The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-08
MisFeAaneuns.
MAGGIE RYAN.


ma'am. It's cold, dreary and dark along
the road, and, indeed, I've no place to &C
but Widow Yarrow's, and that's miles
away"
So spoke sad, worn. looking woman
standing on the threshold Off well-to do
farmers house, just as the last rays ol
light were fading from the evening sky.
The person she spoke to, large wo-
man, in bright, fowered dress and
white apron-the mistress of the house
turned away petishly.
"You came at night, Maggie, it seems
to me,and you can go at night. You don't
suit. | never saw such shiftless ways
in my life, And Jane Smith is here, and
I've only one bed for the servant and
can't expect 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 sens
es since you've been here, and can't
keep you another night; and the earlier
you go, the sooner you'll get there, wher-
ever it is."
"Well, ,that'strue anyway, Then ma'am"
replied the woman, "and you are mis-
tress in your own house; but god knows
it's not dog I'd be drivin' out at night"
Then she tied her little pittance in the
corner of pocket handkerchief and
walked away out of the gate and up the
road, not looking back once. Her heart
was heavy as lead, and she was angry at
world that had been a very hard one to
her. ...
"Three years since Pat went away"
she said to herself, "and never a word
from him. He's dead, no doubt and it's
the last kind word I've heard. I was MT
shiftless and good for nothing to him.
Maggie he'd often say, I'D change you
for nobody's wife, Och, he was the man;
and as good to me when l was faded and
worn out with the hard livin' and rarin'
and losin' the childer, as he was when I
was purity girl with cheeks like roses,
and he was boy courtin' me. Och, Pat,
were did you go at all ? You died in a
ditch like dog, maybe; for all these
hard-hearted gentle'folk care, we all
might"
She turned and shook her fist back at
the house she had just left only bit of
the roof visible over the rising ground
now.
"My heart was aching for the childer
and for Pat" she said; "but you could
have no patience if pertatie was burnt,
or towel not that smooth. You sent me
out with the night falling. Bad luck to
ye and to all your like"
Then she plodded on again; but the
womy she had left was notas bad as she
had fancied her. In her thrift and tidi-
ness she could not understand this untidy
careless being. She knew nothing ofthe
misery at her heart, or the sorrow that
made her forget the pots and pals She
was actually .half afraid of her and an
xious to get her out Of her house. Shelhad
felt it great mistake to hire a tramp
from the road ds il were and she had
paid her and was conscious of no cruelty.
The daylight fled apace; the moon risen
long ago, became visible-a faint streak
of new moon that set in little while
only the stars were left-and Maggie,
wandering on the road with her bundle
under her arm-a bundle of rags and odds
and ends tumbled together in an old fan
mel petticoat-began to lose her know
ledge of it. Here and there she saw
lights in a..window, but they were no pro-
mise of hospitality to her. Ifshe could
get to the Widow Yarrow's, that person
age, who took the laborers to board,
would left her lodge while she could pay;
but where was the widows Cottage--to
the right or to the left2 She could not
tell in the darkness whether she had
taken the proper turning. Hard by was
rushing sound, as of water. Danger
there, perhaps. The railroad was some
where at hand, and though Maggie felt
that the world was poor place, she did
not felt ready to meet death yet,
"Tll just drop down in the grass some.
where" said the poor woman. "And God
between me and harm. III could find
bit of hay now, 'twould be a comfort"
She stretched forward, peeriDg through
the darkness, and her foot struck some
loose branches that lay upon the ground,
with cracking sound.
what that2" said a voice very near
her in sharp whisper.
"It's an imp of squirrel" said another
voice. $50 on with your work, Jim. The
train will be along in fifteen minutes. Up |
with that rail- Hi Well have them this |
time"
"Hold your tongue, fool" said the first
voice. "You're half drunk. tell you l
thought it was STEP"
And now Maggie who had sunk fiat
upon the ground, knew all. Those who
near her were train wreckers.
an make no noise," said she. cts
none of my business"
But lying in the grass, the sharp strokes
Of steel on steel smote her ear; she could
not forget them. And suddenly it came
upon her that it was neither more nor
less than murder that she was waiting
there to see--that in lying quiet while it
was done she helped to do it.
"God forgive me p said poor Maggie.
I'll not do it; but what am l to do? How
will stop them? It's my own death;
III bring about nothing else"--
And just then the sound of a steam
whistle far away caught the ear. The
train was coming.
"Ready for them," said the voice she
had heard before. "Come into the bush
3D."
She heard them tramp away, and arose
% her feet and looked about her There
was no house in sight and no help near.
thought struck her. She had
matches in her pocket, and her dress was
| thin calico-it would burn like tinder.
In moment more she had torn it off and
lad the matches in her hand. AS she
struck light she heard pistol click.
"They see me-" she said, and held
he match against the old calico, and as
t ca lght fourished it over her head She
elt bullet whiz by her shoulder, anolh-
,r struck her, but now the glare was
bright, and the train was close at hand
The rushed toward it, waving her burning