The Dickinson press., 1896-07-18
WAITING FOR A Bang.

We had been staying IN wales IOr
ever so long-wceks and wecks-an
awful tine it seemed to me, drifting
a;mlessly about. Maud and her hus-
band-Alaud is my sister, hy the way,
and newly-marris sd-professing to he
almost as much "gonc on' the scene
ry as they really were OH eacE other.
So You can easily guess what that
meant for poor me until George joined
us.
The chief, nay, the only difficulty,
was George. He did not quite catch
on" He was very agreeable and very
nice, but apparently quite satisfied to
enjoy himself with lis, and then go
back to work. as lie playfully phrnscd
it, "a giant refreshed" and could not
be got to see that there was anything
more serious in life than aimlesslJ
frivoling about.
We had done SEowden, ard really
what with the electric light and the
crowd. and all that, lie was not half
bad. Quite cheerful, you know. and
civilized. Indeed, never should have
gone without
After that, thihk--yes, it was
George suggested our going to Bethes-
da. Not that any of us were ut all ill.,
terested in states or quarries, only 1t
was somewhere 70 go and an excuse
for II drive.
George ordered the carriage and
made all the arrangements. He had
been there before, so knew all about
the "show," as he said, and We left
everything to him.
Altogether it was so stupid and so
dull that. but for what Maud called
the "off chance" of George. l never
could have stood it as long as ] did;
though even that began to look des-
pelate. Even Maud began to lose
heart.
'.And vet, I don't know how it is.
You are looking your BEST" and she
eyed me critically, land he seems
quite fond of you in his way"
But there was the hitch. His way
was not ours. Apparently he was no
fonder Of Inc than OF any other girl, Or
Of Maud herself.
We saw the men lay down their
tools, and, as Though they had been so
many rabbits. disappear into their
holes, and after few minutes Of sus.
pense, there were several loud cXplo-
| si0ns. and we were told that the dy-
Mantle lad done it's level best. or its
best, to level the place, end we We're
warned most solemnly that orce we
We're inside the Morks-we had only
been on the outer edge then-whenev-
or the whistle sounded we must get
int, <1,o mon pCck chn1tn,. onI not oono
out on any account until after we had
heard the bang"
1t was highly exciting at the first,
but by repetition even danger grew
monotonous and began to pail. and we
strolled OH, George and l. and left the
foreman to look after the others rs
best lie could.
"Maud and Fred seem very much at
tachcd. don't you think?' said George,
MS we looked back just before passing
round curve aid caught sight Of
them with their aims around each 9TH
er's waists. ostensibly listening to the
foreman's improving discourse, but,
really. as we knew from experience,
far. far aw,;y.
"They are. indeed" l answered. with
sigh, that might have meant any
thing from envy to despair. I realized
with blush, according to the inter-
prefer aud the Interpretation.
And we strolled on again to part of
the workings rather screened by that
pyramid left standing in the middle.
Il suppose it is not possible to get
lost ourselves:" 1 began, presently.
''Bless me, nO-yOu mean with this
JacE-in-tlle arrangemcnt--oh dear,
no. One has only to pop out, and you
san see all over the show, but stop in
and-but there's that infer-1 mean
that blessed thing again. I suppose
VIC had bettcr-''
"Oh, yes, we must really go In. All
the men are off already, and if they do
it, who are used to it and know, we
should be very foolish to risk-sec,
there's refuge here!" And we went
inside.
"Aftcr all, it's rather jolly in here
out of the sun. Beastly hot outside,
don't YOU think? Sightseeing and all
that it gets to be latller-rather-'
IA bore, you n can" I interposed.
doesn't that depend?'
"Oh, of course, and I don't think l
meant-you see, it's this way" And
he lit cigar. "Its the having to see
things that's the bore. Take you and
me. for instance. We could have been
Just as jolly and far more comfOrta-
BILE over there in the inn, or, in fact,
anywhere"
care you dreadfully uncomfortable
here" 1 asked, dismally.
"By no means. Quite otherwise, l
assure you-you don't mind my slnok-
ing. l kncw-but I've often thought
that bv far the best way to 20 sight
seeing WOul be to leave the sights
| alone"
"Rht does not much depend upon
one nc'S-er-companionY I asked, not
more doubtfully than felt "We-that
is, yo,'--"
Il see what you mean. Certainly,
we should he thrown back very much
OH each other but that's all right, you
know, with people who are properly
chdmny."
DO you mear-'
mo, not Maud and Fred. They are
almost toe much SO. They miss nearly
all that's going on, and so don't get the
best out of it; whereas. you and l un-
derstand each other, and can get along
splendidly without-without- Con-
fonn.lcdly long time the bang this
time, isn't it! Wonder If it ever misses
fire? How would you care 70. fat
ike tulS
l must have looked puzzled, for he
went on. hurriedly:
| mo, I don't mean the flat YOU
mean, so you need not look severe. I
mean one room. and all that sort of
thing" he finished, vaguely.
Why I began, nervously. II should
think it would be rather nice-but-'
"Cramped! he interposed, quickly.
"Ycs. knew you would say that"
| I said l supposed he was only chaff-
ing and did not mean anything.
'Oh, dear, no. It's only my way!
But it is curious-that whats 'er name
must certainly have missed fire."
"IOu know the man said we were
not on any account to stir until after
the explosion"
ooh, just as you like. I'm all right,
only I thought-Maud and Fred, you
know-but, no doubt they will be wait
ing, too, though suppose they would
say they We're only one, and it was we
who We're tile two.'
Don't he think I'm trying to keep
him here on purpose:' wondered.
W..