Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-06-17
DARK DAYS.

There was time when, in our trade,
there came a regular storm-not rainy
day or two, but regular downpour-
and from half-dozens being discharged
on Saturdays, it came to tens and twen-
ties; and every time 1 went up to the
office it was all in shiver-ike lest I
should be one of those who were to be
struck off.
You see, it was particular time just
then, for, after twelve months of anx-
iety, / had won race that had been
running with one Dick Green, an old
fellow workman of mine. You see, we
had been both struck at the same time
and same place, and, to speak plainly,
trying to win the same heart. Some
howl don't know how it was, unless
she could read how true felt toward
her-Lizzie gave her hand to me; and at
the time [ am talking about she'd been
my busy little wife for six months.
Dick Green looked rather queer at
ne when he came to know that we were
married, and for a fortnight he wouldn't t
speak But that wasn't my fault, for l
was that happy [ could have made
friends with the worst enemy I'd ever
had in my life.
But being, as I said, so happy, I didn't t
like to see Dick so down in the mouth
l was sorry for him, too; for, poor fell
low, it was very hard for him to lose
such prize rs I'd won.
Lizzie, D." l says, one morning when
we were at breakfast, "Dick Green
seems awfully cut up about-you know
what; he don't speak now. What do
you say to our trying to make it up3"
"Lizzie turns very red, and looked a
bit confused, as she says: Chow can
we make it up?"
"Well, 1 was thinking, suppose we
ask him up to dinner on Sunday, and
then we could sit and smoke our pipes
after, and talk of old times but I don t
like being bad friends with an old mate. "
"I don't think I'd do that, Harry" "
she says and her face seemed to be
troubled like.
Nonsense" I says, in my stupid,
thick headed way. "It's all right, lit
tie one and let bygones be bygones. !
shant think anything about the past.
And [ laughed and joked her, and
asked if she thought should be jealous
when her face grew more troubled, and
she said it was subject that should rot
be ioked about.
Next day I speaks to Dick, and though
he was bit rough [ wouldn't take any
notice of it; and when at last asked
him to come and have bit of dinner
with us, and said that Lizzie would be
glad if he'd come, and held out h-y
boDI ba turpo1 obor,o wound lDol-od ~, =
frll in the face for few moments, and
then said he would come.
Sunday came, and SO did Dick Green
but somehow that dinner did not come
off as nicely as l should have liked.
almost felt cross, for Lizzie was not as
should have liked her to be; but when
we sat smoking our pipes at the window,
gazing out at the glorious prospect,
things seemed to go a little more
smoothly.
That did what wanted, though. Dick
grew quite friendly, though not in the
open way that should have liked-but
! set that down to my own disagreeable
way of looking at things and last Of all,
I got to be sorry that 1 had ever tried tc
be friends again, for he took to coming
much more often than wished and
can't say as liked finding him there
twice when / went home.
The last time, l couldn't help it,
spoke to Lizzie about it when he'd gone
and she laid her little hand on my
shoulder, and said she'd much rather
I'd ask him not to come when kissed
her. and called myself a disagreeablC
brute for feeling as I'd done.
I might have put o stop to Dick'l
coming, or / might not-I can't say
but it was all put aside by the changes
going on at the works, for the very mex
week Dick Green was amongst the batcl
discharged, and that ended it-for the
time.
g.. [ said that was all in trouble abou
the changes going on and trembling les
] should be one of the next ; for, you
see, instead of being well forward, / wal
n little behind. Not that you mus
think [ was careless, for that wasn't th'
case. 1t was the getting married ha(
mado me Short for we had been buying
furniture, and pots, and pans, and ket
ties every Saturday night, till used t.
wonder how big van it would take i
ever we had to move.
| never told Lizziea word of what wa
going on, for says to myself, what
the use of making her miserable9 Blu
at last all that had expected came.
was put off, one of the very last, too