Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-12-21

l had to be on the spot and see the horses
come out of the paddock. That was
what races did for me. | had to make
up 4 story about sickness to tell the firm,
SO as to get off for the day; [ had to bor-
row. only meant to borrow it-bOrrOw
some money for expenses from the petty
cash drawer; and | had to make up a
story to tell her to account for my start
ing out earlier than usual in the morning.
Look at that. Bill-did you see the light
blink? Somebody must have passed be-
tween it and the window
He must have got up and gone over to
her side of the room just to kiss her, Bill
suggested, as an explanation. Go on and
tell me how you came out the day you
fooled the BOSS"
Corker seem to have some difficulty with
his throat, but got over the obstruction
in a minute or two.
Il didn't fool the boss" he said. 'He
fooled me-he was watching me all the
time, though | didn't knOW-tOOk a fam
cy to check up the petty cash that day,
though it was the beginning of the week.
Then when he found me out there, he
sent a messenger to BriXton to ask my
wife how l was getting on, and II she
thought [ would be we'll in the morning.
Of course, that settled me there. Poor
Maggie! | wonder what she's doing
now. Of course. she wasn't quick enough
to see the game l was playing IN time to
carry out the scheme. 1t was my fault,
| suppose; | ought to have let her IN on
it from the first"
"Of course you ought" said Bill. ANY
fool could tell you that. How about the
races!
"Same as usual-one good thing about
this place to me is, you never see Il horse
race here-that sure tip | had went all
to pieces. By the end of the day all [
had left was my ticket back to CharlnS
m
back to BriXton. | tell you. Bill that
night was q thing a man can't forget Ill
a long lifetime. The worst of it was,
she never found the least fault with me,
only begged pardon for telling the mes
senger l wasn't sick in bed did all the
scolding-eh?'
Bill had allowed an ejaculation to es--
cape him. When he saw that Corker had
noticed it he FASTENED to say, Nothing,
partner-go Oh with the story. [ asked
you for it. and l won't go back on you"
Il never would have begun the story
| light over there, even if you did ask for it
wait till you hear what | did was
| afraid the firm would send policeman
| to arrest me. After abusing her until
| late in the highland she cried herself TO
| sleep with the young one in her arms-l
dressed and ran away from her. l TOOK
| her watch and a ring-thats right, cali
me the blacklist name you can think Of
in the morning 1 pawned the things.
| Then [ sold some of the clothes [ had on
and and got slop things. Then | hung
| about the docks-now I'm here and the
| light is over there-no, it's gone OUT
''They must have gone to bed" said
Bill. did you-have you ever heard
from her again?'
" !, that was only last Christmas, .
Our Christmas tree-for the young
| one-was."
I'm glad you told me, Corker. Amt
| you?"
eyes, [ think 1 am-makes me feel bet
ter, somehow-but what's the use? She's
rid of me- Isn't it odd how a man can
look back at himself in the past as if he
was another MANI
Eyes. But she isn't better off without
you: at least she doesn't think So
How do you knoW?'
That's the way women are, COrker |
want you to go back to her. We must
| talk about it again
Bill said Corker, ''my name isn't
Corker at ALL"
'Of course it isn't You'd be a great
fool if it greater than you are al
ready-let's turn in.
Now, this somber Christmas entertain
ment took place in that lone watchman's
dugOut hut more than one Christmas ago
1t led TO further conversations, in which
Dill set nlmSelf TO prove to the English
man that there were ways by which he
could earn a better living than he earned
by watching the new branch of that rail
road and occasionally carrying survey
or's chain.
Then, when he (Corker) had managed to
lind small clerical position in city not
quite so far West as the dugout hut, he
began writing letters and inserting adj
vertisements in the papers And so it
ended in Maggie's learning of his where
aboutS
1t turned out that she had managed to
earn living for ''the young one'' and her.
self, and a child which she had befriended
Not only that. but her husband sent her
the pawn tickets for watch and d ring
witch he had carried with him for so
long. and she redeemed her jewelry with
money she herself had earned.
Then there was an interval of waiting
but at last she and ''the young one
crossed the ocean. And that woman was
actually historical with delight at seeing
her husband again
This Christmas they are spending, as
respectable citizens by the name of Cork
er, IN brand-neW town, in which the
house that showed the lights is one of the
oldest buildings. | suppose they will have
Christmas tree for ''the young one.'
Bill shakes his head when he looks at
Mrs. Corker and says it is a wonder to
him how women can be such fools as they
are.