Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-02-22
MASTER OR MAN?
BY EBEN L. REXFoRD.

and leaned over the low railing, seeming
ly to watch the ripple Of the waters, but
with look in her eyes which told you
she saw far different :hings than the
shimmering play of light and shade upon
the surface of the stream, whose busy
hands, a little farther down, kept the
factory wheels turning as steadily and
relentiessly as the wheels of fate. She
saw, as one sees things in dream, the
minnows darting about in that restless
fashion Of theirs, ard they made her think
of the shuttles, flying through and
through tae work in the weaving-rooms
at the factory, whose jar and rumble
came like discord to her, even now
She wondered, in listless fashion, ifany
one could shut out those Sounds, after
having worked among them. She be-
lieved not. They became part of their
lives, 1enceforth. How she wished she
could forget the factory, and everything
connected with it, for awhile. She could
resi- thon, perhaps. But she had watched
the shuttles moving to and fro SO long
that they kept flying through the air be-
fore her, when she shut her eyes Mt night;
and she had listened SO long to the crash
and thunder of the restless wheels, that
she heard them everywhere. The sound
of them was caught fast IN her ears, and
would stay there forever.
AS she stood there, thinking in a spir-
itless kind of way, Of what a pleasant
thing life must be where there is no such
monotony Of drudging in it, as had wrap
ped hers in from childhood, like a wall
she could not pass, and over which no
pleasant thing from the outside world
could ever come to her, a step upon the
creaking planks aroused her.
She turned slowly, as person twice
her age might have done, with a little
color nickering on her sailow cheek, a
little light making her discouraged eyes
brighten for II moment.
Good morning, Dick" sho said, put
ting cut her hand.
Dicks face was agow at sight of her.
L u nun Sllb was Illt OIl0 WOlAiuh III Ln6
world.
Good morning, Sybil," he said,
cheerily. " You're taking breath of
fresh air, are you ? Wouldn't it be
glorious to live out of doors all the time,
these scorching days TIN be like a
furnace, in the factory to day, I'm think
ing"
" wonder if a person never gets out
who once gets into the mills ?" she asked
~ think not. It's for life or death, I
don't know which. | wouldn't care
much, if it wasn't tor Lois"
~ don't like to hear you talk in that
way" Dick said, in-Ais grave, slow way.
"There's no need Of your killing yourself
Mt the loom as you're doing. It's only
for you to say yes, Sybil, and you're done
with it, forever. You know there's moth
ing I'd be gladder to hear"
She turned away from him almost an
grily. The thought Of what might be
but which she made herself believe ought
not to be, stung her sharply, and found
tADI6sslOh III llSI lbCb uili NpIuS'
Don It !" she said, with little gest-
ure Of jmpatience. " What's the use Of
bringing that all up again p
9" But if you only knew how I'd set my
heart upon 1t, Sybil," Dick said, gravey.
"If you only knew how L d hoped and
planned -"
81 do know" she said, a little more
tsnderly, but with sLch bitterness in her
voice yet. GO understand it all, Dick,
but-there's Lois. 1t wouldn't be right
for me to marry you, and put such a
burden on you as that. You'd find your
hands full with me, like enOugh-and
then to think Of her-heipless as baby.
That's too much. 1t wouldn't be right
for me to say yes, Dick, taking every
thing into consideration. I've thought
it all over hundred times, since-since
you told me, and L always maze up my
mind to that"
Didn't know all about Lois when
| asked you TO marry me ?" asked Dick.
"If hadn't Teen willing to work for
DObu VI OuJ u JO pOSO u ho'O "0hSN
you any such question You know bet
ter, Sybil. / understand the case com
petely, and / amt afraid to run the risk.
My shoulders are broad enough to bear
half dozen such loads as you and Lois
would be. Lois wouldn't be much more
10 take care of than that sparrow, there,
when you come to think it over, to a man
like me, with two stout hands. And I'd
work great deal harder, and do it easier,
if I thought I'd some one to work for
that loved me, and home Of my own.
A home, Sybil, think Of that Don't
you know how that would put energy in
to me? If knew that you were waiting
for me, after the days work was done,
why, the hardest job would seem like play,
l do believe. The thought of tho kiss
you'd give me, when got home, would
help me more than the promise Of better
place or extra wages"
Clang clong ! clang
The sound of the factory boil seemed
to be always tangled in her life. 1t was
always breaking in upon her dreaming,
rousing her to the reality of what was
before her.
"Thore's the bell, Dick" she said,
with long sigh, turning her face factory
ward. "No, Dick, l dom. think I'd
better say yes. 1t wouldn't be right"
81 don't want you to decide without
taking plenty oftime to think it all over"
Dick said, with sound OF disappoint-
ment in his voice, as he walked by her