San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-12-15
BY THE BREADTH or AN.AX
by DAVID .AroURTIs.

4
A quarter Of q mile back from tn
river on the street that led down t.
Martins saw-mill, on the st. Anton.
Fall, stood the little white cottage tina
Jack Donnelly had bought for his bride
It was not all paid for yet, but the mort
gage had been growing smaller eacf
spring for three years, and a. couple q
seasons more would see the, entire
amount paid, and then Alice would be
the proud owner of what Jack
thought was the prettiest place in Min
neapolis.f gt9Y II Nf 1Sf
And4almost any one who might'have
happened to- catch glimpse, from the
cross street, of the tidy little kitchen
where Alice was busy one. May evening
at sunset, would have been inclined to
agree with the verdict a
The floor was bare, but it was so spot
lessly clean that no one would have
dared to suggest the idea that it looked
bare. The stove was not very large,
but it seemed to be trying to give out
the heat of furnace, and the red glow
that came from its open door was like
tho head. light of locomotive. Every
thing in the room was plain, and there
did not seem to be anything there that
was not absolutely necessary. The lux
uries could wait till the mortgage was
paid off. But what there was was scrub
he'd till it shone, and the tea kettle was
uniting out steam like mad. 1t was
fairly wonderful how that little kettle
puffed and sang, and how the lid danced
lightly up and down. ..s 80
But the brightest, tidiest object in
the room was Alice, with her brown hair
tied securely back with blue ribbon
Jack liked blue so very much) and her
blue eyes watching each particular
thing on the stove all the time, and yet
looking every moment at the table to
see if anything was missing that Jack
would want, and into the other room to
see if baby was all right and out of mis-
chief, and at the clock to see that the
minutes were not going too fast, she
fitted around the room singing like
bird.
Everything was done just right, and
the clock said quarter past SIX. Jack
would be there in minute or two, so
supper was set back where it would
keep hot but not wait. 1t wouldn't be
long; Jack never loitered on his way
home. There was too much happiness
waiting for him. No stopping at the
corner for glass of some thing hot and
strong.
But the little clock kept on ticking
just rs though Jack was there. And
the ticking grew louder and louder, and
more and more disagreeable, as it re-
morsclessly checked off minute after
minute of tho time that Jack was over
due. ...-
Ten minutes, twenty, thirty, and the
anxious little housewife sighed, rs she
wondered what could be keeping Jack.
1t was nonsense to suppose that he was
hurt. She would not think of it for a
moment. The idea that Jack-her Jack |.
the bravest, strongest, coolest logger I
on the river, had been hurt, was laugh |
able. And she laughed. But it did not !
sound like the ripples Of merriment
that Jack loved so well, and it stopped
very suddenly, fading away from face
that looked very sober. when it was
gone.
Then baby began to'sscry, and there
was no use worrying then, because Jack
would be at home before baby was qui.
eted. And she began singing to the
little one. But there was one or two
false notes in the song, and baby evil
IDENTITY had an car for music, for he re-
fused to be quoted. -...
And'then, Just as two big tears were
coming in her blue eyes, the front gate
opened, and Jacks step was heard. In
q moment more he was in the room,
hearty and big Is ever, but very wet
and pale.
There therel Alice. darling, kiss me
.gain, but don't put your arms around
me, fur I've had q duckin'. Why, dAr-
ling. faint nothin'. Yer needn't be !