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

walking along beside her through the
street leading TO the factory. Don't
let the thought of Fan. or the hard work
I'd have to do. keep you from saying
Yes If YOU love me, Lois. II you love
me you haze no right to say NO
That the way to look at it, Lois.''
They went into the factory together.
AS they crossed the threshold the ma
chinery started into motion. The
wheels began 10 turn in their tireless.
swift way. and everywhere was din and
clangor. Dreams might answer for out
of doors. but there was no place, no
time for them here. No time to think
of love, either.
The warp was waiting for her at her
loom. 1t made Lois think of spiders
web. The old factory seemed more like
a great spider to her to day than it ever
had before. How many men and wom-
en- were caught fast in its webs, she
thought, as she looked down the long
room and saw the white, wan, tired
faces by the looms.
II was nearly noon when Ralph Lev
erson came TO her looms and paused
| there To watch her at her work.
Ralph Leverson was her employer.
This great factory and the men and
women in it were his.
He stood there, silently watching her
def, well-trained fingers as they
moved among the threads for many
| minutes.
BY and by -
Those fingers of yours seem to work
of themselves, Miss Brand" he said.
4 Vna ~ l.
pausing to look up, ''we are machines. "
She said it with an accent of bitter
ness in her voice. Poor Lois! This
life was wearing her out. 1t was max
ing her old before her time, and the
WEAKNESS of it told upon her temper
and embittered her thoughts.
g want to talk 90 YOU" young Lev
erson said, leaning over the loom. and
pushing back the lever that caused the
iron-brained machine which seemed to
keep up steady thinking of one thing
from morning to night, TO stop its tire
| less motion.
"Wellr'
Lois folded her hands upon the iron
frame and waited for him to speak.
He scarcely seemed 10 know what to
say. He began once and paused.
Something was wrong about my last
web, L suppose" she said, at last.
Don't be afraid to find fault, Mr.. Lev
erson. We are used to that. Mill hands
don't mind such tribes. We can't afford
to be sensitive, you know. Such luxu-
ries aren't for us"
i" If you think 1 came here to talk
about such things you are mistaken"
he said. IL suppose you never
thought about such thing as-as my
caring for you, LoisP"
She looked at him in blank amaze
ment. Had she gone crazy ut last? She
had often said that she believed the roar
of the looms would make her insane
some day.
"1ou are surprised" he said. 81
supposed you would be. / do not won
der, for it comes to you suddenly. l
ought TO have made you understand by
degrees, perhaps, but have always been
an abrupt man, and you must pardon
me. L do care for you. Miss Brand.
I've watched your face for long time,
and I've grown fond oft Will you be
my wife,
Lois had often wondered why he was so
kind to her. Now she understood.
He was a perfect gentleman. She
knew that he was in earnest, for he was
too honorable TO stoop to deceit, too
honorable to allow any doubts of his
motives.
She thought about it in swift,
muddled way. She thought about
Dick, and her heart gave a little
thrill Mt recollections of his love
for her that was like a reach
N ~ Il, % l. 4
Dick was poor-miserably poor. Lever
son was rich. He could give her all the
beautiful things she had craved so long
A confused union of pictures and flow
ers, Of rich dresses and beautiful books
went whirling through her brain to
the accompaniment of the grinding,
pitiless wheels.
81 can't think now" she cried, put
ting up both her hands to her throbbing
brow. Don't ask me 10. Some other
time I'll tell you"
Take your own time to think it over
in" he said. Try to think favorably.
Lois, for L want you very much. / need
YOU"
When she went back to her loom aft
er dinner she was more like a mach inc
than ever, for she scarcely compre-
hended the details of her work. 1t is
likely that she attended to them all, but
she did so mechanically. Her thoughts
were elsewhere.
The wheels went round and round.
Her thoughts went on and on. Should
she choose for her heart? If she did,
she should choose Dick-dear. patient.
willing Dick. Should she choose for
her selfish self? Then she thought of
what Leverson's wealth could give her.
The machinery seemed to be crashing
Mt her with iron jaws She fancied it
was a great animal snarling at her.
I'm going home." she cried. at
length. Pm sick, dizzy, faint. If l
stay here ] shall go crazy. I've got to
get away by myself and think. l shall
have no rest till Iget it all thought out. Z"
She put on her bonnet and shawl and
went out into the cool October air.
How peaceful the blue hills looked far
of. She wished she were enc of them
Then nothing would fret her; her rest
lessness would be gone.
Oh, which to choose-which to
! ChOOaaf