Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-07-15

II II b. or q hazelnut is. The
- " = e. kind eft life I lead
can't be lived in white kid gl6Yes and
dress coats. wasn't brought up with
maaS advantages, and I'm only a
brakeman on the Rensselaer, and Sara
toga line. Old Jones was telling you
about me, was he, sir? He'd better
hold his tongue. There's more profit
able subjects of conversation than I
am. But old Jones means well enough,
and if he told you to ask me how that
stripe of white hair came on my black
name, I amt the man to go back on
him. Oh, you needn't beg my par
don, sir! 1 don't mind talking about
it now, though the time was when 1
couldn't speak of it without o big
lump coming in my throat.
We hadn't been married leng Polly
and I, when 1t happened. Polly was
as trim md bright eyed slip of q girl
as ever you'd wish to see. She was
one of the mattresses in the Albany
lunch room; and the first time I ever
set eyes upon her made up my mind
to make that girl my wife. So, when
they raised my wages, took heart
and asked her if she would have them
with me, with a wedding ring thrown
into the bargain.
ssDo you really mean it, Jate?" said
she, looking me fully in the face, with
those dark blue eyes of hers, that are
like stars in the night.
s.I do really mean il, Polly" said /.
.'Then," said she, putting both her
hands into mine. ''I'll trust you. I've
no living relative to advise me, so l
can only take counsel with my heart. :"
So We were married. l rented a
little one.story house, under the hill
on the height that overlooked the Hud.
son-a cosey place, with good sized
wood pile OF the rear, for winter
meant winter in those parts, and the
snow used to be drifted up even with
our doorysrd fence many and many q
cold gray morning. And everything
vent smooth until Polly began to OBJ
jsct to my mates at the White Black
bird, and the Saturday evenings 1
spent with the boys, after my train
was safely run on the sidetrack ut the
junction.
"Why, Polly, girl" said I, "where's
the harme A man can't live by him
self like on oyster in its she'll, and a
social glass never yet harmed any
one."
-'No," said Polly, "not o social
glass, Jake, but the habit. And if you
would only put every five cent piece
taat you spent for liquor into our lit
tie Bertie's tiny savings bank"
t'PshawI" said ]. 81 am not q
dru unkard, and Ineyer mean to become
one. And no one likes to be preached
to by his wife, Polly. Remember that,
my girl, and you'll save yourself q
deal of trouble" F"
/ kissed her and went away, but
that was the beginning of The little
grave shadows that grew upon my
Polly's face like creeping fog over
the hills, and that she has never got
rid OF since.
Il WAS a sore point between US
what the politicians call vexed ques-
tion. I felt that Polly was always
watching me; and I didn't wish to be
put in leading strings by q woman. So
Il shame to say i'll went to the
White Blackbird oftener than ever,
and I didn't often count the glasses of
beer that I drank, and once or twice,
of particularly cold night, I let my
self be persuaded into drinking some
thing stronger than beer; and my
brain wasn't the kind that could stand
liquid FIRE with impunity. And Polly
cried, and ] lost my temper. and
we'll, don't like to think of all these
things now. Thank goodness, they are
over and gone. s;--..,~,..>
That afternoon, as I stood on the
back platform OF my car, with my
arms folded and my eyes fixed on the
snowy waste of fat fields through
which the iron track seemed to extend
itself like an endless black serpent, l
looked my own life in the face. l
made UP my mind that I had been be-
having like brute.
"What are those ssnseless fellows at
the White Blakbird to me" muttered
I, Gas comprred with one of Polly's
sweet, bright looks? 1 will give the
whole thing up. I'll draw the line
just here cow. We shall be off duty
early tonight. I'll so home and as
tonish Polly!"
But as night fell, the binding drift
of great snow storm came with it.
We were belated by the SLOW which
collected on the rails, and when we
reached Earldale there WAS little
girl, who had been lent on in the care
of the conductor, who must wait either
three or four hours for way train in
the cold and cheerless station, or be
taken home across snowy field by
some one who knew the way.
l thought of my own little children.
"1ll take her." said land lifting her
up, I gathered my coarse. warm coat
about her, and I started for the long,
cold walk under The whispering pines
along the edge of the river.
I honestly believe she would have
frozen to death if she had been left in
the cold station until the way train
could call for her. And when I had
left her safe in charge of ner aunt ]
saw by the old kitchen time piece that
it was ten o'clock.
"Polly will think I have slipped
back into the slough of despond,"
said to myself, with half smile; "but
I'll give her an agreeable surprise ~
Flowing down amid the snowdrift
through grove of pine trees that
ed led a ravine at the back of my house,
I sprang lightly on the door step; the
door was shut and locked. I went
around to the front. Here 1 effected
an entrance, but tue fire was dying Oh
the hearth, and little BERTHE, tucked
up in his Grill, called out:
0Pano Ia that you 9n