The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-06-28
DARK DAYS.

There was time when, in our trade,
there came regular storn-not rainy
day or two, but regular downpour-
and from half-dozens being discharged
on Saturdays, 1T came to tens and twen-
ties; aid every time L went up to the
Office 1t was all in shiver-like lest I
should he one Of those who we're to Ee
struck off.
1on see, it WAS particular time lust
then, for, after twelve months of aax-
lety, mad won II race that L 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, aud, to speak plainly,
trying to win the same heart. Some
howl don't know how it was, unless
she could read how true I felt toward
her-Lizzie gave her hand to me; and at
the time l am talking about she'd been
my busy little wife for six months.
Dick Green looked rather queer at
me when he came to know that we we're
married, and for fortnight he wouldn't
speak. But that wasn't my fault, for
was that happy [ could have made
friends with the worst enemy I'd ever
had in my life.
But being, as said, SO happy, didn't
like to SEQ Dick so down in the mouth.
1 was sorry for him, too; for, poor fell
low, it was very hard for him to lose
such prize as I'd won.
Lizzie" says, one morning when
we We're ut 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 up2"
Lizzie turns very red, and looked q
bit confused, as she says: "How can
we make it up2"
'"Well, 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 1 don't
IKE Delng bad friends with an old mate. "
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. I
shan't think anything about the past"
And L laughed and joked her, and
asked if she thought should be Jealous:
when her face grew more troubled, and
she said it was a subject that should rot
be joked about.
Next day 1 speaks to Dick, and though
he was bit rough, wouldn't take any
notice of it and when at last I 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 n-y
hand, he turned sharp round, looked me
full In the face for few moments, and
then said he would come.
Sunday came, and 80 did Dick Green
but somehow that dinner did not come
Off as nicely as I should have liked. I
almost felt cross, for Lizzie was not as I
should have liked her to be; but when
we sat smoking our pipes at the window,
gazing out at tho glorious prospect,
things seemed to go little more
smoothly.
That did wnat I 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,
got to be sorry that had ever tried to
be friends again, for he took to coming
much more often than I wished and /
can't say as 1 liked finding him there
twice when went home.
The last time, 1 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 disagreeable
brute for feeling as I'd done.
I might have put a stop to Dicks
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 batch
discharged, and that ended it-for the
time.
I said that was all in trouble about