Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-10-10
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MAGGIE RYAN.
"But just let me stay until morn
ing, ma'am. 1t is cold, dreary an(
dark along the road, and, indeed, Nv,
Ina place to 60 but Widow Yarrow's g
and that's miles away
So spoke sad, worn-looking wo
man, standing on the threshold of 8
well-tO-do farmers house, just as tho
rays of light were fading from thu
evening sky.
The person she spoke to, large
woman. in bright, lowered dres.
and white apron-thc mistress of the
housc-turned away pettishly.
"You came at night, Maggie, il
seems to me, and you can go at night
You don't suit. l never saw sncf
shiftlcss ways in my life. And Jane
Smith is here, and I've only one bed
for the servant, and 1 don't expect q
tidy girl like Jane to sleep with-well
with strangers. I've paid you for
your three days, and goodness knows
you've worried me out of my senses
since you've been here, and I cant
keep you another night, and the ear.
lier you 60, the sooner you'll gel
there, wherever it is.'
SWELL, that's true, anyway. Then,
ma'am, replied the woman, "and you
are mistress in your own house; bu,
God knows it's not a dog I'd be driv-
in at night" Then she tied her lit
tie pittance in the corner Of a pocket
handkerchief, and walked away out
of the gate and up the road, but not
looking back once. Her heart was
heavy as lead, and she was angry at a
world that had been a hard one to
her. =
"Three years since Pat went way
she said to herself, "and never word
from him. He's dead, no doubt, and
it's the last kind word I've heard
wasn't shiftless and good for moth.
ing to him. Maggie he'd often say
Id change you for nobody's wife.
Och, he was the man; and as good to
me when was faded and worn out
with the hard livin' and rarin' and
losin' the childer as he was when
was purity girl, with checks like
roses, and he was boy courtin' me
Och, Pat, where did you go at all
You died in ditch like dog, may
be; for all these hard-hcarted gentle
folks care we might"
She turned and shook her fist back
at the house she had just left, only q
bit of the roof visible over the rising
ground now.
"My heart was aching for the chill.
der and for Pat" she said, "and YOU
could have no patience if a pertati,
was burnt or o towel not that smooth
You sent me out with the night fall
ing. Bad luck to you and all your
like"
Then she ploddcd on again; bu
the woman she had left was not 81
bad as che had fancicd her. In hel
thrift and tidincss she could not un
derstand this uatidy, careless being
She knew nothing of the misery a
hefheart, or the sorrow that mad
her%forgct the pots and pals. Sh
was actuhlly half afraid of her ant
wanted to get her out Of the house
She had felt it great mistake to hir
a tramp from the road as it were,ant
she had paid her and was conscious
of no cruelty.
The daylight fled apace of tn
moon, risen long ago, became yisibl
la faint streak of new moon that sc
in little while--only the stars wer
left-and Maggie, wandering wit
her bundle under her arm-her littl
bundle of rags and odds and end
tumbled together in an old flanne
petticoat-began to lose her knowl
edge of it. Here and there she say
lights in window, but they were n
promise Of hospitality to her. If sh
could get to the widow Yarrow's
that parsonage would let her lodg
while she could pay; but where wa
the widows cottage-to the right o
to the left? She could not tell in tn
darkness whether she had taken tn
proper turning. Hard by was rush
ing sound as of water. Danger ther,
: perhaps. The railroad was some
where at hand, and though Maggi
felt the world wasa poor place, sh
did not feel ready to meet death We
"I'll just drop down in the gras
somewhere" said the poor woman
"And God between me and harm.
| could find bit Of hay now, 'twoul
be comfort"
She stretched forward, pcerin
through the darkness, and her fot
struck some loose branches that la
, upon the ground, with cracklin
. lsound.
"What's that?' said voice ver
: lncar her, in sharp whisper.
II "Its on imp of squirrel" said al
. other voice. ssGo on with your wor
Jim the train will be along in fiftce
minutes. Up with that rail. Iii
Well have them this time"
. "Hold your tongue, fool" said Il
R first voice. you're half drunk.
, tell you thought it was a step.'
II Aud now Maggie, who had sur
. fiat upon the ground, knew u
9 Those who whispered near her we
: train wreckers.
"I'll make no noise," said she, "il
none Of my business
But, lying in the grass, the shal
J. lstrokes of steel smOte on her ca
u She could not forget them. And su
I denly 1t came upon her that it W
= neither more nor less than murd
she was waiting there to sec-that
9, Lying quiet while it was dono 8
d helped to do it.
~ "God forgive me |" said poor Ma
= Igie. en- do it; but what am to d
& How will stop them? It's my on
n death Pll bring about nothing el
81"
And just then the sound of stes
= whistle far away caught the ear. T
= train was coming.
D. Ready for them I" said the vo
)O she had heard before. Como into ,
i, bushes"
:, She heard thcm tramp away. a
~ arose to her feet and looked abe
X her. There was no house in sig
and no help near. She had mattel
- in her pocket and her dress wa
]. thin calico-it would burn like tind
" In moment more she had torn it
rc and had the matches in her hal
AS she struck light she heard q p
toll click.
/ "They see me-" she said, and hi
10 the match against the old calico q
10 as it caught flourished ii over
IL head. She fclt q ball whiz by
~ shoulder, another struck her, but n
=. Shx rrlo IN xvo . hrs1rht ns,I Az l.,