Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-07-16

a HoASf ~ oii3 suiun "a euoes
Don't you know how that would put
energy into me. II I knew that you
we're waiting for me, after day 8
work was done, why, the hardest
Job would seem like play, do be-
lieve. The thought of the kiss you'd
give me. when I got home, would
help me more than the promise of a
better place or extra wages"
Clang! Clangl Clang!
The sound of the factory bell
seemed to be always tangled in her
life. It was always breaking in up
on her dreaming, rousing her to the
reality of what was before her.
There's the bell, Dick" she said,
with a long sigh, turning her face
factoryward. "No, Dick, 1 don't
think I'd better say yes. It wouldn't
be right"
II don't want you to decide with
out taking plenty Of time to think it
all over,' Dick said, with sound
of disappointment in his voice, as he
walked by her side through the
struggling street leading toward the
factory. "You haven't any right to
let the thought of Lois keep you
from saying yes, if you love me,
Sybil. That's what you ought to
think Of in making up your mind
that and nothing else. II you love
me-and | believe you do, Sybil-
I've seen it in your eyes more than
once-you haven't any right to say
no. Anyway, it looks that way to
me.n
nClangl Clangl went the bell again,
sending its brazen thunder across
the sky, which seemed to shut down
so low about the factory as to give
Sybil sense of suffocation.
81 don't believe | love anybody
she cried, almost fiercely. If it
wasn't for Lois I'd like to be dead,
1 think"
Dick looked at her with kind of
dull wonder in his eyes.
@Poor girl" he said, presently. 81
think I understand, Sybil, if you
don't. This life is wearing you out.
It's killing you, and there's no rea-
SON why it should. All you have to
do, to get rid of it forever, is to say
The word, Sybil."
eyes, I know" she said, YEARLY.
"But-I don't think I shall ever say
It, Dick. I'm not going to have you,
or any one else, think that I married
you for the sake of getting rid of the
factory
TGey were at the factory door
now, and went in together. The
wheels were turning round in their
tireless way. The warp was waiting
for her at her loom. 1t made her
think of spiders web. Someho W
her life had got caught in it, and
she could not break its meshes. The
grim, old factory looked more like
great spider than ever before.
She hung up her hat, and turned
to her loom. She took up her shut
ties mechanically, and set them in
their grooves and started the ma
chinery. Clack! Clack! Clack! Ever
sound pierced her throbbing brain
like knife. She was faint already.
The great room was like furnace,
reeking with steam. 1t was such
long, long time till night, and the
summer had only just begun. 1t was
such a long, long time to the end OF
It.
But she could not stop to think.
She was nothing but a factory
"hand'-a part of the machinery of
the place-and she had no right to
think. 1t was her business to work.
She thought of Lois--poor crippled
patient Lois-and the new dress she
had planned to buy her, and fought
back the faintness which crept over
her now and then. She musnt allow
herself to get sick. Being only a
factory hand, with bread to earn for
two, she couldn't afford the luxury
of sickness.
By and by the bell rang out for
noon. She took her slice of dry
bread and bit of meat from her
pocket and sat down by the widow,
where she could look at the water,
to eat her apology for dinner.
"It's good enough" she thought,
bitterly, as she munched the dry
crust. II s'pose l ought to be thank
ful for it. It's good thing that
there is no butter on it. II there
was, / should be dissatisfied with
other things in life, as dry as this
bread lie, and want to spread them
over with something to make them
more palatable."
She laughed a little, low, hard
laugh, at her dreary moralizing. A
step at her side caused her to look
up. She saw Mr.. Leverson standing
there, regarding her intently. He
was her employer. Tue great fac
tory, and the men and women in it,
were his.
aYou look tired he said, in his
low, even voice. "You GU bit to
rest
"What is that?" Sybil asked the