Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-21

thought over the proposal she had received
in the school garden, she was Slightly
shocked to think that a workman should as
pire to the hand OF his masters daughter.
She had conversed with Marsten, and dis
cussed the problems that had interested them
both, yet never for a moment had the
thought Of equality between them entered her
mind. He was merely a workman, and, when
that was said a gulf yawned. But love levels
all ranks, as a distinguished man has sung,
and, as the young woman meditated on the
subject in all its bearings, the social barriers
seemed to become less and less tangible.
She remembered that no thought OF social
inequality had ever occurred to her while in
his presence. She got no further In the un-
Outstanding OF her own feelings than the
conclusion that she liked him very much
indeed, and had n strong admiration for his
manliness and his determination to succeed,
When the strike came on and she knew
that her father and lover were opponents,
her state of mind was one OF great perplex-
ity. 1t was hard that one or the other must
be defeated, and she sighed when she thought
of the "reminiscences of fate in bringing into
savage opposition the two men who were now
dearer to her than all the world beside.
AS the contest went on and she saw her
father bending under the storm, ageing per-
ceptibly day by day, becoming more and
more silent, her strong affection for him
grew stronger; she yearned toward him,
W lclllH6 SIt Spulu lAllO hliAl w "
she was helpless. Sometimes a fierce resent
ment against Marsten would spring suddenly
up in her heart. He had all the world to
fight against, yet he must choose as his
antagonist, out OF the many millions, her
father. 1t disconnected her to perceive that
this resentment never lasted long; that she
found herself sympathizing, too, with the
younger of the combatants and making ex-
cuses for him. A partisan has an easy time
OF it in this world compared with one who
sees that all the good or all the bad rarely
rests with one side solely, but is interviewer
like the cotton and the wool in a piece of
cloth. Sartwell and Marsten each believed
he was fighting for the right; but Edna saw
wrong on both sides and right on both sides,
~although-once the fight was started-she
had not the courage to say this to her
father.
But. as war goes on. the original right or
wrong almost invariably sinks out of sight,
and we choose our side from other consid-
e~rations than those which appeal in times of
peace to thinking beings. He who holds
aloof is branded as a traitor; and yet man,
with his marvellous capacity for self-esteem,
fatters himself that he is a resoning
animal.
Sartwell generally came home late, some
times returning by the last train. 1t had
come to be recognized that 1t was Ednas
privilege to sit up for him, and. although
he family protested once or twice when he
found her there after midnight, 1t was quite
evident that her presence was a comfort 10
him. She had a soothing. restful way with
her, moving silently about the room, an
ticipating a tired mans needs without I'M
necessary fuss, and with no irritating ques-
tions to ask; yet she was a sympathetic ana
receptive listener If there was anything to
be told. In the wake of some women mani
mate nature seems to clash; doors bang
plates fall, cups and saucers %clatter, and
chairs upset, jangling nerves sensitive to
sound, but Edna could deity set out a
supper without so much as a chink OF china
She knew the value of trivialities-the set.
ting of the armchair at just the right angle
so that the light fell over the shoulder as
it should, the placing OF the slippers where
the stockinged feet fell into them without
effort; and, when her father was too much
fatigued to care for the formality OF sitting
up to the festive board late at night, a
small Gypsy table, covered with spotless
linen and some dainty that might tempt
the appetite Of a Lucullus, would appear at
his right elbow as if they had come noise
lessly up through the floor. All this came
under the general head of "pampering' in
Mrs. Sartwell's vocabulary, and the good
woman, fiding that her example was OF no
effect in putting a stop to it, retired early
to rest, so that she might not countenance
such proceedings by her presence. There
was a time to eat and a time to drink, and
IL a man presumed to be hungry at MD
night, 1t was a sin that should be punished
by dyspepsia in this world and goodness
knows what in the next.
In spite of the compact between them, Sart-
well told his daughter little about the prog
ress of the strike; and she, seeing him in
disposed to speak, forebore to question him,
feeling that no suggestion she might have TO
offer could be of any value to him, content
ing herself with protecting him from an
noyance at home, and cheering him as much
n G pCccihla whenever Eha had him to her.
self.
But it wrung her heart to see him failing
perceptibly day after day, his step, which
she eagerly listened for, losing more and
moro its self-reliant tread.
One night she sat in his armchair waiting
for him, thinking deeply. She looked sud
denly up with a start, and saw her father
standing beside the table gazing down at
her. His face was white, gaunt and bag
gard, and the gloom of his countenance was
deepened rather than relieved by the SOM
Der smile that parted his lips as he regarded
her. He seemed like a man on the verge
OF a serious illness, and so startled was the
girl that fer a moment she looked at him
with wide-open eyes, fearing that an appar-
ition stood before her.
Father she cried at last, springlng to
her feet, what has happened?"
Nothing, my girl, except that you have
been asleep in the chair when you should
have been In bed long ago."
Il don't think l have been asleep, yet ]
didn't hear you open the door. But you are
ill.,"
I'm right enough. A little tired, that's
all. No, won't have anything to cat, thank
you. It's after closing hours, / know; but
I'm a traveller, and I'll have something to
drink, If you don't mind"
He tried to laugh a little over this at
pleasantly, but his laugh sounded
dismal and 1t frightened the girl still more,
instead OF reassuring her, as was his inten-
ton. The neck Of the decanter clattered
the glass like chattering teeth, which
to annoy Sartwell, for he muttered
something, and shot a glance at his daugh-
ter to see If she had noticed his unusual
nervousness. Then he grasped the vessel
more firmly, pouring the liquor with a
steadier hand, but the effort made him
tighten his lips. He drank off the liquid
and set down the empty glass. Edna stood
him; he locke up at her with a
smile on his lips.
well, my girl" he said, the games up"
HAS the strike ended, father?" she asked,
her voice quivering.
Actually, no; practically, yes. The firm
will give in tomorrow, and l shall resign.
Sorry?"
II am sorry If you are, father said Edna,
beside him II an not sorry that
the tension has ended, for i think anything
is better than the anxiety you have been un-
for the past few weeks. And you
Iook positively i'll tonight"
Yes. A man hates to be beaten. Well,
I'm fairly knocked out. and II there is any