Satur-
day afternoon I'm going skating with
Johnson. Talk Of angelsl" she finished,
in hurried whisper, as the waiting.
room door was thrown open and young