The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-01-22

won't see him. Can't I take the dog,
papa ~
I told her yes, aud we started. The
car was full / rec1ect, an there was
spmc trouble gittin' q scat. Tive wo-
men got on the crOesin' after we die.
au' we all crowded along to make
room.
"See how full the car is.n says
Ard mostly working people. They
have money enough left to ride on tho
cars, itseems. j was sure the reports
oil h suffering among them ex-
a~ggcrated."
She was holdin' q long, knit purse,
an the thought come into my mind to
snatch IL away from her an run. For
u minute ] had to grip my hands to-
gether to keep from it then l remem-
bered the steppin' off the bridge would
ice surer, maybe, an there wouldn't mo-
body call that q disgrace. An all the
while l was thinkin' it over I was talk
in with Nell, tellin' about the way 1
used TO do on a farm-how L drove the
COWS and ploughed, and raked the hay.
The air blew cool in her face, an sent
a pink flush there, an on the way
back my wife reused up q little, too,
an commenced to talk OF the times
when we wont to school together, an
what everybody said and did. An I
laughed and jokcd as / hadn't q care in
the world. But when we got to the
house l felt as III I'D played my part as
long as l could. / helped them off, and
then stepped back On to the car. Sim
q little nervous tonight" says /.
Guess I'll ride up here a ways, and
then walk back to quiet me-"
My vito looked queer. "Novor
mind, jack, "says she. with a tremble
in hor voice. Something will happen"
And / sec it all hadn't deceived her
any Tho minute tho cars started som.
one touched me on tho shoulder. 7
turned round, aud there was the man
who had talked with that afternoons
Thought I'd see you before" says
he, but | couldn't think who it was
till | noticed tho dog. Found u place
yet p"
| said, mo, and didn't expect to-"
"Oh, you mustn't got discouraged.
Say, | was thinkin' after you'd gone
that didu't'k know what was the use Of
dom all that extra work while the
clcrk was sick, as long as there was
plenty anxious to take 1t off our hands.
Now you're new to the business, an OF
course | can't pay fancy prices. But il
you want to come an try for awhile
probably till the shops open-it's only
even dollars u week but"
l turned 'rCund, then, an caught
hold of his hand. Ia general Pm a
common scnse man, and mon amt
given to maxim any ado over their
feclin's; bat there are times whom
they will break through. I told him
wh@e he said had saved my lifc-un'
then felt ashamed of myself for sayin'
it.
oh, you'd found a place some
girl you had with you?"
we thought the air might do her
good"
II Thought sho didn't look very
strong" says he. Ought to sond her
ont In the country for awhile"
We've been plannin' on it, 1 said,
but the hard times had stepped in to
prevent.
The cars came TO the terminus then,
an we got off. "We;l, good-night,"
says he, Il suppose I'll sec you at six
to-morrow-527 Main, the place is"
An then he added q little, US if he was
ashamed of it:
"If yomr girl wants country air,
why, there's my brothers. folks live
down Sconset way-big farm, plenty of
milk, lots OF children. My Jonnio's
going down next week. One more
won't make any difference. You'd bet.
ter plan it so your little girl can go
along with her, an they'll have all the
better fun. Hang it ali, what ails you?
Come, | say, don't do that, brace up
an be q man"
For when l tried to thank him there
was Il lump in my throat that chokcd
mo, an jest stood there with the tears
running down my face.
I've been thinkin' u good deal about it
since; and it sort of seems though
amt a preachin' man nor q pcrfcssor OF
religion-as If some trouble was jest
sent to show what poor, miserable fail
ures of Twin we'd makes If there want
nobody to oversee us. There | was
gropin' away by myself fur weeks
CROWN more an more desp'rit every
day, an plannin' to get out of the
world-an' all the time the Lord was
seein' to everthin'' even to our goin' to
and tnkin' jest that car.
There's ~ story now, the shops start
up next week, and the country's seen
tho worst of it. But what 1 started to
say, an what l believe, sir, is that
Their can't none of them writer's, nor
editors, nor folks hat are fond of
givin' advice tell how the workin' men
feel over tho hard times unless they've
ben through 1t themselves.