Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-07-19
CHAPTER II.
on fuE COMMON.

Edward Gibbons. returning from his
Office one Autumn evening, became aware
hat soue one wss following him. His path
~ along upfrequented roads and oFer
side stretch Of common, altogether about
th,ee niles. BE vas good walker, and &C
oouplshed the distance night and morning
without even Wishing that cabs and ON
abuses we're 70 be bad in that lonely dis
,rict. This evening be had at first been too
uuch occupied BY bis thoughts TO notice
b. lie was followed, but by snd by, when
ii 81 pedestrians dropped of, sBd the road
N;ane more and more solitary, the persis-
.st ioottteps annoyed him. IL was not
.bsi be feared 70 be robbed or murdered,
sor bis pursper was . womsn--s darkskin.
acd, pu6dily dressed woman, dusty, and
pu6dy, and wesrylooking.
When be legged, she Jagged; when ne
uuicI ened his pace, she did the same, though
.sict ntIy with sn effort.
At last be stopped and waited for her 70
come UP TO him. BE meapt to ask her why
she was following him, but 10 his surprise
she came strsigh, up. and looking him full
in the face, said:
De you EdNalu O1Dpobs'
Yea; what do you ysnt with meT he
asked, scanning her sharply. and rscking
his brains 10 make memory bring before
him her face gnS,r other circumstances.
81 want to talk TO you q Bit and thought
| wss doing you turn BY not coming 70
yo0r house or your or6ce."
Thanks" said Edward, shortly; talk
away. What's the subject-moneyY
She gave him contenptuous look, and
then walked by hi: rds h silence some
mom.pts,
"Ysu seem tirsd." he aid at last "h'v'
you walked fary
London. bin three days on ae ramp:
"sball We cit down on one On 'uo''
bencbesY
"No. can talk better going. S'posin y
she said, and stopped.
he eyed her, not little curious TO know
shy this strange creature had walked from
London for the purpose Of speaking 70 him,
and Why she seemed to find il 90 difficult 70
say What she wanted.
Yes, surprising" he said to encourage
her.
"S'posin you know . gal wot was better
and handsomer than most gals but she be.
longed to people like me-people wot lives
Just anyhow, and never has nothing nice.
and clean, and purty-psople a. gets drunk
sometimes, and swesrs horrible sometimes;
could you, could any gentleman take her
away TO your own home, and let her forget
oil that was bad and unpleasant in her lifeY
II Do not think quite understand you,"
said KSsasd gently ior he saw that the
woman was terribly in earnest in what she
Vas striving TO convey TO him. There 10 .
home down here where they take the children
Of the deserving poor for Q time"
"Ym, kDoW-drst EN-. Leastwsys, !
don't mean drat EN-, for / know lis only
out Of kindness they do Il. butii's that wo's
bin the ruin Of her. The gal I'm talking
shout was brought up ct such o place from
the time she was quite little 'un, % that
she didn't remember much about her parents
% how they lived. And her father got old
and could only Just earn enough % cobblins.
TO keep himself in the poores, way; % when
shs went back 10 him and found what her
lie would DO, il Just nearly beoks her heart.
and then il sent hsr al wicked like. No.
but she She's a. ipnsrceat - baby, bat
che ests tAlkin' about things that give me .
shsddss, and | Amt one 10 shnddsr as much
So 1 thinks If sets % yoa. who used "a
know and maybe love hsr--"
stop; What are Jon talking aboutr be
turned and confronted her. laying one hand
on her ragged shssl
III Jon saw Hester Brown sdrovning.