Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-10-23
ALONG THE LINE.

WuaI UOOTmaIS are maze IOr." cried
Meb Wright, fastening her sleeves before
the open door of the little sitting-room.
Il do detest these warm, sloppy Febru-
airy 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
ingi"
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 Meh. q It's
| hard, tiresome world, hal der for work
ing women than for men-no use in
whining over it, though. We must take
| life rs 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 tar streak OBJ
liquely across his forehead, and wore
coarse cloth with imperfectly-p
seams and ragged buttonholes.
Il 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 hack would make up his days trip.
Mch put on her pretty brown cash
mere with white lace ana cardinal rib
bon at 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 window-garden.
Meb telt sad. Little did she think
when playing the organ on Sundays in
the Sweetville Methodist church, and
taking lessons in French and water-colors
at the Young Ladies' Institute, that she
should one day be doing her own work,
and economizing to pay for little house
with four rooms only, on the lower floor.
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 good fellow. She loved
Winn, of course; but Winn had kind
of honest stupidity that she feared would
prevent his ever rising" That stupid
ity wearied her. Lite was wearisome
anyway-cheerless and prospectless.
Meb's door-bell rang. She was fa-
miliar with the humiliation of answer
tv,r IN,
on the steps. Charlie Fordyce had no
starched, brushed and polished to the
the 'tOffice" He inquired for Winn.
Has he left the depot, thinkPn asked
he as he followed Meb into the little sit
ting-room. W
Il heard the Bucephalus signal at the
Ferry-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 60 on to Sidon and come
in with the enight 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" m
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 eveningP"
mo; 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."
mo; 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 recollcct that Mr.. For
| ayce'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 quite
tangible betting. She had all tliat Blind
confidence In The money Qettin ~ v,er,