The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-04-18
IN THE DARK.

Inc tllnekeeper lett MS seat by LIN
door as the whistle sounded from the roo
of the boiler houses, and the echo of thf
booming shrek came back from the hill
across the ravine through which the
Black river found its way. He had
handed in his report ut the office before
the siackenng speed Of the band and
wheel and shafting had softened the clam
orous whir of the spindles and the rumh
| ling of the mules to a whisper and then
to silence when down the staircases Of
! the central tower, past the unguarded
door, and out into the gray darkening OF
the late twilight rustled a crowd in calico,
dividing into three streams as it dashed
over the threshold, one going north to the
corporation boarding house, another tax.
ing the opposite direction toward the
meaner part Of the small village, and a
third crossing the canal directly to the
tenement dimly seen on its bank. The
| hundred windows of the huge mill shown
yellow. 70 the trayelers ON the clown
cypress that stood by the atstiqn plat.
form, the pump of the safety break pant
ing as if impatient of the delay these
lights seemed the golden fecks in. mine
of prosperous industry, and their distant
CLEAN suggested pleasant thoughts of a
busy multitude. Near to the walls the
slanting rays lighted up indistnot fsu-os,
hustling away into long professions that
| broke into knots or separated into indi-
viduals. They were mainly those of wo-
men. Some wore shawls drawn over
! their heads, others were still sheltered by
! the straw hats that had seen service under
, the heat of the summer sun; some step
| ped along with sort Of sorry iauntiness
| in feathers and feminine trappings that
huttered and swung in the CHANGING re
aections from above.
With giang Of the bell the train
moved on toward the great city. The
lights disappeared Ky sections from the
| front Of the mill-a score of windows
being hlotted cut at once, like wink of
Argus--and the few hurrying feet that
sped away through the gathering dark
ness left behind them towering black
monument, whose broad stony expanse
was relieved only by the glimmer of a
| lantern as it passed window after window
at the pace of mans walk.
! The mills had closed toE the night. But
before the last row Of lights went out,
there stepped through the vacant door
way vet another figure in calico, not has
/ tily; but with an expectant air, as if the
delay had been with Durnnaa E''H''
in the dim light, and clothed in mean
and malodorous factory dress, it could be
seen as that Of 9 young woman, tail be-
| You'd the usual height, slim, and graceful
in movement. The girl came slowly out
and paused at the bottom of the granite
steps. A quick but shutting football was
heard upon the path of cinders leading up
| from the canal. It came nearer, and "a
mans form appeared in the gloom. The
| girl stepped out toward 1t.
" Joe !" she said.
The man, who was in working dress,
and carried tin pail, with cup of the
same material set on the top like the tur-
ret of a monitor, turned quickly and
peered at the speaker.
:" Why, Nary" he said, with some
thing like annoyance in his tone 90
didn't want youto wait for me to night.
I'm late now, and the boss'lt be mad
enough. You'd better go right home"
Z" But, Joe, l waited to see you par
ticular tonight Can't you spare a min
ute ?" Then, with a certain irrelevancy
contrasting with the earnestness of her
voice: ''What made you SO late for the
last week, Joe?'
| ''No matter what's made me late The
boss has asked that question too often
now, and don't want him to ask it again.
Give me kiss, Mary, and run off"
| With a lighter tone in these last words,
the mans figure leaned toward that of
the girl, and blended with it for mo-
ment in the darkness. But one who could
have seen this would have noticed that
the shadowy heads did not meet, and a
movement of the shawl indicated gen
tly repellant motion of the girls hand.
81 No, dear; it isn't kisses that want, I"
said the woman, sadly. 90, Joe, you
know why I've tried to get talk with you
all this week? I've cried myself to sleep,
and once / went round to your boarding
house,
- Don't you do that again, Mary
said the man. 81 don't want any one
running after me there There's the
boss's lantern through the dying room.
You just run along, and we'll settle all
that day after 10 morrow. Ihave all day
Sunday. If you won't give me kiss"
As many as you want, Joe, dear
There therer And the shawl rose and
Joined the shadow of the mans shoulders
as if two arms had been flung around his
neck, and there was a whisper: "Only
don't go to the Falls, Sunday, Joe, bui
come and talk with me about what you
said"
| One of the figures disappeared in the
DARKER shade of the mill. The former
paused moment IS If gazing after it
late companion, and then glided straight