River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-04-26
MAGGIE RYAN.

away"
So spoke a sad, worn looking woman
standing on he threshold of a well TODD
farmers home, Just as the last rays OF
light we're fading from the evening sky.
The person she spoke 10, large woman
in white, lowered dress and white
apron-the mistress Of the house-turned
away pettishly.
You came at night, Maggie, il seems
TO me you can 60 at night. You don't
suit . never saw such shiftless ways Ia
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 three days and goodness knows, you've
worried me out of my senses since you've
been here, aud can't keep you another
night; and the earlier you 90, the sooner
you'll get there, wherever il Is"
Well, that's true, anyway. Then,
ma'aln, replied the woman, "and you are
mistress in your own house; but God
knows, its not dog I'd be drivin' out at
night" Then she tied her little pittance
IN the corner of a pocket-handkerchief
and she walked away out of the gate and
up the road, not looking back once. Her
heart was heavy as lead, and she was an
CRY at world that hat been very hard
one 10 her.
Three years since Pat went away"
che said TO herself. " and never a word
from him. He's dead, no doubt; and it's
the last kind word I've heard. l wasn't
shiftiess and good for nothing to him.
Maggie, he'd often say, I'd change you
70. nObody's wife Och, he was the mar
and as good to me when / was faded and
worn out with the hard liNin' and rarin'
and losin' the children as he was when l
was purity girl, with cheeks like roses,
and he was boy courtin' me. Och, Pat,
where did you 60 at alIl You died in a
ditch like a dog, maybe; for all these
hard-hearted gentle folks care We all
might die"
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.
Ny heart was aching for the childer
and for Pat" she said; "but you could
have no patience if a peratie was burnt, or
a towel not that smooth. xou sent me
out with the night falling Bad luck to
We and all your like"
Then she plOdded on sgain; but the
woman she had left was not as bad as she
had fancied her. In her thrift and tidi-
ness she could not understand this untidy,
careles being. She knew nothing of the
misery It her heart, or the sorrow that
made he, forget the pots and pals. She
was actually half afraid of her, and anx-
iOus 10 get her out of the house. She had
e.fH suk- IN rrnn m
from the road, rs it 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 a little
while-Only the stars were left-and
Maggie, wandering on the road with heI
bundle under her arm-a bundle of rags
aud odds and ends tumbled together IN
an old flannel penticoat-began to lose
her knowledge of il. Here and there she
saw lights in 4 window, but they were no
promise of hospitality to her. If she could
get TO the Widow Yarrow's, that person
age, who took the laborers to board
would let her lodge while she could pay
but where was the widows cottage-tC
the right or to the leftl She could not
tell in the darkness whether she had taken
the proper turning. Hard by was rush.
ing sound, a. of water. Danger there
perhaps. The railroad was somewhere al
Rand, and though Maggie felt that the
world was poor place. she did not fee
ready to meet death vet.
" I'll Just drop down in the grsss some,
where" said the poor woman. And God
between me and harm. IL could find s
4 = - ,s,11 h.. frrsf
She stretched forward, peering through
the darkness, and her foot struck some
branches that lay upon the ground with 8
cracking sound.
What's thatlr said voice very neal
her in a sharp whisper.
It's an imp of = squirrel" said another
voice. go on with your work Jim. The
train will be along in fifteen minutes. u
with that rail. Hill Wen have then
this time"
Hold your tongue, fool" said the
first voice. You're half drunk. / told
YOU I <hought it was a step"
and now Maggie, who had sunk fla
upon the ground, knew all. Those whC
whispered near her were train-wreckers.
I'll make no noise" said she. ats
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 il was neither more nor les
than murder that she was waiting there e
see-that in lying quiet while it was done
she helped 10 do il.
"GOd forgive me-" said poor Maggie
"I1I not do il; but what am I TO do
-. IT,
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 sh,
had heard before. Come into tn,
bushes"
She heard them tramp away, and she
arose 70 her feet and looked about her
There was no house in sight and no helE
near. Suddenly thought struck her
She had matches in her pocket. and hel
dress was 8 thin calicO-it would burr
like finder In a moment more she haC
torn IL off and had the MATCHES in hel
hand. As she struck light she heard /
pistol click.
"They see me, she said. and keld ths
match against the old calico and rs i
caught, hOurished IL over her head. She
felt bullet whiz by her shoulder; an.
other struck her; but now the glare was
bright. and the train was close at hand
She rushed toward it, waving her burning
dress. Thank God. they saw her. The
train slackened its pace-it stopped. Mer
with lanterns in their hands sprang from
it and hurried toward her. And the old
dress. burnt to finder, dropped 70 the
ground, and she sank beside Il. the blood
flowing from a wound in her arm.
They've killed me, behave. she said
family, as a man bent over her. =. 1 can't
show you the place, but it's-beyani
there-the rails-they've ripped them up
the villains = Then She tainted
When she came to herself she was BY