San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-01-04
Az he said this he rubbed his hands,

| Got q WlleI shlu L.
"Yes, and three children" he re-
turned.
He then got up and folded his
oyercoat anew, and hung it over the
back OF the seat.
"You are pretty nervous over the
matter amt you9" / said, watching
his fidgety movements.
well, / should think So" he re-
piled.
81 hain't slept soundly for week.
And do you know" he went ON,
glancing around at the passengers and
speaking in low tone, II am almost
certain this train will run off the track
and break my neck, before get to
Boston. Well, the fact is, | have had
too much good luck for one man late
Ily. The thing can't last; faint nat
ural that it should, you know, I've
watched it. First it rains, then it
shines, then it rains again. 1t rains
SO hard you think it's never going to
stop again; then it shines so bright
YOU think it's always going to shine;
and just as you are settled in either
belief, you are knocked over by a
change, to show you that you know
nothing about it.
well, according to that philoso-
ply" l said, you will continue to
have sunshine, because you are ex-
pecting Storm"
ITS curious" he returned, but
the only thing that makes me think |
will get through safe is, because L
think l won't"
well, this is curious" said L.
"Yes!" he replied. lam machin-
ist-made a discovery-nobody be-
lieved in it-spent all my money try
ing to bring it out-mortgaged my
home-all went. Everybody laughed
at me-everybody but my wife
spunky little woman said she would
work her fingers off before l should
give it up. Went to England-no
better there-came within an ace of
jumping off the London bridge. Went
into workshopto earn money enough
to come home with-there | met the
man | wanted. To make long story
short, I've brought $4,000 home
with me, and here | am"
Good for you'll" l exclaimed.
"Yes," said he, "$5O,O00, and the
best of it is she don't know anything
about it. I've fooled her so often,
and disappointed her so much, that l
just concluded 1 would say nothing
about this. When 1 got my money,
though, you better believe struck
bee line for home"
"And now 1 suppose, you will make
her happy"
Happy" he replied; why, you
don't know anything about it. She's
worked like dog since I have been
gone, trying to support herself and the
children decently. They paid her
thirteen cents apiece forsmaking white
shirts, and that is the way she'd live
half of the time. She'll come down
there to the depot to meet me in
gingham dress and shawl hun
bred years old, and she'll think she's
dressed up. Oh, she won't have no
clothes after this-oh no, I guess
not!"
And with these words, which i'm
piled that his wife's wardrobe would
soon rival Queen Victoria's, the
stranger tore down the passageway
again, and getting in his old corner,
where he thought himself out of sight,
went through the strangest panto
mime laughter, putting his mouth in
to the drollest shape, and. then swing
ing himself back and forth in the
limited space as if he were walking
down Broadway" full-ngged metro
poitan belle.
SO on we rolled into the depot, and
l placed myself on the other side of
the car, opposite the stranger, who
with a portmanteau in his hand, de-
scended, and was standing on the
lowest step ready to jump to the
platform.
looked from his face to the faces
of the people before us, but saw no
sign of recognition. Suddenly he
cried:
There they are!"
Then he laughed outright, but in
hystericsl sort of way, as he looked
over the crowd. | followed his eye,
and saw some distance back, as if
crowded out and shouldered away by
the well-dressed and elbowing throng,
a little woman in faded dress, and
well-won hat, with a face almost
painful in its intense but hopeful ex-