The National tribune., 1892-04-28

n war. i have waited,
and the years have been short because / was
working for Won. To-day / was given regu-
lar run, and now / can give my wife home
worthy the mistress. Dales cottage is for sale,
and if / say The word tc morrow. it is ours. 1t
is for you TO decide. But, darling, think of me
little. / want my wife"
Silence for a moment beside the old tree, and
then Margaret spoke:
1.-Two years ago, is it? How long they have
seemed to me- You will never know, joe how
hard it has been to send you away so many
times hut I'm sure you never doubted that my
reason was good 1t WAS wrong, Joe, 10 ask
you TO wait year after year aud not explain 1t
all"
And then for time the old maple heard moth
ing but the girls low voice speaking earnestly.
Presently il ceased, and Joe Alton spoke, his
clear voice husky:
and this is what my brave girl has been do
ing these two years? No wonder they were
long. Wait? / would gladly wait till the
end of time for SO brave a woman. Darling,
you are doing the only right thing. Your
father will need you, and no one can take your
place. You make more than home for
him, and there is your power. Keep brave
heart dear, and when you need help remember
that my heart and strength are yours"
And then-so young man; the moon went
behind a. cloud Just then, and when she
emerged, Joe Alton was trudging down the
street. Margaret, leaning on the gate, watched
him till his swinging step took him around the
nearest corner, then she turned and went into
the house.
The lamps were lighted, and near the table
sat her father, with newspaper on his knee.
As his daughter came in, he looked up and
made stupid response to her first attempt at
conversation. Ii was very evident that he was
under some strange influence. Drunk. you say ?
Yes, drunk; but not with rum. In his eyes
was the peculiar, vacant, Yet watcbful, look
which only opium gives its victims. Not en-
tirely victim yet was this man, for occasion
ally a CLEAN of manhood would drive away
the stare and he would make a pathetic at
tempt TO rouse his energies.
Nargaret's father came of race of engineers !;
very king Of the rail was Thad Wilson,
clear-headed and resolute. His great enthu-
siasm in his worl; was fully shared by his chill
dren. OF the two Margaret was the older, aud
the leader in all their sports, and, strange to
say, she was more interested in her fathers en-
CINE than was Bob.
Wilson had a regular run, but occasionally
he worked in the yard for few days running
one of the "shifters." Sometimes he yielded to
the child's entreaties and then Margaret would
spend happy halliday with him, perched in 8
corner of the seat What matter that the
"poBy was the unfortunate target Of all the
Wit on the road She sat curled up in her
place, her black eyes dev0uring every move her
father made These red-lettcr days came not
often, but frequent that Margaret grew
upa trife more enlightened concerning the
workings of an engine than You did. young
lady. And when she got too big 10 ride with
papa " it was thing to be lamented, indeed.
Thad Wilson'S wife had led when Bob WAS q
baby, and widowed sister came to make her
home with them. When Margaret was eight
cen the kind aunt died, and the girl plead to
be allowed TO take her place as housekeeper.
"Whv. papa" she reasoned, "In, not baby
any more. You don't realize that Pm almost
nineteen. i know | can keep house-not so
well as Auntie did, of course, but can learn.
May try, papa?"
"Yes, Margaret you may try, but you viii
find it hard work, child. When you get tired
OF it, we will get housekeeper."
But Margaret tried and did not get tired; a
CHEEKY little housewife she was Joe Alton, her
fathers fireman, found the Wilson house very
interesting place, it seemed, for evening after
evening found him the fourth member Of the
group.
Was there ever an Eden without serpent
How can we know in what form the enemy will
come? Margaret noticed change in her father.
She could not have explained il. He left the
house in the morning in his usual spirits, and
then she smiled ar her fears. In the evening,
his run over, be came home nervous pre-
occupied One evening he was quiet almost
morose; the next. be would be all vivacity,
relating bis brightest stories, cracking the
wittiest jokes.
Margaret was puzzled. She very much
feared that whisky was the evil, but how could
che fight until she knew what her antagonist
was? And then, one day, in the midst of her
dispair, accidentally she found out, and her
heart Quailed. She had heard of the difficulty
Of dealing with the opium habit, because OF
the wonderful cunning and slyness which was
the accompaniment OF the disease For an in
cTo tcla fol oy,5 n+a1 la-f
to fight. She did fight and alone. Why should
she tell Bob? He was happy and light hearted
Why burden himf
She knew well that none of her fathers
comrades on the road knew Of his fall. He
had enough strength left not to indulge the
morbid craving until bis trip for the day was
made. Margaret had heard that very often
when all attempts at saving an opium victim
failed, there would come some sudden crisis
which il net wisely would rouse the resistance
Of the poor wretch, and the power of the drug
would be broken. She chung TO the thought
and wondered, oh SO often, If crisis would
come and when.
One evening Joe came in and found Marga.
ret alone. They sat by the fire, speaking but
little. Presently Joe said: Margaret, won
der what you would say if ] should tell you
what has been the one thought Of my heart
for months-that you are all my world. Can
you love mer Will you be nay wife some
day?"
There wasn't much said In answer Perhap,
even Joe didn't hear the words but he saw tn,
look she gave him. He put his arms about
her, and held her close TO his heart, murmur
ing Darling, i will be very, very tender Il
my wife" After that evening, despair wa,
never quite despair" to Margaret
Her lover urged an immediate marriage
but she objected. BE knew her too well Il
even suspect that it was within on her part
90 he trusted her and waited. And on the
evening when we first met them, Joe came K
her with the news that he had regular run
A certain cottage which had taken prominent
place in his day-dreams for year or so was fol
sale, and he came, anxious for Margaret's con
cent, before buying it for their home.
he came light hearted, sure that she would
not resist that appeal. As we know, she TOLD
him all her sad story. She had thought of i
sc constantly that ii no longer seemed TO he
60 wretched story; that che herself was
heroine never occurred TO her. And Joe lief
her, his heart aching for her.
On the next evening her father came hom
In his usual manner, trying TO appear natural
yet very evidently nervous; finally he disap
peared into his room, and just well as if sb
had been there Margaret knew that he meas
ured and took the potion of the curse he al
lowed himself He returned to the sitting
room and sat down with his paper
The air in the room grew sitting to TIL
girl. Perhaps il was the heat Of the Summe
night. 1t may have been the dreadful fea
that grew upon her with every moment. Sa
threw her work aside and rushed through III