Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-24
ALONG THE LINE.

OIttChNo JOuL DOOGS OVtT nlX
kitchen floor! Won't you ever learn
what doormats are made forp" cried
Meb Wright, fastening her sleeves before
the open door of the little sitting-room.
i do detest these warm, sloppy Febru-
ary days. wish when we freeze up in
November we needn't thaw out until
the first of April. The mud and the
slop must be gone through with in the
spring. anyway, and this freezing and
thawing between whiles is just exhaust
ingr'
Winn Wright, locomotive engineer, a
big fellow, not graceful, sat absently
gazing into the narrow front yard, and
drumming on the window ledge. He
looked tired.
I'm tired, too" thought Meb. cts
hard, tiresome world, hal der for work
ing women than for men-no use in
whining over it, though. We must take
life as it comes"
Il don't believe you care much for
me nowadays, Meb," said Winn,
bluntly.
Meb curled her lip. 1t seemed partic
ularly ridiculous in Winn to talk senti-
ment now, for he had a tar streak OBJ
liquely across his forehead, and wore
coarse cloth with mperfectly-pressed
seams and ragged buttonholes.
| wish you wouldn't drum on that
sill, Winn, you know how annoying it
is"
After half hour which Meb spent,
for the most part, outside the little sit
ting room, Winn said goodbye and
started for the depot. Out to Plympton
and back would make up his days trip.
Mcb ;ut on her pretty brown cash
mere with white lace and cardinal rib
bon ut her. throat, and cardinal loops in
her hair, and took the chair by the win
dow.
She heard the occasional slush of
wheels through the melting snow out
side, or the thud Of rubber shod feet
through the water on the spongy ice,
the ceaseless drip from the roof into the
tin conductors, and the drowsy chirp of
the canary above the windows garden.
Nleb ielt sad. Little did she think
when playing the organ on Sundays in
the Sweetville Methodist church, and
taking lessons in French and water-colors
Mt the Young Ladies' Institute, that she
should one day be doing her own work,
and economizing to pay for little house
WlOl lOuA iOOhlh Jill Oh OlIC lOWOl llOOl
She might "have done BETTER" There
was Samuel Fletcher who every sum-
mer now came to Sweetville with his
carriage horses and his saddle horses.
There was Charlie Fordyce and, why
Winn was a good fellow. She loved
Winn, ofcourse; but Winn had kind
Of honest stupidity that she feared would
prevent his ever rising" Thatstupid-
ity wearied her. Lite was wearisome
anyway-cheerless and prospectless.
Meb's door-bell rang. She was fa-
miliar with the humiliation of answer
ing it in person. Charlie Fordyce was
on the steps. Charlie Fordyce had no
tar streaks across his face. He was
starched, brushed and polished to the
last degree. Charlie was employed at
the " Office" He inquired for Winn.
"Has he left the depot, thinkP" asked
he as he followed Meb into the little sit
ting-room.
Il heard the Bucephalus signal at the
FeTy-street crossing minute ago."
That's too bad Ellis sent word to
have McGregor take Little Rhody out
to Plympton in Winn's place, and the
Bucephalus to go on to Sidon and come
in with the night freights. We've just
had telegram that there are hun
dred and twenty-five cars waiting to be
moved from Sidon. They were delayed
by the snow storm on the Central, and
Shore Line last week, and have only
Just got through"
The chair Meb had set for Mr.. For
dyce was very easy. He was tired after
the slippery, sloppy walk, and, since the
pay went on just the same, why shouldn't
he linger?
"Were you out to hear Janauschek
last EVENING""
"No; there was some delay-a bridge
gone-and Winn didn't get in until nine
o'clock"
"Of course you were at the concert
of the Glee Club last week"
"No; Winn seldom took her any
where. He liked to settle down at home
evenings"
Mr.. Fordyce reviewed the perform
ances, mingling the choicest of the ar
phrases culled from his daily paper with
others of unknown derivation but legiti
mate sound.
Very humble and hard seemed the
round of uneducated labor in which
Meb moved to the circle of art and cul'
ture in which Mr.. Fordyce ornamentally
revolved.
Meb failed to recollect that Mr.. For
dyce's monthly receipts were little more
than Winn's, and that artistic revolu
tions, if continued for any length. q
time, must depend upon some consider
able pecuniary steam power and nuit,
tangible betting. She had all tliat Hin,
confidence in The money getting mower