Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-07-02
OVER-THE-WAY.
What Brought Two Sad But Low
ing Hearts Together.

Over-the-Way - queer name for a
woman, isn't it? 1t was big Jim Gray
he's telegraph operator on a morn
ing newspaper-who gave her the
name. OF course we found out her
real name afterward, but none of us at
Mrs. Smiths ever spoke of her except
as Over theWav. 1t was at the break
fast table-we were all night workers
and the breakfast hour at Mrs. Smith S
is nOOn-and Jim sits where he can
look out of the window. Miss Elliott
she does society" on another morn
ing paper and is quite vivacious-no-
ticed that Jim was neglecting his plate
of buckwheat cakes and staring with
all his eyes across the street. Now
Jim is Il masterhand at buckwheat
cakes, and Miss Elliott, having a
reputation for vivacity to sustain
was perfectly justified in remark
ing that Mr.. Gray did not seem quite
himself, We laughed. as in politeness
bound, and that brought Jim back. He
got up and made a flourish with his
napkin and said:
Ladies' and Gentlemen: 1t now
gives me great pleasure to present to
you the neighbor we have long been
We were so interested that we got
right up from the breakfast ia BILE and
crowded to the windows Even that
reserved and sarcastic Elizabeth Hawk
ins-she's a telephone girl. and sup
pose she's justified in having a poor
opinion of mankind and trying to get
even out of Office hours-forgot her
dignity for once and was as interested
as anybody. You see, the workmen
had been busy on Il little cottage right
across the street for two months or
more. We did not pay any particular
attention to it until they began to put
in a second-stOry bay window that was
almost as big as the rest of the cottage
After that bay window had done duty
as a family joke for two or three
weeks we fell to wondering what sort
of people had built it and who would
occupy such a funny little house
Handsome Harry Roberts a WIN
dow dresser in big State street dry
goods store and a great hand with the
girls-said he knew some woman was
responsible for that window and hoped
she would be good looking; it would
be pity to spoil such fine window.
Whereupon dear old Miss Brooks
she's nice looking even if she is forty
and has come down from better days to
proof reading-reminded him in her
precise. genteel way that young men
who had no eyes for anything but
pretty woman sometimes came to
grief The graceless Harry responded
that homely woman was real
grief and pretty one a joy forever
Here the scamp looked hard at Elizabeth
Hawkins Elijah beth Hawkins looked
back at Harry, and l thought she was
going to say: Busy; what's your
number?" And John Berry-he's some
sort of an editor and doesn't say much.
being as reserved as Elizabeth Hawk
ms and peculiar ike-saw Harry and
scowled.
Well. as | was saying. we had many
q discussion over that little cottage,
and finally came to feel a sense of pro-
prietorship in what we called Over
tbe-Way." So you see it was a great
day for us when Over-the-Way herself
appeared
To be sure. there wasn't much to see
when we did get to the window-just a
fip transfer wagon loaded with new
furniture, an express wagon heaped
high with household belongings, two
drivers. an old negro woman with
gorgeous turban, and a dear little wom-
an in a smart jacket and wide |
brim!ncd hat.
Harry Roberts declared he was sim !
ply perishing for exercise and fresh air |
and put on his overceat and strolled |
past the cottage. He came back and |
that the little woman was |
beauty: in fact, he grew quite eloquent |
over her charms. And then. of course, |
we had to talk it all over-wkether she |
was married, and if she was, where |
was her husband. and if she wasn't, |
was she going to live all alone with the
old colored aunty, and SO on.