Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-07-15
A BITTER GAIN.

ehSSu INC oCcu ants Vi Two separate
windows in one of a dingy row O
brick houses one exceptionally ho'
summer not many years ago it wat
the more remarkable that these two
people were very unlike each other
being OF opposite sexes, the one {
grizzled, grutf, grumpy bachelor or
the wrong side Of fifty, the other {
round, rosy, rolieking maiden o.
"sweet and twenty" The man wa:
evidently foreigner, the woman al
unmistakable American, and these
two heads, framed by the embrasures
of the separate windows, formed q
strong contrast. 1t was about fou,
o'clock in the afternoon, and both o.
them were looking for the POSTWAR
she from her attic window, he
from his second floor front. They
had been looking tor the postmau
every day for fortnight. ana hope
deferred had paled the cheek and
snbdued the merriment of the mai.
den, while it deepened the already
rublcund color and sharpened the
already testy temperament of the
man. Presently appeared in sight
the brisk, dapper little fellow in the
gray uniform, with his bag strapped
over his shoulder, stepping along
from house to house, dealing Joy and
sorrow, surprise, fear, ecstasy, all the
emotions incident to poor hapless
humanity, as he went. But he dealt
nothing to the two anxious watchers
IN the dingy brick row. Their heads
simultaneously turned to watch him
as he disappeared around a neigh
boring corner. The man grunted
out bitter ejaculation, and slammed
down the window; the girl sighed,
and with difficulty depressed sob
as she closed the blind
The next day at four O'Clock the
same pantomime was enacted The
same anxiety, hope, fear, dlsappoint.
ment, were painted on the two faces.
The girl brushed the tears from her
eyes, and put YEARLY back her hair.
AS the man, with his usual expletive
OF disgust and disappointment, tugged
at the blind, puff of wind blew the
light ribbon from the hair of the girl
straight down into his eyes, and
from thence TO the floor of his room.
lie saw it at once. 1t lay upon the
faded carpet almost under his feet.
Ills first impulse was to tramp upon
1t as he marched to and fro, growing
at the hard luck that shut him mp in
this hot hole during the dog.days.
Ills next impulse was to kick the
bauble aside; but it was not of a
kickable nature, aud clung close to
his feet. He stopped at last and
took it from the floor, and found it
suspicioGsly damp.
She's been shifting again, 'he SAID.
AS usual, she gets no letter, and
cries; | get no letter, and | swear.
| wonder which is the most consol.
ing. And why in thunder don't she
get her letter? She can't have any
rascally lawyers to deal with, that lie
and cajole, and cheat and steal. She
can't be waiting for a witness to
come from the other side of the
world TO testify in case that ought
to have been settled before he went
to sea. | believe it was conspiracy
on the part of these internal lawyers
TO dawdle along with the case, and
not discover the existence of this
Martin Malloy till he had shipped
again, and was well out of their call.
And now it appears that the fate of
the suit depends upon the testimony
OF this fellow before the mast. At
least five thousand pounds of my
money at this present moment is at
stake in the life of miserable sailor
tar out at sea- here his soliloquy
was Interrupted by light tap at the
door. Come he growled, without
turning bis head
lie thought it was his landlady,
Mrs. Matson, for whom be had no
particular affection, or her rough.
featured domestic, that he felt Ger.
tain was shortening his life by her
miserable cookery. But a gentle
voice said, Did you want anything,
SIT !? Aad turning, he beheld his
lanclady's daughter And how in
the world she could bear that rela-
ton to the fat, swarthy, coarse, aud
commercial female who kept the
house, this ledger could not imagine.
Her eyes were so soft and brown, so
pleading and innocent, frank and
oonhdlng as little child's, whereas
her mothers were narrow and sharp.
distrusttul and cunning
The young girl flushed under this
scfutlnizlng gaze, and said again.
! on didn't want anything, then, Mr..
McGraw? Mother SAID you pounded
on the floor
Pounded 7 said Mr.. McGraw 'of
course | pounded, If | don't get
letter soon, I'll make smithereens of
some of this horse-hair furniture
about me. If your mother has any
regard tor her squirt eyed ancestor
over there, she'd better take him
down and out of the way. He's been
following me about with that dam
aged leer Of his for the last fortnight.
It's a mercy | haven't stabbed him
through the canvas. And, say he
added, for the girl was fast vanish.
ing ont OF his sight, and she was a
Wondrous pleasant article to look
upon IN this gloomy old barrack-
say, said Mr.. McGraw. He was
stiil twirling the bit of blue ribbon
IN bis fingers, and now held it out to
the young girl. st fell in the win.
dow to-day as We were both looking
tor that COMPOUNDED postman. | hope
Wen have better luck tomorrow,
Maggie
i thought sure we would to-day,
SIR, said Maggie, blushing and sigh
ing. 4 had a good sign this morn.
ing
what was that, Maggie p said Mr..
MoGraw, still holding his end of the
blue ribbon.
why, see, sir she said, aud point
ed to the skirt of her dress. 4 put
Il on wrong side out this morning.
and never changed it, for Martin
used to say it was 3 sure sign Of
good luck
And VINO is Martin p said Mr.