Daily Republican., 1881-12-29
THE WHITE STRIPE.
A BBAKEsMAN's TOUCHING STORY


bitter hold his tongue. There's MOI
probable subjects of conversation tina
am,-f'ig old Jones means we
enough, and if he told you to ask m
how that stripe ofwhte hair came o
my black mAne, Amt tbs man
g. back on him. Oh, you needn't be
my pardon, sir. | DOM mind talkin
about it now, though the time was whe
| couldn't speak OF it without a bi
lump coming in my mouth.
We hadn't leen married long, Poll,
and me, WHEN it happened. Polly wa
a trim, hright-eyed slip of girl as eve
you'd wish to see. She was one of tn
Mattresses in the Albany lunch room
and the first time set eyes upon her
| made up my mind to make that cir
my wife. 50, when they raised m,
wages, took heart and asked her i
she would have them with me, and
wedding ring thrown into the bargain
''Do you really mean it, Jake ?" saiS
she, looking me full in the face, will
those dark blue eyes Of hers, that ar,
like the stars at nj Iht.
II do really mean it, Polly" said |
"lhtn," said she, putting both he
hands in mine, "l'll trust you. w,
no living relation to advise me, so car
only take counsel with my own heart.
SO we were married. rented Il llitl,
one story house, under the hill on thu
height, that overlooked the HUDSON.
cosy place with good szed wood.pil'
a. h.. 10 lf.Ir N l.r in
those parts, aud the snow used to bt
dritted up even with our dtor.yard
fence many and many u cold gray
morning And everything went smooth
until Polly began to object to my mates
AZ tho White Blackbird, and the Satur'
day evenings | spent with the boys
after my train was safely run onto ths
side track at the Junction.
"Why, Polly, g.rl," said I. "where',
the harm? A man can't live by him
self, like an oyster 10 It's shell, and a
social glass never yet harmed any one. =
"No, said Polly, not Il sUci Il glass
Jake, but the haplL. And it you would
only put every five cent piece that you
spend for liquor into !ittls Berries Tiny
saving bank
"Pshaw" said |. Pm no drmnkard,
and | neve. mean to become one. And
no one likes to be preached to by his
vile, Polly. Remember that, my girl,
and you'll save yourself adeA OF trou'
BILE"
kissed her and went away. But
that was the beginning OF the little,
grave shadow that Rr3w Ou my Polly's
face, Ikea creeping tog over the hills,
AMI that she has never got rid Of since.
II was sore point bet geen Us what
the politicians called veXcd question
| felt that Polly WAS always watching
ne and didn't choose to be put in
leading. strinis by a woman. ST.
shame to say it-lwent to The White
Blackbird ofiener than ever and didn't
always count the glasses of beer that
lrInk, and once or twice, of a particu-
lariy cold night, | let myself be per.
laded into driuking someCung stron-
,or than beei; and my brain wasn't the
sind chat could stand liquid fire with
npuni,y. And Polly crled and lost
ny temper, anl-"eil | don't like TO
hlnk of all tl,u,e things now. Thank
goodness they're over and gone.
mat afternoon, as | stood on the
,Ack platform OF my ear, with my arms
oldeu aud my ewes fixed on the snowy
waste of flat fields through which the
ron track seemed to extend itself like
IN endless black serpent looked my
,wu Ire in the face. | male up my
nlnd that had been behaving like a
)rufe.
"Whata are these senseless fellows at
he WLite BlaCkbivd to me, muttered
, "as compared with one of Polly's
weet bright looks? Twill give thoI
, hole thing up. III draw the line just
lere now. We shall be off duty early
III 90 home and astonish
'olly -
But, as night fell, the binding drift
# a great storm came wi h l.. Wei
we're belated by the snow which col.
ected On the rails, and when we reach |
Vi Edrldale there wa, a little girl, who
lad been sent on in the care Of the
onduGOr, who must either wait three |
II four hours for way train in the
old aud cheerless station, or be talieu |
lome across IA snowy field by some one
: ho knew the way.
though. of my own little children.
w'll take her," SAID l-and lifting
Ter up gathered my coarse, warm
oat about her, and started for the
ong, cold walk under the whlsperingl
ines along The edge of the river.
honestly believed She would have
rozrn 70 death if she had been leit IN
he cold station until the Way train
,uld ca,l for her. Aud when | had
eft her safe in charge of her aunt,
Nv By the old kitchen tlmepiece that
/ vas ten O'Clock.
"polly will think have slipped
ark into the Slou n Of Dospond,
aid TO myself, with ha!fa smile; but
ii give her an agreeable surprise
Flowing dowu amld tie sno"-dTiit,
nd through a grove OF pine trec' that
ad edged "A ravine At the back Of my
GUST, spramr IIghtly on the 40 ,rstep;
he door vas shu, aud locked. | went
iound to the front Here | effected
Il entrance, bnt the fire was Il ing ou
he hearth, and little Bertie, tucked up
l his crib called out:
"Papd, lis that yOn ."
"W here is mamma, my SOD - Salu l.
'okIng ca selly around at the de'o!ate
Jom.
Gone out with the baby III her arms
, look for you,' ne said, "Didnt you
Test Ger, papa ~
| stood minute In silence.
"Lie still, Berthe, " said |, in u voice
lat sounded ,irt 90 and husky even
mys If. 81 Will 60 and bring hei
ack."
And thought with dislnay of the
inding snow storm outside, the treach'
GUS gorges which lay between here
I'd the WhiIe Biackblrd, the track
IS woods, through which it was diff
lit enough to fine ones way even IN
IL sunshine Of MONDAY, and-"orst oi {
l-,he lonely track, across which an
shot like Il meteor at fe" s
inules before midnight. Oh heaven
hat possible doom might not navel
ought upon myself by the wretches
.sslOn in which nau gone away that
Orning.
4 ha town clock. sounding dim and 5