Lincoln County advocate. (Canton, Dakota Territory, [S.D.]) 1876-1877, 1877-04-18
MAGGIE RYAN.

z
MAGGIE RYAN. /
t"'But just let me stay until morning,
j ma'an,. It's cold, dreary and dark
along the road, and, indeed, I've nc
place to go but Widow Yarrow's. and
that's miles away" 1 /
So spoke sad, worn-looking woman,
standing on the threshold OF we'll, to
do farmers house, Just as the last rays
Of light were fading from the evening
sky. r
The person she spoke to, large
woman in a white, lowered dress and
white apron-the mistress OF the house
turned away pettishly. ,.,., .... y.y.4
"You came at night, Maggie, it
seems to me, and you can go at night.
You don't suit. I never saw such shift
less ways in my life. And Jane Smith
is here, and I've only one bed for the
servant, and ] can't expect q 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 I can't keep You another
night; and the earlier you go, the sooner
you'll get there, wherever it is" 3.
"Well, that's true, anyway. Then,
na'aun," replied the woman, "and you
are mistress in your own house; but
God knows. its not a dog I'd be drivin'
out at night" Then she tied her little
pittance in the corner of pocket.hand
b kerchief 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
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
wasn't shiftless and good for nothing to
him. Maggie he'd often say, Ia
change you for nobody's wife. Och, be
was the man; and as good to me when I
was faded and worn out with tho hard
Twin and rarin' and losin' the children
as he was when I was purity girl, with
cheeks like roses, and he was boy
courtin' me. Och, Pat, where did you
20 at ala You died in a ditch like q
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. -"
a"My heart was aching for the childer
and for Pat" she said; but you could
have no patience if peratie was burnt,
or towel not that smooth. You sent
meout with the night falling. Bad luck
to ye and to all your like"
Then she plodded on again; but the
woman she had left was not as bad as
she had faacied hor. In her thrift and
tidiness she could not understand this
untidy, careless being. She knew
nothing Of the misery at her heart, or
the sorrow that made her forget the
pots and pals. She was actually half
afraid of her, and anxious to get her
out of her house. She had felt it a
great mistake to hire tramp from the
road, as it were, and she had paid her
and was conscious OF no cruelty.
The daylight fed apace; the moon,
risen long ago, became visible "a faint
sttreak Of new moon that SGT III . little
whils-only the stars were left land
Maggie, wandering on the road with her
bundle under her arm-a bundle of
rags and odds and ends tumbled to.
gether in an old flannel petticoat- be.
gan to lose her knowledge of it. Here
and there she saw lights in window,
but they were no promise of hospitality
to her. It she could get to the Widow
Yarrow's, that parsonage, who took the
laborers to board, would let her lodge
while she could pay; but where was the
Widows cottage to the right or TO the
left? che could not tell in the dark
ness whether she had taken the proper
turning, Hard by was q rushing sound,
Is, Of water. Danger there, perhaps.
The railroad was somewhere at hand,
and though Maggie felt that the world
was poor place, she did not feel ready
to meet death yet.
"Ill Just drop down in the grass
somewhere, " said the poor woman.
ssAnd God between me and harm. If
could ind bit of hay now, 'twould be
q comfort" DID,.
She stretched forward, peerine
through the darkness, and her foo
struck some loose branches that lay
upon the ground, with acracking sound,
whats tbat?" said q voice very
near her in sharp whisper.
sits an imp OF squirrel, siid
another voice. $50 on with your work
Jim. The train will be along in fifteer
minutes. Up with that rail. Hi! Wei
have them this time. =
Hold your tongue, fool" said tht
first voice. !" You're half drunk.
tell you I, thought it was . step"
And now Maggie, who had sunk fial
upon the ground, knew all. Those WIZ
whispered near her were train wreckefs
TN make no noise, said she. 4" III
none Of my business.
But lying in the grass, the sharE
z strokes OF steel on steel smote her ear
she could not forget them. And sud
denly it came upon her that it was nei
ther more nor less than murder that shi
was waiting there to seethat in lyinl
quiet while it was done she helped K
do IT, il 80 ~ So H.. -
..God forgive me- l" aaid poor Mag
gle. s.I'll not do it; but what am I K
do? How will / stop thero2 It's m!
own death; I'll bring about nothing
else Y. t's1Ss
Is And Just then the sound Of q steam
whistle far away caught the ear. fh'
train was coming. 4. .&
Ready for them, . said the voice sh'
had heard before. Come into tn