The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-03-25

don't matter very much whether
1.-Two in one place or another, nova
days"
1t was long, tedious journey-es-
pecially SO to Mrs. Brickett, who was
not an accomplished traveller.
The evening OF the second day
closed IN wet and windy, as they came
steaming steadily along on the edge of
an almost interminable prairie
They had stopped for supper at ON
Insignificant little town where they
changed conductors, and, as Mrs.
Brickett leaned back in her corner,
with veil over her face and a cam
phor-bottle at her nose, she could see
the stalwart figure of the new con-
ductor gathering up tho tickets right
and left.
| 'Just such man MS Brickett used
to be" thought the poor, solitary
wife. "Dear, denrl don't see what
keeps putting Brckett into my head
the whole time!" and she cried,
| quietly, behind her veil 'Its beca use
the camphor is so strong" said she;
| but she knew better all the while.
The conductor had taken up all his
tickets at last. He came and sat down
beside a stout, genial-fnced man, IN
the seat directly in front of her.
$50 your going home, Wallis, said
he.
("My goodness me, it is Brickettl"
gasped the weary traveller, at the
familiar accents of the yoice.)
"Yes," the genial-faced man made
prompt reply. "1'm off duty until
Monday morning; and l haven't seen
my wife in month-nor my home.
''1t's great deal to have a home to
90 to-" said Conductor Brickett,
little huskily, "and wife. I've got
neither"
"Your wife is dead?"
81 have lost-her," the conductor
replied, eyasively.
~ suppose you set deal OF store
by her?" said the stout man, SYM
pathizingly.
IL did," answered the conductor;
81 do now. But I've lost her. !"
He rose abruptly from his seat, and
went to the glazed door ut the end of
the cart was the last on the train
to look out at the wild landscape-the
eternal fiat sameness of tho prairies.
Presently, touch fell lightly on
his arm.
"Brickett," said soft, hesitating
voice, "you have lost me -
"Hester!" he cried out, with
start; sit is never you'll Here? and
alone?
"I've behaved like fool, Brickett,"
said the wife, trying her best to keep
down the hysterical lump in her throat.
"And / won't say that you was alto
gether right"
81 was brute. Hester!' he inter-
rupted.
"But, oh, Brickett! haven't known
a happy moment since l went away
and left the old farm in the Unadilla
Valley" pleaded the wife.
"Nor I!' he uttered, hoarsely.
"Hester- wife-shall we go back?"
"And how about Grandfather
Gums armchair?" she said, half
laughing, half crying
"Well split it up for kindling-
wood" said Brickett.
"No, we won't, said Mrs. Brickett.
"We'll varnish it up and recushion it,
and set it by the sitting-room fire
just where you wanted It'll"
Mr.. and Mrs. Brickett went on to
the end of the journey, and then Mr..
Brickett resigned his conductors cap
aud badge.
"Isn't this rather q sudden notion
of yours, Brickett?" said the superin-
tendent of the road
"Well, yes, rather" said Brickett
"But I've made up my mind to go
back to farming"
So Mr.. and Mrs. Brickett returned
once more to the old homestead.
Levi Cartwright, the incumbent,
was only too glad to leave the farm.
He was tired of the monotonous life.
"But there's one thing I'd ought to
tell you, said he. "The keepin'-room
ceilin' fell down one day last week
folks don't put up plaster now as they