The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1895-06-13
HER MORNING WALK.

from school. At the corner she got on a
car going out into the suburbs, and once
settled back in the seat she blushed to
think of the recklessness of her resolve,
now that she had put it fairly in molten.
She was little dressmakcr living in the
sixth story, and she was sick and weary of
the city, with all its CRIME and noise-so
sick that the night before she had declared
to herself she would go away from it for
day at least and forget her troubles and
the hard life she led in the sweet, spring.
time country.
Then she lay awake half the night won
dering at her hardihood in thinking of
such a thing. But when morning came,
much to her own surprise, she was still as
determined as ever, and getting up early
she slipped out of the hot house and away,
like prisoner escaped. 1t had been SO
long since she had seen the country like
this, SO long since she had been anything
but a weary, hard driven little slave of the
needle, that as the car whirled away past
cottages and palaces, past country places
and empty fields, she laughed softly tt
herself and took deep breath after breath
of the sweet, pure air, as sparkling as
champagne. At last when the car reached
the end of its route and the conductors
went forward to help the motorman turn
it about she stepped off and walked brisk
ly along the road that led far over the hill.
ooh, you sweet, sweet cot'ntry!' she
murmured to herself as the new greer
fields stretched away on either size and the
. early morning breezes swept her face with
their burden of natures perfume. Chow
love you'll What did leave you for TO go
into the city and work my life out? What
would not give to be back again and TO
live forever OH the old farm?'
81 wonder where Tom, poor, dear old
Tom, faithful and loving and SO true, is
eIr 70 ha
could think me as dear as he once did now
that have had my foolish wish and gone
! to the city? Dear old TomP'
Yes, poor, dear old Tom! The faithful
young fellow who had lived next to her
fathers broad acres before he died and tho
children went to the city, Kate included
had loved her long and devotedly and had
tried to show her that she would be as
happy to marry him and live on the little
dairy farm as to go into the turmoil and
hurry of city life, but the headstrong lit
tie girl knew better then, and she listened
not to him.
Down the long road came little covered
milk wagon from one of the numerous
dairies that were to be seen there every
now and again, and sudden desire to
Jump in and ride with the milkman, who
ever he was, came over Kate A moment
later tho horse was pulled up sharply just
as it was passing her and the driver leaned
forward and looked at her with his honest,
handsome eyes filed with establishment.
''KateP' he CRIED his voice falling like
music upon her tired ears. is that you?
What is the matter?''
And Kate, blushing like a rose starl-
mered out something about just taking
| walk for her health.
but why are you way out here?" said
Tom, scrambling down and going to her
side, like the straightforward fellow of old.
'Tell me, Kate, are you in trouble? Is
anything wrong3 Tell Tom, DEAR" he
whispered, before he could stop himself.
"Tell him all about it, and perhaps he can
| help you.
For a moment Kate strove valiantly to
| keep her self possession and turn the affair
| off as a natural occurrence, but at last it
| was too much for her, and covering her
face with her hands she burst into tears
| Tom had seen her cry many times before.
| but never like this, and with one look
| about him he gathered her into his pro-
tecting arms and held her there.
81 want to come back to the country,
| Tom," she said between sobs. ST want to
| leave the hateful city and-and go back to
| the old farm, and be q girl again. I am
| tired of working over dresses and cloaks
| and things. 1 want to get away from it
| all and-and die. So thereP'
Tom smiled in his quiet, homely way,
/ but he replied gravely enough as she
| pushed herself gently out of his arms and
| fell to wiping her eyes with her handker
| chief: "You are worn out with work,
| Kate, and what you need is rest. Don't
| cry, that's a good girl, and perhaps we
| can think up some way to make you feel
| better Come, get in the wagon, and let's
| talk while we ride. I must be getting into
| town with the milk, and I want to help
| you too"
Hardly knowing why she did so, the lit
| tie dressmaker obeyed him, and then as
they travelled briskly along the road, with
| the birds singing in the hedges and the
| sun shining on the dew that lay over the
| hill and dale, she told Tom all, unburden-
/ ing her heart as she had not done for three
| years past. By the time she had finished
they were well into the suburbs, and it
was not until then that she realized how
| long they had talked. Then she said:
| II must get out here, Tom. 1t will look
SO queer for me to be riding here with you,
| and it is late. There are dresses to be done
| and work and work and work. Let me get
| out, please, and l thank you SO much for
helping me get rid of that awful lonesome
! feeling
| But Tom did not LET her get out. In
stead of that he slipped one arm about her
waist and pulled the horse around into a
] little alley where a pint of fresh, sweet
| milk was to be delivered.
| Kate" said he gently, "don't go back
to that work. Drop it all, for my sake
and come with me. The little farm isn't
/ as big or as nice as the one you used to
| live on, but it's got more love to the square
inch for you than a dozen others would
havel 1t needs girl like you to make
sunshine for it, Kate, and it wants You
now-today. Come back, Kate, and be
Mrs. Tom. Won't your
| What would you think of me if said
| yesf' asked the girl, her lips trembling as
she spoke. You would think / had
thrown myself at you, wouldn't you? And
you couldn't respect me any more. No,
Tom, can't do it-you are only pityina.
| me-"
| 81 am plying myself" replied he cheer
| fully, land we are going to be married,
i my dear. Just as soon we deliver this
milk we are going to Squire Miller's on
the road home and get married, and VIC
are going to let the dresses and the other
work of that sort stay right where they
are forever. Come, you know you love me,
and you know I have loved you for many
| years, Katie, that's o dear girl" And he
laughed happily as she blushed and said
nothing
And that was how Kate's morning walk
ended, for as Tom had mapped out the
| programme for that day SO they carried it
out, and when the little milk wagon drove
into the yard at home that afternoon it
held the happiest pair of young people in
| the world-Tom and Mrs. Tom-C incin-
[ natl Post.
/ Struck by His Own Beauty.
~