Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-11-14
RONANCEOF STRIKE.
Chicago Daily News.

Chicago Daily News.
Lucia Dunn was her name and she
was winsome lassie, who worked in
millinery establishment on Washington
street. Her trim figure was always set |
off by the neatest fitting of gowns,
fashioned after the latest mode. She |
bought the remnants of which they were |
made at great bargain, and made |
them at home, at night, copying them
after the styles of the customers who |
most resembled her, for she knew then
that they would be becoming, because
these dresses were planned by great
modistes.
Her yellow hair was marvel of hair
dressing; she used her eyes here as
we'll, and the most intricate coiifuras of
her customers unriddle themselves TO
her searching eyes. Her hair was the
envy of all the shop-girls, for such
frame Of golden curls and waves and
puffs around the pink-and white, blue
eyed face was altogether irresistible
and this Lucia knew.
She lived far uptown in little cot
tage with an invalid mother dependent
upon her and had she not been the
quickest, most active little girl IN the
city she could never have prepared the
breakfast, cleaned up the little house,
dressed her mother and reached her
work in time, and yet Lucia was always
early and ready with her winning smile
to smooth the temper of the most surly
buyer.
OF course the electric car was a great
help After its advent she did not have
to rise so early, for "the broomstick
train whisked her over the three miles
between her cottage and Washington
street in less time than it takes to tell
it. But the electric car was not alto
gether the minister for good it promised
at the outset Like many others, it
wore the sheep's clothing to hide a
worse interior. The interior, in this
case, was the conductor, innocent
looking individual who took up fares
and tangled his bell and smiled like a
lamb at tardy passengers. But he also
smiled at Lucia and she was not tardy
and here the trouble began.
Lucia could not remember when the
smiling commenced. How could such
an innocent little maid be conscious of
the damage done by her blue eyes?
She was thinking of some marvel of
millinery perfected by her deft fingers,
while he was thinking of her and ex-
perienced all sorts of tremors and deli
cious shivers when she placed her fare
in his rough fingers. But she remem-
bered very we'll when she first spoke to
him. The early winter twilight was
FASTENED by rain clouds and it soon
became so dark that it was difficult to
distinguish the streets. Lucia was
thinking SO intently that she was not
aware that her corner was passed, until,
suddenly becoming conscious, she
jumped up with that feeling of inse-
curity which being carried beyond
ones destination gives.
Her kindly friend stopped the car as
soon as possible, but it was two squares
beyond her corner. Next morning, as
luck would have it, Lucia was the only
passenger for a few squares. Conductor
Johns stood on theyplatform moment,
whistling; then as he took her fare, he
yentured: Have any trouble gettin'
home last night?''
"Oh, no, thank you"
Pm sorry we went past, for l know
where you stop, but | was talkin' an
you didn't signal AMI
1t doesn't matter in the least, +" re-
plleu LULA, army anu Will Il COluel-
fish droop of her long lashes. 81
didn't mind it at all and it was all my
fault. anyway"
who had been pardoned by an angel
from heaven. What had he done that
this flower should fall in his pathway?
That was the beginning. But who
can explain just how, in a few short
mi ~
those on the car, he had learned all
about the millinery business and the
invalid mother; everything, he sup
posed, in Lucias heart except one
little secret which he fancied would not
be SO very difficult to learn, but the
learning of which he always put off be-
cause of curious way his heart had
of jumping into his mouth whenever
he thought about it, Whether he
bribed the motorman so that that car
was behind time sometimes and in
duced him not to see some of the PEG
pie who stood at street corners and
waved for him to stop, history is silent,
but it seemed that the car was nearly
always empty when Lucia went up and
came down, and this was perhaps the
reason why he learned in such a little
time all of her history.
But one morning the mother was
worse and Lucia's nimble fingers lost
their cunning. She missed the first
car and had to wait for the next, which
was not hers, rs she had learned Ia
call it. She had learned the numbers
and it always happened-merely hap
pened-that she took Conductor Johns
car, and expressed her innocent sur
prise by lift Of the brows and be-
witching smile that spoke volumes.
There were tears in her blue eyes that
night and he felt her little fingers
tremble as he took her fare.
The passengers all got off several
squares below hers and he had time
to whisper:
Whats the matter?'
w-~wa-was late this morning
and was scolded, and-I-I'm moi
used to ii. "
Scolded! Wouldn't he like TO ser
the wretch who could scold his golden
haired divinity? Wouldn't he tremble,
He told her something like this in.
coherentiy and size looked at him al.
miringly. lie was very unlike Il 5ninnt
in his old suit, and his grimy-yes. il
was certainly grimy face. But Il
spoke great deal for his heart that il
shune through the CRIME and the thick
ened epidermis which any street cu,
employe is bound by necessity To bav,
after listening To the abuse Of passcn
gers ami the cutting words of slperin
tendentE for number Of years. But
he was handsome To the iittie pirl VII,
looked up at him, the smile ON hal
rosy lips contradicting the tears in hcI
eyes
! am not going to tell what cam,
next; the motorman's back wns dis
creetly turned; it is doubtful whethe,