The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-08-04

/ cilaifed John rarely about Ii,
first time | saw it, and he blushed
he did indeed, sir! Though his
face was grimy on the top and
copper color under that, I'll swear
he blashed. But he looked pleased
an proud, for, by that time, we'd
grown such thick friends that I'm
sure he didn't mind me KNOWN.
Then, bit by bit, it all came
out. John and her father, who
used to be pointman at Chubb
junction, half q mile farther up
the line than the cottage, had been
lads together. John had gone up
for 8 camp every Sunday for
many year. He'd known Mary
Mathers since she was born, an
when she was a little lass he'd
nursed her on his knee, end told
her he'd wait for her. [ dare say
|
he meant it in fun at the time,
but, as she grew up, he knew he
liked to be where she was better
than anywhere else in the world.
That's how he put it, sir. Then
Tom Mathers, her father, fell i'll,
an | learnt afterward, an I guessed
even then, that John Wright made
his wages keep four instead of one.
Mary's father never worked again.
He was on his back for eighteen
months, an then he died.
"An then, you may be sure,
John was father to the father
less, an a husband to the widow
as far as lookin after 'em at any
rate-only he wanted to be hus-
band to the daughter, Mary. Of
course, | learnt this bit by bit, an
L can't help film in things as come
to my ears after, for John was
never the man to blow his own
trumpet. Ha, ha! He was well
content WI the steam whistle-es-
pecially when passing Railway
Cottage. Poor John !
"Well, to cut a long story, Mary
seemed to make no objection. Why
should she? She'd never met any
body she liked bettes, and a finel
fellow than John Wright never
} walked, He got her to promise te
light the lamp in the room wi the
red blind on dark nights as he
passed on his engine, and to give
him a wave Of her hand on light
nights, for he said it was somethir
to be goin On with like. He'd s
touch O. sentiment in him, had
John, aye, he had that.
7 cone Saturday night he says
Harry, you'd better walk DER wi
me tomorrow.
+ 4" Walk DER wi you,' I says
! 'Where!: I'D like you to know
! my Mary. And then you can tell
| me what you think o my sweet
, heart And as he said it tha
sweet, far off look came in his face
and I knew he loved that lass q
: few lasses are loved.
, We'll, I went, an | wished at tn
time I'd staid away. 1t was low
, at first sight wi NE, and | felt
! should never, never be the sam
e again. God forgi' me, but afte
that Sunday feltat times I hatet
/ John Wright. When she stood a
: the stile, at the crossing midwa,
between the cottage an the sigma
Il TboX-as she did every evenin from
l the very day ! went WI John-al
: waved her hand to him, bashful
I like, an he threw her q clums
7 kiss, l felt I could ha' knocke
q him off the engine.
!, II fought again it-an, yo
t must understand, [ didn't feel tha
way all the time, for we were goo
l friends, and no one would hav
seen a difference. But when b
It talked Of her in his quiet way-o
k bein wed an sich like-it was lik
: knives in me.
|, "Then he pressed me to go agai
IS and spend Sunday at the cottage
. [ put him off, but he wouldn
,, take no for an answer. Sc
q whether for fear of hurtin his fee
/, ms OF because / couldn't kee
y away, | can't say, but I yielde
1T and went. After that | went scve1
U al times, an each time l got deept
p an deeper in love with John
|. sweetheart, aye, and what SCENE
Is worse, | couldn't help KNOWN th;
le Mary was troubled the same way
!, But ! will say this. l never trie
y to make Mary love me, and nevc
word Of love passed between II
. but sometimes ! thought I sa
u trouble in Johns eyes, and the
e, I'd vow to myself to go no more
n often enough I'd been on Il
0 front o til engine, or on tn tel
X der, when we passed the style tn,
summer and DO as | would,
I'll ,,,II,,t+ l,uID Inf -lp6,l- Il, o. 4 n