Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1882-09-02
MASTER OR MAN?

LUIS DIhuU lohuoQ OV0I LILO AOW IdlA-
ing of the bridge to watch the ripples
on the waters for one brief idle mo-
ment, and the minnows darting about
in that restless fashion of theirs which
made her think of the shuttles flying
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 wish
ed she might forget everything con-
nected with the factory for a little
while. If she could, she thought, it
would be rest. But she had watched
the shuttle flying back and forth so
long that the sight of almost any NOV.
ing thing brought it 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 il she should ever
get the sound of them out of her ears.
As she stood there on the bridge
thinking in spiritless kind of way of
what pleasant thing life must be when
there is no such drudgery, no such ter
rible monotony in it as had been hers
since childhood, shutting out like cruel
hands that bar door, all she had hoped
for and longed for most, step around
her.
She turned and saw Dick Evans. His
honest face grew bright at sight of her.
To him she was the one woman in the
world.
"Good-morning, Dick" she said, in
tired kind of way. "Are you going to
the mill?"
"Yes; of course" he answered, as if
it were scarcely possible for him to be
going anywhere else.
''What fool I was to ask such
question:" she said. 'As if there was
any other place for usi When we get
into the mill once we never get out till
death puts an end to the work. If it
wasn't for Fan, I wouldn't care much
how soon my work was over, l think,
though / never liked to think of dying.
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"
81 don't like to 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 ne ed of
your killing yourself at the loom as You
are doing. It's only for you to say Yes.
Lois, and you know there is nothing I'd
be gladder to hear"
II know, Dick" she answered, little
more tenderly, but with such bitterness
in her voice yet. 81 am sure could
be quite happy with you, Dick, but
there's Fan. 1t wouldn't be right for
me to marry you and bring you such
load as two women, and one of them
helpless az baby. would be. You'd
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 it seem that it 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 1 would have asked you
any such question if 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. / can work we'll now. I'm laying
up little money every year. A man
can work better if he thinks he's work
ing for some one who loves him. Now,
it doesn't seem as il was working for
anybody or ranything in particular. Don't
you know that the thought Of hCme puts
life and energy into man2 If knew
that you were waiting for me in home
Of our own, no matter how humble it
was, the hardest days work would seem
pleasant to me. The thought Of the kiss