The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-08-24

and had a great deal of attention, and
was in the best society, n she had no
doubt Rose would be distinguished too,
and invited everywhere, as 500 as it was
known. So that battle was more easily
won than the victors had feared. But
there still remained the encounter with
the Hayeses in the person of the lmpe-
rious Will.
Rose had said, calmly enough, that
her lover would probably break the en-
gagement. But in her secret heart she
believed in his largeness, and glorifed
his loyalty as to what was bestin herself.
He heard her plea with a quietness that
surprised her, and answered no word.
You know, Will, it is only for a few
years, and we are so very young we can
well wait. 1 want to send Helena to
school, and to give Alice drawing les
sons Cher talent is really wonderfully.
and then they can both be earning, n
| can afford to stop. Say that you think
l am right, Will"
s.Rose, as a joke, you must pardon me
if l say that this performance is very
silly. As a purpose, you must know it IS
simply impossible and preposterous.'
'Why"
ssWhyp Because 1 do not choose that
you should do it. Because the Hayeses
do not go to shops and factories for their
husbands and wives. They are accus-
toned to mate with ladies and gentle
men. They care something for refined
habits, and the protection of home. The
men look up for their wives m the
mothers of their children, not doaon, and
the race shall not begin to deteriorate
through me. Rose, if your father really
needs money, 1 will lend him whatever
sum he names, and without interest.
Better still, we will be married at once,
and his son can claim the same right to
help him that his daughter demands.
But it is not fit that my future wife
should crowd elbows with some common
girl from a tenement-house learning q
vulgar trade. Give it all up, Rosie, and
say that you will marry me, next week,
tomorrow, when you will, and never
talk nonsense again about earning your
living"
'If 1 am capable" answered Rose,
trembling with anger and wounded pride
IF 1 am capable of 3 suggestion
which dishonors your house, l am proved
unfit to mate with it. 1 would never
have consented that you should marry
my whole family, and they would repu-
| uitbb oblSu Oh Nv ~
But now I will not consent that you
should marry me. We do not agree on
so simple a thing IS the definition of
honesty and duty. What folly, what
madness. to suppose we should not ruin
one another's lives! l nave adored my
father ever since I knew his dear face,
and he is nobleness all through. He
could not think a mean thought, or set a
shame above a reality. L have loved you
for a year, and you have hurt me with
your mean thoughts and your reverence
for shams again and again. 1t is the
last time. l choose my father. Go,
J, Will Hayes, and never come again"
So they parted, with anger n in
justice and bitter longing or both sides,
and with pride which forbade either to
make atonemeut. Rose ven to the great
Office in Stafford, and studied with g
fierce determination to succeed, born
not more of her conscientiousness than Of
her wish to have no leisure for regret.
She duly won her certificate, and obtain
, ed the excellent place of night operator
at the great junction station at Fairfield,
, where twenty rushing trains, incoming
from north, south, east, west. depended
on her slender hands, her sleepless eyes
her sensitive ears, for safety. She wa
| faithful, t~ireless, skillful. She was earn
| ing money which every month gladden.
| ed the girls at home. She was helping
her father to bearhis burdens with a new
| courage, inspired by her cheerful self
' sacrifice. Was she happy? The night
were long. She was not always busy
e There was so much time to think, ever
when her hands were occupied. Sh'
S missed home and home tenderness NOR,
e than she had thought possible. Sh'
missed Wills impetuous, ardent, con
/; slant devotion. She missed even hi
r tyranny, and mourned it. But she neve
: dreamed of giving up. And she knew
: by heart the significance of Adam Bede'
saying: There's nothing but what
e bearable so long as a man can work
The square O. four is sixteen, and you
e must lengthen yourlever in proportion t
your weight, is rs true when a man.
miserable as when he's happy; and tn
best O. working is, it gives you a grip
hold o things outside your own lot"
There came q r~ainless August. Da
:; after day the sur shot fiercer j~avelins G
r heat. Night after night a stiffness c
II slow s~uffocation seemed to encompass
q the earth. But as Rose went YEARLY t
her work one darkening twilight,
e nameless thrill and terror in the al
e warned her of coming tempest. In
moment an inky blackness plotted OF
n the world, a whirlwind clutched at he
S flying figure, and as she struggled breath
less up the platform of the station, tn
O heavens seemed to open in a vast shec
of flame, the building trembled in tn
a crash of thunder, sudden fire 1ashe
a from her little Office, and the darkness
v as of midnight had settled once mol
I over all things. She CROPPED her wa
forward, stumbling against a man.
e ..Is it you, Miss Myrick?" he gaspeo
s'For Gods sake don't stay here! Th;
If bolt struck the instrument and burne
out the magnet. The rooms a dealt
., trap. Come away"
II can't, Nh. Rice. 1t is time to 9
=, on duty. Something may happen to tt
;, trains in this awful storm. Is no or
70 else here?"
# Il mot q soul, Miss Myrick. It's ii
half-hour for supper, thoughts so darl
There's no train for forty minutes. 1t
rs much as your life is worth to medd
!, with that magnet. l beg you to come.
Another flash of binding light, al
i other crash as of a crumbling world.
T. Don't stay, Mr.. Rice" said Ros
~ quietly. You have your wife and Chi
ir to consider. But my place is here"
He made a feint to remain, but 81
closed the door of the office behind he
rs if to make his dismissal absolute, an
he was glad to go. She found IL
c. matches, lighted her lamp, and supple
the magnet, a fury of rain and win
i'll dashing against her window, a flame
lightning seeming to scorch her eyeball
ID She tried the instrument. and found tt
to circuit secured. Her nerves were ten
with excitement. She went to the OPT
door to breathe. A CHASTITY brillianc
To brighter than any daylight, touched Il
81 earth for Il swift moment, and by
,e torch she saw, far up the shining, mario,
ing rails, a large tree uptorn and lyir
prone across the track. She remembe
ed the road just there-the river on OIL
al side, a rocky chasm on the other. Goo
God! and the Western Express was {
y most duci Was there time TO sion If