Iron County register., 1898-12-01

the mean and bitter ones are saved for
feebler victims.
Some days later the new girl hap
pened TO reach the packing-house few
minutes earlier than the general arriv-
al The doors were all open and the
place was freshly swept, but no one was
in sight as she reached the doorway.
Then she heard quick steps. and tie
grader-man stood before her.
He was ready for his opportunity, for
signs had been in his favor in the days
just past
Your clock fast?' he said, sweeping
and finding that the nearest comers
were some minutes distant.
Il don't know didn't look at it. /
just came when I felt ready Maybe
twas the splendid morning that hurried
me-
1T is splendid morning, isn't it %
said he; and there was something in
Lis smile that seemed somehow less
careless than usual. Il feel little in a
hurry myself" he went on, noting the
freshness of the morning light on her
inquiring face, and astonished little
at his own audacity. How much can
say before those girls get here?"
Il don't know" laughed the girl. but
her cheeks flushed a little; Il have
never heard you try
Il can say this, anyway want you
TO say you like me and that l can walk
home with you sometimes, and that
you'll go to church with me next Sun
day"
She looked none the worse TO him as
consciousness took unwonted posses
sion of her face, and he saw that she
wanted 10 look away, but would not,
Not far was she tipped off her poise.
She answered proudly, still laughingly,
and a stray lock, escaped from her
hat, danced at him on the edge of her
forehead, as light breeze whisked by.
You can say a good deal in a minute; !;
but think you are too much in hurry.
If you should walk home with me this
evening, you would have more time.
Isn't it a splendid morning." she shout
ed 10 four girls who were coming up he
walk and who wondered at her exhilara-
ton as she whirled toward them. The
grader-man climbed to his perch and
watched few angels among the rafters
as he waited in-sublime patience for the
materials of his industry.
4 week Or two after this the Missouri
girl came late and without her lunch
pail. Jim saw that her face was sad
and weary. He had never seen it so, and
+ it sank deep into his heart. She glanced
at him. but walked right past and spoke
to the manager, who looked regretfuI,
but consenfing, and they went to the
pay-desk together. Then she walked TO
the door. There she hesitated a mo-
ment.
Get on here" said Jim quickly, to
one o. the bumpers, climbing down
from his seat and not stopping to see
his orders obeyed. They walked slowly
toward the street. and the curious ewes
that followed them were sober-some
CT them sympathetic.
Her sister, for whose recovery she
had come to California, and for whom
she had been determinedIy hopeful,
had just been pronounced to be il a
sinking condition, and desired TO &c
back to her mother. Beneath this grief
the brave girl was also hiding a fore
taste of the loss of this new friendship,
and it had suddenly become known to
her how deeply her life and hope were
involved.
The interview was short. but it left
a notable effect in the girls bearing. as
she moved rapidly away. and Jim came
in with a look in his face that might
have been borrowed from an old Italian
painting.
AT noon he stopped the manager
Gould you put some one in my place?
George Barnes would do all right. !
want to go to Missouri in the morning"
''Al right, Jim," said the manager.
The packng-house ratified on merri-
~ through the season. It's output was
various and sundry. Jim. on his Jour
ney, was attended by four words that
hummed forever through his head with
a reminiscent accompaniment of the
rolling noise of the grader.
Through joy and sorrow" they said
and il seemed strange to him that the
sorrow, quite as much as the joy, was
serving the new glory Of his days.-Sar
Francisco Argonaut.