Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-06-25
HER PROPOSAL.
fCOpyright, 1905.

and six nights in the week he quits an
hour past midnight, locks mp his pipe and
lead pencils, washes his hands in very
disreputablc looking lavatory puts on his
hat and coat and goes home,
The seventh night he Stands the dog
watch"-that is. he remains at his post
till 4 O'Clock in the morning
If tho city, country and foreign CORE
spondents behave themselves, James has
little to do after 1 o'clock these long
nights and he's plenty of timo to do 1t in.
But sometimes an annoying reporter will
turn up big story ut 2 O'Clock in the
morning - some millionaire murdered
openly or married secrecy, some fire that
threatens total destruction of crowded
homes, some confession of q criminal on
whom the public eye is rivcted-and the
night editor orders II second edition.
Or, if the reporter behaves himself, the
country correspondent is likely to rush in
u story too important to slight, or the ca
bio may begin TO flash and bother with
empty ncwsabout some empty heads abroad
crowned or othcrwisc-and the result Is
the same.
Mr. James O'Donnol has to wake up
and read proof
This was the night of the long watch,
and the veteran sat there waiting patiently.
us he always did, hut with more time than
be could use to advantage. He watched
the clock and wondered If man could 500
the movement Of the minute hand.
OF course hc could. 1t tired the eyes n
! bit, but he could see ii creeping past tho
", pust the little black lines which
marked tho minutes, past the "
! Hcgho! Well, that wasn't bud way to
kill the hours. Only it didn't make much
difference he reflected, rs he came to tho
saloon at the corner and went in for tho
regular and single glass of bourbon with
which always ended the night. II didn't
make much difference whether man was
sitting there AZ his table in the proofroom,
comfortable and contcntcd, or lying asleep
like a log in his bed Mt the boarding house
{ lie must have paused long time over
his drink, FOR II was clock when he left
the saloon Vet he knew he had only drunk
once, or he would have remembered it,
Ills habits were too well established to
vary them unconsclously.
And, for that matter, he might as well
stand there in the saloon as sit in tho
proofroom or lie in his bedroom. There
wasn't mich in life anyway.
Here no had been reading proof six
years, buying y now suit of clothes every
six months and u now pair of shoes every
three months, going to the thcatcr every
Wednesday afternoon and living an UNI
varying lifo at Mrs. Tabor's boarding
house.
He was thoroughly adjusted, was adding
n little every week to the sum in bank
and having mighty dull time, 1t must be
confessed.
"Woll" he cxclaimcd, addressing 10 one
in paIticusr. This car must have been
stalled somewhere II Is G O'clock or that
jewelers. sign is liar. I am certainly
varying the inonotony OF my life
Mrs. Tabor was mcndng linen in the
sitting room rs he went through. Ho
didn't ,rcmcmber ever 10 have met her cx-
ccpt aetahlc.
"You arc up early" he said as he
paused and looked at her.
"Not earlier than usual" she said. at
is You who ave late
"Ycs, " he said and sat down a moment.
He wondered if her hands flew all day as
swiftly as they were flying now He Won
dcrcd too, how she kept so plump and
fresh and young. II she always worked as
stirringly. as this-still, to be sure she
worked In the daytime. 1t was labor by
Faalight that aged u person.
"Ycs, I'm late" he confessed. And
then he told her what he had been think
ing. When he had linishcd-and ho had n
weary impression that the tale was tire
somc-sho smiled up mt him, took up an
other garment that lad lost II button, and
said:
~ suppose we all have our little trou-
bles, Mr.. O Donncl. / was just thinking
when you camo in, rs have thought n
good many times before, how empty Of re-
suit is this long struggle of mine. Now,
when my husband died six years ago and
| opened this boarding house, of course
didn't expect to get rich. But / Fought
! would lay up n little money year by year
and some time he able to buy n little home
of my own, with n garden and a COW and
some chickens, and live easy tho rest of my
life.
"But was mistaken. OF course I don't
complain, but there is no money keeping
boardcrs. | have just enough gentlemen
here to bring me ont even ut the end of the
year. If there was one less, l would he
short on my rent just the amount of my
profit on that man"
Mr.. James O'Dopncl looked at her and
remarked to himself
"Wcll she doesn't get much out of it,
does shey"
"Somctimcs, resumed Mrs. Tabor,
ness, or there is piece of furniture have
to buy, and then it seems AZ If was going
to DO in debt. But every time there is u
fall in the price of groceries, or the wealth
CIR turns warm and the coal lasts longer, or
the gas inspector makes n mistake with
the meter, and the bill Is smaller, or some
thing happens and l come out even. But
that isn't much TO live for, You know. 4"
And she smiled again, so swcctly he really
was ashamed of his own discomfort. What
n model wife she must have been to that
man who had tho Ill judgment to diei
What n rare wife she would mako even
| now!
"Of course If were married it would be
different would rent smaller house,
for we wouldn't need so many rooms, and
whilo there would be no moro money in
that course the work would DO lighter,
and then it would seem as if there was
really something to work for-somcthing
so much more precious than money" And
the pretty woman smiled and blushcd as
her cyos met those of Mr. James O Donnel.
~ wish she would ask me, " he said to
himself II swear don't know how to
ask her."
"Of course am 30 years old, Mr..
O'Donnol," she went on gently, land
have nothing in tho world but myself to
offer You. But II you will marry mo 1
promise to make you true and loving
wife as long MS p
Come, O'Donnel," cried the night ed.
itor, shaking him by the shoulder. cts
4 o'clock Go home"
NIr Iomes O'Donncl r,,hhod his ovas