Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-10-20
MASTER OR MANI

Lois Brand leaned over the low rail
ing OF the bridge to watch the nipples
ON the waters for one brief, idle mo-
ment, and the minnows darling about
In that restless fashion of theirs which
made her think OF the shuttles flyinp
back and forth through the warp in the
weaving-room of the great factory
where, day by day, she toiled for the
bread she ate and the clothes she wore.
She wished she might forget everything
connected with the factory for a little
while. IL she could, she thought. il
would be rest. But she had watched
the shuttle lying back and forth so long
that the sight of almost any moving
thing brought il before her. And for
so many years had she listened to the
thunder and crash of the great looms
that she heard them everywhere. She
often wondered if she should ever ret
the sound of them out of her ears.
AS she stood there on the bridge
thinking in n spiritless kind OF way of
what n pleasant thing life must be
where there is no such drudgery. no
such terrible moDotony in il as had
been hers since childhood, shutting out
like cruel hands that bar door, all she
had hoped for and longed for most, g
step aroused her.
She turned and saw Dick Evans. His
honest face grew bright ut sight of her.
10 him she was the one woman in
the world
"Good-morning. Dick" she said, in a
urea KIND OF way. Arc you going To-
the mill?''
Eyes; of course" he answered, rs if
4
going anywhere else.
"What n fool was TO ask such a
question" she said. As if there was
any other place for us! When we get
into the mill once we never get out till
death puts an end to the work. If il
wasn't for Fan, wouldn't care much
how soon my work was over, think,
though | never liked to think of diving.
But If one were. dead, he'd know some
thing about rest, wouldn't he? That s
more than any of the mill-handS will
while they live"
- don't like 10 hear you talk in that
way, Lois" Dick said, in that grave,
gentle way OF his, when talking to this
woman he loved. There's no need of
your killing yourself ut the loom as YOU
are doing. It's only for you to say Yes,
Lois, ant you know there is nothing L d
be gladder to hear"
Il know, Dick" she answered, a
little more tenderly. but with much bit
ternoss in her voice yet. IL am sure |
could be quite happy with you. Dick,
but there's Fan. Ii wouldn't be right
for me to marry you and bring you such
load rs two women, and one of them
helpless rs n baby, would be. You
find your hands full with me alone, I'm
afraid, and when you come to think of
Fan! No, Dick; when / think of the
burden both of us would be, | can't
make IL seem that il would be right for
me TO say Yes"
Didn't / know all about Fan when
L asked you TO marry meP" cried Dick.
"Do you think would have asked YOU
any such question il l hadn't been will
ing TO take care of both of you? You
know better. Lois. I've thought the
matter all over. and I'm willing to run
the risk Of the consequences. Poor Fan
wouldn't be- half the burden to me, if
you were TO marry me, that she is to
you. i can work well now. I'm LAYING
up little money every year. A man
can work better II he thinks he's work
ing for some one who loves him. Now,
IL doesn't seem as IL l was working for
anybody or anything in particular
Don't you know that the thought of
home puts life and energy into man?
IL knew that you were waiting for me
in home of our own, no matter how
humble Il was, the hardest DAYS work
would seem pleasant to me. The
thought OF the kiss you'd give me at
the door would help me more than the
promise of n better place or extra wages.
You'd better say Yes, Lois"
Clangl clangl clangl rang out the
factory bell like great brazen voice
that babe men and women who heard
il cease thinking of anything else but
work. Lois shivered. The sound of
that bell was so tangled up in her life
that the two could not be separated, she
thought. rs she reused herself from her
listless mood and turned toward the
factory.
81 don't think I'd better take your
advice, Dick" she said, with little
shake OF her head. " Not yet a while.
anyway. 1t wouldn't be right, /
think"
II don't ask you to say Yes till
you've thought il all over" he said.