South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-07-15

/ while the eclat OF having married n
great heiress, the bridal festivities and
foreign travel compensated for the loss
OF his freedom. But when they re-
turned to Braithwaite, life showed n
far more prosaic side. Mrs. Gaskill's
economical disposition became par
ticularly offensive to Steve. She in
] CURED closely into his business, and
did not scruple to make unpleasant,
witty remarks about his income. She
rapidly developed, too, an authorita-
tive disposition, against which Steve
daily more aud more rebelled. The
young couple were soon very unhappy.
The truth was that great trarsi-
ton was taking place in Steve's mind.
and times OF transition are ALWAYS
times OF unrest and misery The bet
ter part OF his nature was beginning
to claim hearing He had now
seen all that good society could show
him; he had tasted all the pleasures
money could buy, and he was not
happy.
She had no ennui and dissatisfac.
ton with herself. There was her
large house to oversee, her garden and
Conservatives, her servants and char
ity-schools, her toilet and Il whole
colony OF pet animals Her days were
so short Tor all the small interests
that filled them and these interests
she would have willingly shared with
Steve, but to him they soon became
intolerable bores.
Under such circumstances he might
have found his work in the ordering
and Investing OF his wife's large es-
tate, but Elizabeth WAS far too cau-
tiouS to trust her business to untried
hands. Her fathers agent was her
agent; her banker managed all her
Investments; her park and farm and
gardens were all under the care of old
and experienced servants, who looked
upon Steve merely rs Missiles hus-
band
In the second year OF his marriage
he began To have some thoughts
which would have astonished his wife
could she have thought ii worth while
to inquire what occupied his mind i'll
the long hours when he paced the
shrubbery, or sat silently looking out
OF the window. But Steve was now
ready for amy employment that would
take him out of the purposcly dcpen-
dent life which he had SO toolshly
chosen for himself.
One day, greatly to his surprise,
Elizabeth said to linI:
Steve, have n letter from a cous
III OF mothers, who lives in Glasgow
She Is going to Australia, and wants
me to buy her house She says it is a
great bargain, and wrote to Barrett
to go and see about it. | have let
ter this morning saying he is too i'll to
leave his bed. wonder if you couId
J attend 10 it ?
Yes, | would be very glad to GO
Very we'll l should think You
Knew enough Of titles and deeds and
conreyancing and all thatsort of thing.
L will trust the affair to you, Steve
SO the next morning Steve found
himself on the CALIFORNIAN line, with
91OO in his pocket and valuable
piece OF business on hand. The first
twenty miles out of Leeds he cnioycd
with all the abandon ola bird set free.
Then he began TO think again. At
Crewe he missed train, and wander
ing about the station, fe! in talking
with the engineer of the next train,
who was cleaning and examining the
engine with all the love and pride a
mother gives her favoritc child.
The two men f'raternized at once,
and Steve made trip over the Gale
donna line IN the cnginoer's small
cuddy. lie was fine young fellow,
'one of scycn,' he said, 'all machlnists
and engineers he was only serving
his time, learning every branch of the
business practically; he had brothers
who made engines, and he hoped to
do so sometime.
In spite of lis soiled face and oily
clothes, Steve recognized that refine
ment that comes with education and
when his new friend called upon him
at the Queens Hotel, he would not
have been ashamed of his appearance
even in the most fastdious DAYS.
'Mr Dalrymple, | am glad to sec
YOU said Steve, holding out both
hands TO him.
Il thought you would he, sir. It
not often / make mistakes I'm my lik-
ings. | will go with you now to see
my fathers works, if it suits you.'
Never had such a place entered
stephen Gaskill's conception the i'm
mensc furnaces, the hundreds of giants
working around them, the clung of
machinery, the mighty struggle of
mind with matter. lie euvicd those
| cyclops in their leathern masks and
aprons he longed to lift their heavy
hammers. IIelooked upon the crafts
men with their bare, braBny arms and