Omaha daily bee., 1888-06-24
FAITHEESS LOVER.
A Woman Who Has Waited Thirty
Years in Vain.


after O. clock last evening woman
took up her station near the southeast
corner of the passenger station. She
was not far from ffty years of age. Her
form was bent. her hair was silvered
with age and anxiety. and her face was
wrinkled and careworu. Her round,
gray eyes were deep set, and seemed
weary from constant watching. The
woman's complexion must have been of
the fairest blonde type years ago, as it
was still white and well preserved con-
sidering her years. She was clad in a
dress of dingy, brown material. Closely
wrapped about her shoulders was arusty
plaid shawl, and upon her head rested
hat of faded black material, of a style,
or rather lack of style, unknown to the
woman of present day. In her clasped
hands she grasped well-worn leather
travelling bag. The sun was almost an
hour from setting when she took up her
position. 1t had sunk into the west and
twilight had long given place to dark
ness when she ceased her weary vigil
and sadly turned away.
And not last night alone. was the
woman at her post. She has been there
night after night, not for weeks and
months only, but for long weary years.
The frost and blizzard of winter have
ers of spring, and the seed-time has
been succeeded by the harvest many
times over since she first took up her
station is almost the self-same spot that
she did last night. Babies have been
born, passed through their infancy. en-
joyed the sports and pastimes of child
hood, grown through youth to maturity,
married, and seen children of their own
come to gladen the homes which they
have made since this woman first be-
gan her weary vigils.
Nearly thirty years ago this woman,
then young and fair, was courted and
admired by many. But upon one she
fixed her affections, and to him through
all the years that interyened she has re-
mained as constant as the needle to the
polar star. Her lover followed the sea
as, Il means of livlihoOd, and one day he
left her and went on a voyage. Be
fore he left they had plighted
their faith, and when he returned from
his perilous journey in the glad SPRING
time. when the buds blossOmed and the
birds caroled, and all nature seemed to
rejoice, he was to lead her to the altar.
But when the spring came her sailor
lover did not return and no message
came to explain his absence. Whether
disaster or death prevented, or whether
known, but he never came back. The
grief and disappointment caused the
woman long sickness, and when her
bodily ills were healed her mind, alas,
was diseased. She became possessed
with the hailucination that her
lover was coming back, and
as soon as she was able
she went to the railway station to greet
him home, aud almost every day since,
winter and summer, spring and autumn,
in fair weather and foul, she has
been there on the same errand,
She is retiring in her disposition, and
seldom ever frequents the waiting
rooms or mingles with the crowd upon
the platform, but just outside the sta
tiOn she takes up position where she
can see the trains as they draw in, and
there she waits and waits, in vain.
Eagerly she scans the face of each
stranger who passes her way, but when
any. one addresses her which is
seldom, she staIes at them
vacantly and makes no reply. When
the last train had come and gone
for the night, and the employes about
the station are eXtinguishing the lights
she generally walks YEARLY away. only
10 return and resume her vigil on the
succeeding day. Since she began
WdlIiuB lne populallon Ol MdncHeslef
has doubled and trebled, a score of
trains now come where three or four
came formerly,the oil lamps have given
place to gas, and gas in turn to cleo
tricity, generation has been born and
grown to manhood and womanhood.
But, seemingly taking no note of the
passage of time, the poor creature daily
seeks the railway station, and will
probably continue to do SO until disease
and death shall release her from her
self-imposed task. o..