Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-03-15

| NHUA5Se Sch'uotoiS, uuu, ub hiss
Brickett leaned back in her corner,
with veil over her fnce and u cam
phor at her nose, she could see
the stalwart figure of the new con-
ductor gathering up the tickets right
and left.
Just such man MS Brickett used
to be-" thought the poor solitary
wife. Dear, denr! don't see what
keeps putting Brickett into my head
the whole time!' and she cried,
quietly, behind her veil. "It's because
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 stout, genial-fnced man. in
the seat directly in front of her.
80 your going home, Wallis, said
he.
N'My goodness me, it is Brickett!"
gasped the weary traveller, at the
familiar accents of the voice.)
YES" the genial-fuced man made
prompt reply. "lm off duty until
Monday morning; and l haven't seen
my wife i'll month-nor my home"
"It's great deal to have home to
go to-" said Conductor Brickett, a
little huskily, land wife. I've got
neither"
"Your wife is dend?"
.I have lost-her," the conductor
replied, evasively.
81 suppose you set deal of store
by her?" said the stout man. sym
pathizingly.
81 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 lust on the train
to look out at the wild lundscape-the
eternal flat sameness of the prairies.
Presently, touch fell lightly on
his arm.
"Brickett," said soft, hesitating
voice, "you have lost me !"
"Hester!" he cried ont, with a
start; 'it is never you! Here? and
alone?
"pve behaved like fool, Brickett,"
snid the wife, trying her best to keep
down the hysterical lump in her throat.
"Aud 1 won't say that you was alto
gether right"
al WAS n brute. Hesteri" he inter-
rupted.
But, oh, Brickett haven't known
happy moment since l went away
and left tue old farm in the Unadilla
Valley!" pleaded the wife.
"Nor I!' he uttered. hoarsely.
"Hester-wife-shal we go bnck?"
"Aud how about Grandfather
Gums armchair?' she said, half
laughing, half crying.
"We'll split it up for kindling-
wood" said Brickett.
''No, we won't, said Mrs. Brickett.
"We'll varuish it up and recushion it,
and set it by the sitting-room fire
just wherA you wanted it'll"
Mr.. and Mrs. Brckett won't on to
the end of the journey, AMI then Mr..
Bricke resigned his conductors cap
and badge.
"lsu't this rather sudden notion
of yours, Brickett?" said the superin-
tendent of the road.
"Well, yes, ruther," 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,
wns 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" >aid he. "rhe keepin' room
ceillu' fell down one day last week
folks don't put up plaster now as they
did IN my 'teens-und smashed that
there old armchair OF your'n into
splinters. Good thing no one Glanced
to be settin' in 1t just then; but wa
was all out Mt the back of the house,
| hivin' swarm of bees. Real provi-
dental, wasn't it?"
And Mr. and Mrs. Brickett looked
at each other, and agreed that it was.
Saturday Night.
uiSinrr I,r SIun,., Dn...n..