The record-union., 1894-12-22

I
though chill drafts were playing malici-
ously about him. He even looked up in
voluntarily toward the door as if to up
braid some one for carelessness in hold
Ing 1t opon upon him.
1hls latter movement and worried out
looking were several times repeated.
Then he dragged his great easy chair still
closer TO the ire, as though the already
almost sitting room held insufficient
warmth, tumbled himself into the chair
as though defeated in his mental fight
against gruesome friends, crossed his
hands nervously behind his head. and.
with grinding movement of his body,
Wrlggled himself restlessly into the soft
upholstering, and after a period of
tdgety silence and fitful half-dozlng in
which his eyelids seemed forced tightly
together, his lips peevishly quavered:
"Contound it! That claim department
will finish me yet! It's the bane of my
life. For quarter of a century it has
haunted mer'
His apparent efforts for sleep, for mere
unconsclousness from all these distrac-
uons, were grotesque and almost pitt
full.
why should l." he whispered, ''here
at the very verge OF little Christmas
rest, be forced TO contemplate railway
smash ups, broken bones, mangled linn bs
and llmbless trunks-a miserabI process
sion OF tractural remains of those too inn
DoCllc W ult dileT Il SenSlDl0 anu well or
dered fashion! It's absurd, it's cruel
its
Mr.. Pellew?"
He thought he heard his name spoken
by woman and spoken very closely to
him, but he obstinately refused to open
his eyes.
''Mr. Pelleww
This time the magnate jerked his hands
| from behind his head, opened his ewes
and stared at the figure seated in the
chalr at his side which had been turned
so as TO squarely confront him.
Madam, you have made a mistake.
Can't you see that this is a private Officer"
he sternly demanded, or thought he
sternly demanded, for while his lips
formed these words, he was astonished
at the Vapory quality of his own articula-
tlon, and still more astonlShed to observe
! tnat when he endeavored to touch the
hidden electric bell in the floor beside
him with his foot, the latter clung to the
tlllng as though frozen there solidly.
The figure before him was a thin little
body dressed in black. Her hands were
bloodless and skinny; her face was ca
daverous and white, but her sunken eyes
shone with wondrous Hastings and scin-
tlllatlons. Her voice, too, startled the
railway President. 1t was pinched,
treble voice; a voice which held desper-
ate aud penetrating quality; a voice that
| pierced the listener like some barbed
material lance.
"Mr. Pellew!" again began the ghostly
little ngure in black. "Ive come to see
| about my claim. rve walked hundred
and thirty miles through the storms and
snow. Your road killed my husband
six years ago. My children and L have
been praying, begging, hoping, starving
ever since. husband Jim was only a
brakeman; but Jim was all we had. Now,
Pve come here,
"Oh, yes. yes. Certainly, certainly"
replied Launcey Pellew with a great
effort at blandness, but still struggling to
lift his foot which would not move. You
are No. lOll. Well see about your case
right away after Christmas. Certainly,
certainly!"
mo you WON'T"
But, my dear woman"
For Pm going TO stay right here and
never let my eyes Oft your miserable
pody," and here her eyes blazed with a
deadly light upon the railway President,
until l get something besides a broken
heart to take back home to my chill
| drenp
Here Launcey Pellew felt a particularly
cold draft strike him, and both his own
and tie strangers eyes simultaneously
sought the door.
~ es," said the little woman in black,
notlced there were others on the
road"
A hulking sort of fellow with a dirty,
club-llke cane in each hand backed into
the room and Joined The two occupants
alter squeaklng, humping and trund
ing upon his two wooden legs along the
tessellated tiles. His hair was white, but
he stlll had hearty sort of look in his
honest, knobby face
liant SO lively as | was afore that
switch engln bit off my legs, Mr.. Pei
lew, m my hairs got white sence th'
racket. Lemme see; that's 'leven years
ago. Thought Pd jess make a tlyin'
switch down here am see how my claim
stood-'o09,' you know. Mebby, as it's
nigh Christmas, you wouldn't mind
setLlln this evenin', Launcey-beg par
d'n-Mr. Pellew; but all th' boys along
tn line says Launcey.' kin waitp'
Mr.. Peliew stately inclined his head
and began rather coldly:
"AIy good sir, these are department
matters, exclusively department matters
have always tried"
But here several icy drafts brought his
remarks to sudden close. The door
opened and closed repeatedly,
a trembling old man, bent completely
over his cane which poked and halted and
slipped and started before him, accom-
panied by little shriveled old woman.
bumped and bent like himself and shiy-
ering like wind-whipped autumn leaf,
moved slowly along between the chairs.
gurgllng and chattering feebly
'Ies, yes, yes. THAT'S him, wife. !"
cackled the OLD man excitediy. "Pve
seen his pictur's a thousan' times in th'
county paper. I'd know him enuv-
where. Come right along, wifel''
IF Pm alive this minute, so it is! How
de do, Mr.. Pellew? Well, well. we'll :
Now Well get th' money fur poor CYRUS
-fur our poor boy, Cyrus ~ and she fell
to weeping copiously on the distracted
officials shoulder, out finally slipped
into seat with tiny little click of a
groan, while her simple old husband
backed up against the CRATE and. after
looking around on the costly FURNISHINGS
with childish delight, chatled on gaily:
I'VE knew we had T. lind Launcey Pel-
lew jess onct. to git our rights. We kin
stay all night jess as well as not, if We
han't got the cash right now in yer
pocket. I'd sure know ye ennywbere
from yer pictur's, Launceyi S'pose va
remember us? Our case is '64S.' 1t wuz
our only boy. Launcey. Never ought y
left th' farm T. gone railroadin'; but wife
wuz on his side, jess like all mothers be.
till they brought hum his pieces, Laun-
ceyw
sour Cyrus pieces ~ moaned his feeble
old wife, rocking tremblingly back ward
and forward in her chair.
This had been scarcely said. when a
crouching, Struggling haired, glassy-eyed
man, with unkempt clothing which mad