The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-11-08
The Turn Of the Wheel,
BY Gilbert A. Pierce.

The passengers smiled.
For the twentieth time the man in
the middle of the car was rearranging,
his luggage. 4 dozen times before they
had supposed he was preparing to leave
the train, but he had stayed on.
"Do you think he is going this time"
said lady on the opposite side of the
car to her husband.
II give it up!" he responded. at looks
like it, but it has looked like it before"
And he didn't go. Stations came and
went but he remained, only seeming to
York.
II think the mans crazy said the
lady.
But he didn't look like all insane per.
son. though his actions were certainly
queer.
Sometimes he would drop his head on
his breast in deep thought. Then he
would grow wider and broader and final
~ threaten to become Il burst Of laugh.
ter; but before it broke out he would sud-
denly remember where he was and put
his hand over his mouth, or turn and
look out of the window.
manteau and the lady observed that il
was filled with parcels and when he
peeped into one of the packages with n
satisfied smile, she discovered piece
of dress goods of 4 very gay pattern;
again she saw dolls legs sticking out
of parcel and then she concluded ne
was good husband taking bag-fuli
of presents home to his family. She
knew this must be so when she saw him
take il photosra phi from his pocket and
kiss it slyly when he thought nobody was
looking.
At last. after examining his watch n
half dozen times and holding it to bis
ear to discover if it had not stopped, no
turned to the gentleman at the Other
The gentleman told him. and then he
wanted to know if the train wasn't late:
No it was ON time. .
''Someway thought it was late,' said
the stranger.
You re pretty anxious to get through,
l imagine" returned the gentleman.
Yes! and the trains so slow; it seems
to me it will never get there. I've been
five days ON the road. Come through
from San Francisco!'
do you live there"
NO, l live in New York" he returned,
''but I've been gone two years and I'm
pretty nervous. Someway it dou't seem
possible I'm back
Have you family in New York"
rubbing his hands and smiling. There
was Il PAUSE for moment, when he took
the photograph from his pocket and
passed it over for examination. 'That's
my wife, he said. ''It was taken ten
years ago and looks kind O old-fashioned.
l guess, but it's all the one I've got. .
They looked at it with interest. 1t was
il pleasant face, Il hopeful face-to trust
i'll and depend upon.
VIM s.bi
lady. Strange what trivial things in
terest us on railway train.
"One." he replied: &; girl years Of
age: we had little boy, too, Is months
old. but he died year ago
''Ah, that was too bad said the lady:
Yes" he responded: land she had
written me so much about him that l
felt just as if I'd been with the little fell
low right along. declare, when she
wrote he was dead, someway | had to
sit down and cry over it just as if he had
been grown up, you know. L couldn't
help it: but | think it was more on her
account than the baby's that I felt bad:
She was so wrapped up i'll him and had
worn herself out trying to save him.
And alone, too, and poor, you know; it.
was mighty tough
And you've been gone two years
said the lady. won't she be glad to
see you. thought
81 guess So he replied. confidently.
"And we've got some good news for her,
tell YOU He hesitated few mo-
ments. then said:
1T was hard struggle to live in New
York at best. and when the times grew
worse l went on a contract to work at
my trade at Gladstone. Mich, where
they were putting up buildings for the
railroad and steamboat lines. After
while wages were reduced there and
when the Worlds fair opened l went
down to Chicago looking for a job. I
finally went to work to make big frames
they used in the fireworks you know,
hut I was discouraged and didn't know
how l was ever to have my family with
me again. One day while l was sitting
on the pier gentleman came walking
down. a little under the influence OF
liquor. l guess, for his legs seemed to
be tangled: He was looking toward the
city for boat. suppose, when sudden
ly he reele,l to one side and went plumb
over into the lake. The water was ten
or fifteen feet deep where he went in,
but twenty-five feet nearer shore man
could touch bottom. l was sitting close
TO where he went over and without a
thought I just slid in. grabbing loose
board on the pier as l went, and when
he came up l pushed the board under
him and towed him into shallow water
1t was all done in two or three minutes