The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-11-08
4 NIGHT'S BATTLE.
By LILY NJ. CURRY.


Without, tho wind, signing softly,
fingered in the iron lattice and ut in-
tervals brushed the windows with a
faint spray Of rain. Within, the shadows
aeepened-deepcned from the corners,
gradually closing up over all the CEN
trail barrenness Of the room and shield
ing the woman who had thrown herself
aespairingly across the bed.
She lay very quietly in the darkness ;
but it was the quiet of bodily ex-
haustion. She could still think, and
her thoughts were a passionate multi
tude.
A month before, she had believed
herself reconciled-aye, even content
to walk the weary treadmill Of linked
days and hope no more. She had
ceased to care if she grew round-shoul-
aered as other girls, and pale and
pinchcd from the routine of the dusky
factory-oiiice, from which she could
only see the sweet sunlight creeping
into the street along the forenoons
stretch, and creeping out again Q,on
the gray buildings opposite, where the
afternoon shadow rose like strong
sea-tide. She had even striven to go
cheerfully to her work morning after
morning and to put into it what little
heart was left her out of oil the tragic
past. She had learned to measure oil
the hours by certain infallible sounds
Of the city; ut half-past ., tho bell
ringing for the opening of the ware
~ 1 l,n hnI l,a
closing; at II, the news-boys, shouting
the noon edition cat she had half.
hours noon-time); at ?, again the ware.
house bell; ut 3, the early evening
paper (now the sea-tide shadow crept
toward the third-story Window; at 5,
a later edition; and at q came the end
of the long day, when the whirr Of ma
chinery WAS done and the "hands" IN
the shipping-room back hushed THEN
jargon and departed, when she, too
tired-eyed and with aching chest, might
creep along to her lonesome fourth
story lodgings.
What a starved, stunted existenc,
had been hers since she had come I,
the ethyl With what keen anguish she
remembered the sweetness of the old
affluent days, past forever! For, stand
ing up to battle with the world, sh,
bore, besides, the awful, burdcnins
recollection of parents disgrace
Death had come upon her swiftly
crushingly, that terrible night whe,
her father had cut the knot of hi
dilcmma-insolyency and betrayed pub
lie trusts-with a single pistol-shot an,
so-escaped. She had loved him to,
we'll to reproach him, dead, for desert
ing hcr-for not having prepared her
ut least, to work. But all else bain;
gone, she, too, had fled from the oil,
town and flung herself into the whl
of the city. God only knew how har'
it had been, and she SO weak, SO mex
perienced! Had she been but fitted
as men fit their sons (but not daughters
alas , with n profession, or even
trade! This had been her only lamen
in darkest hours.
Nevertheless, she had found work a
last; hard, incxorable, poorly-recon
pensed. For every working day,
single dollar wherewith to purchas
food and shelter, clothing and cleanl
ness, peace and virtue, and the thor
sand trihes of life. Those who paid i,
thought it an excellent price.
And all the sitting summer she In
toiled on, silently, uncomplainingl,
only at last to lose even this footholt
without wage or warning, Mt an en-
ployer's caprice.
That was fortnight since-and eve
since she had been hunting other on
ployment. Tonight she was pennies
and in debt for rent
She wondered what would happe
now. Was it beggary or starvation
The river, Ora charitable institution
Of the two, she chose the river.
When the shadows had conquere,
some one struck match in the Ion.
outer passage, and the hall gas-ligl
shone through the transom. Still 81
Law silent and listened to the beating
banjo-patient and persisting--i
another apartment of the great bull,
ing. The sounds Jared upon her
fretful continuity. And she was /
tired, SO hopeless, that she rose b'
slowly when some one came knocking
She rose but slowly and Lit the gas; 81
smoothed her hair YEARLY, and stood
second in thought. In the flash of IL
steady-light, her figure was pitiful
fragile; her beauty--for beauty was n
wholly wrecked-strange, awsome, wi
olive-pallor, hectic-spotted and shar
lined profile.
She opened the door, at length, al
so stood face to face with man who
bearing and attire bespoke prosperit
Less surprised than annoyed, appa
emily, she gave him scant welcome.
"Natalie!" he cried, reproachfull
and, entering. seemed disposed to l
main.
She hesitated a moment, then clos
the door.
"Well," ho began, scanning the roc
with evident comprehension, How
you get along?"
"Very WE'LL" she answered, unwi
ingly.
"I'm afraid you're not glad to S
me-" he said, after moment, as
chagrined.
She was silent.
He drew his chair to her side a
spoke appealingly;