The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-23
Printed BY specias Arrangement 1ah the Aathor.
A VAYPARING COUPLE.
BY MARY E. WILKINS.
Author f'An Honest SOUL "a Catherer Of Sinples
cad "a SoWstnir," ia Harper's Mooasine, Gad
diso Of ,sm,erous stories IN Bazar and
In WIDE Asrake.
Copyrighted 1885, by the Author--An Rights
Reserved.l
A S TO r Y.


A long row of little cheap houses stretched on
each side of the narrow dusty street There
was not tree in the whole length of it, except
in front of David Mays house A slim, young
maple carefully boxed in around the trunk,
stood close to his gate.
These poor, little houses were all alike; they
had been built expressly for the operatives in
the Saunders cotton mills. There was little
square of ground fenced in before each cottage.
Some were miniature vegetable gardens Ara
minta May, navids wife, had hers all planted
with flowers. They were coarse and gaudy,
rather than delicate; her taste ran that way.
The flower garden was divided into little fantas-
tic beds, edged with cobble-stones, and the foot
path leading through the midst of it to the door
had on each side, fence of bent willow boughs
Some morning glory vines were climbing up
on strings toward the two front windows; Ara
mintas great ambition was to have them thickly
screened.
Folks can't look in an see us eat them" she
said.
They could now. Passers-by might look d-
rectly in ON the little table set between the
windows for tea. The o'clock whistle had
blown, and the men and girls we're coming. home
from the shops. They struggled along, the men
in their calico shirt. sleeves, the girls in their
soiled dresses, turning into this yard and that
with an air Of content.
Araminta had worked in the shop, too before
she was married. Afterward, David wouldsnot
let her. His wife might do his washing, and
ironing, and cooking, he said, ''but she should
not work for other people as long as he had his
two hands"
Every cent that he could spare went to 'rig
M;nty up" as he put it. He could not bear to
see her in poor gown; she dressed as pune
tiliously as if she had been a fine lady against
Davy comes home.'
She had not fine taste, and admired the
eheaply gorgeous. Tonight she had on fimsy
blue muslin with good many flowers, and
deal Of wide cotton lace. She was handsome
young woman. She had long face, with
full red lips and an exquisite ford complexion
She flushed pink easily from forehead to throat,
but the pink was as fine as a roses. She had
haxen hair, which she parted and combed
straight back.
Aramintas father had been a country minis
ter on pitiful salary. Her mother had died
first, and then her father, in his little parish,
when she was but a child. Since then she had
shifted as best she could, She had lived around
in various families, partly Deepen dent, partly
working her way, until she was eighteen Then
she come to Saundersville to work in the mills,
and there she met David May and was married
to him.
Araminta had not wholly escaped the suspi-
cions liable to attach themselves to handsome
unprotected girl in an humble position. People
hoN a. s,.,x n ,rv;Id dnco; with
a meaning look, before she was married
She had watched for David anxiously tonight.
She had little extra tea--a pie and some hot
biscuits.
I'm awful glad you've come" she said, when
the stout, curly headed young fellow doomed up
in the doorway THE biscuits are all gittin'
cold. What made you so late; it amt pay
nightl"
'sNo," said David, 'tits turnin' off night"
''Now, David May, what do you meanr
"Just what say It's turnin' off night. I've
got turned off.
He dropped down on chair with that, and
rested his elbows on his knees and held his head
in his two hands-the attitude most indicative
of persons sympathy with his own tired soul
Now, Davy, honest an true, amt you jokin'?"
mo, amt jokin'. Wish to the Lord was,
for your sake!"
''But what hev you got turned off fur, Davyq
declare, I'm all upset. They amt out of work,
are theyl'
mo; there's work enough. It's some of that
Lem Wheeock's doin's. If any Teller but him
he'd been foreman. I'd ha KEEP my place. He's
always had a spite again me, an III be hanged
if | know why"
what did they say was the reason they
turned You off"
Didn't give me The boss iist
sailed me into his Office an told me they
wouldn't need my services no more, an paid me
what was OWN me, and that was iist $40. 1
tried to talk, but ne KEEP on writin in book, an
didn't seem to hear me. an / quit when found
out might ist as we'll be talkin' to stone wall.
| dunno what Wheelock's been tellin; him, an
don't Eff he wants me to go, I'll go. 1
amt goin' to whine, an tease him fur work
I've got little feelin'. Ell amt one of the upper
crust'
That's so. Davy I'd see him down East
first"
1.-THE worst of it is. Minty, dunno how we're
going TO live, or where I'll git work It's mighty
duh times now It's mean kind of q box I've
got you into"
Now, don't you go to talkin' like that David
= May! / don't want to hear it. Git up an wash
you now. an eat your supper; the biscuits are
all gittin' cola
The poor fellow got up, threw his arms about
his wife's waist and leaned his head his
wifes shoulder. She was as tall as he.
30, Minty, / didn't know but you'd be fur
goin' back me, an bamin' me- cause I'd he'd
such bad luck. Some women do"
II amt some women, then; but / will be if
you 60 to suspectin' me of such thing again,
. an IL you don't hurry and wash, an eat them
biscuits before they sit cold
well. mebbe we can weather it. guess