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

water, but with a look in her eyes
which told you she saw far different
things than the shimmering play OF
light and shade upon the surface OF
the stream, whose busy hands, lit
tie farther down, kept the factory
wheels turning as steadily and re-
lentlessly as the wheels of fate. She
saw, as one saw in q dream, the
minnows darting about in that rest
less fashion OF theirs, and they made
her think OF the shuttles, flying
through and through the work 10
the weaving rooms at the factory,
whose jar and rumble came like q
discord to her, even now. She
wondered, in listless fashion, II
any one could shut out those sounds,
after having worked among them.
She believed not. They became
part of their lives henceforth. How
she wished she could forget the fac.
tory and everything connected with
it for awhile. She could rest then,
perhaps. But she had watched the
shuttles moving to and fro so long
that they kept flying through the
air before her when she shut her
eyes at night; and she had listened
80 long to the crash and thunder OF
the restless wheels that she heard
them everywhere. The sound OF
them was caught fast in her ears,
and would stay there forever.
AS she stood there, thinking in a
spiritless kind Of way OF what q
pleasant thing life must be where
there is no such monotony of drudg.
ing 10 it, as had wrapped hers in
from childhood, like wall she could
not pass, and over which no pleasant
thing from the outside world could
ever come to her, a step upon the
creaking planks aroused her.
She turned slowly, as a person
twice her age might have done, with
a little color pickering on her sallow
cheek, a little light making her dis
couraged eyes brighten for q mo.
ment.
"Good morning. Dick" she said,
putting out her hand.
Dicks face was aglow at sight OF
her. To him she was the one wo-
man in the world.
"Good morning, Sybil,' he said,
cheerily. "You're taking breath
OF fresh air, are your Wouldn't it
be glorious to live out of doors all
the time these scorching days? It'll
be like furnace in the factory to.
day, I'm thinking
81 wonder if a person never gets
out, who once gets into the mills2"
she asked. II think not. It's for
life or death, I don't know which.
l wouldn't care much, If it wasn't
for Lois"
Il don't like to hear you talk in
that way" Dick said, in his grave,
slow way.
"There's no need of your killing
yourself at the loom, as you're do.
ing. tie only for you to say yes,
Sybil. and you're done with it for.
ever. You know there's nothing I
would be gladder to hear"
She turned away from him almost
angrily. The thought Of what might
be, but which she made herself be-
lieve ought not to be, stung her
sharply, and found expression in her
face and words.
"Dont!' che said, with a little
gesture Of impotence. "What's the
use Of bringing that all up againin
"But if you only knew how I'd set
my heart on 1t, Sybil,n Dick said.
gravely. eff you only knew how
I'd hoped and planned"
81 do know" she said, q little more
teaderly, but with much bitterness
10 her voice yet. II understand it
all, Dick, but-there's Lois. II
wouldn't be right for me to marry
you, and put such a burden on you
as that. You'd find your hands full
with me, like enough-and then to
think OF her-helpless as q baby
That's too much. II wouldn't be
right for me to say yes, Dick, taking
everything into consideration. I've
thought it all over hundred times
since-since you told me, and I al
ways make up my mind to that
"Didn't 1 know all about Lois
when ] asked you to marry mei"
asked Dick. off hadn't hoer Nil.
ling to work for both OF you, dye
'spose I'd asked you any such ques.
tionS You know better, Sybil. /
understand the case completely, and
amt afraid to run the risk. Ny
shoulders are broad enough to bear
half-a.dozen such loads as you and
Lois would be. Lois wouldn't be
much more TO take care OF than that
anarraU fhoro xuhnr 49,, 1900 Il,