The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-09-28

Hrmsl, and the ad iiliopal information
givcn that the care were TO run by her
house, Miss Selma wal indignant and
little alarmed. She wondered il it
would be sGic.
Bat when tho company wrote and
wantel 10 know If they might bny
strip Of her land along the river, about
two aces in all, on which to lay their
tracks thereby avoiding the building
of two bridges and halt mile or more
Of unnecessary track, she was decided
ly and uumistakably angry.
Sell her land for an electric line,
forsooth! She wouldn't have the hor-
rid things within sight or eound OF
her Il Che could help it. What if it
wasn't anything but saady pasture
land. growing up to huckleberry nnd
bayberry bushes. They shouldn't
have it. 1t was nothing to her if they
had TO build dozen bridges and go
twenty miles out Of their way.
She thought OF all the scathing re-
plies she might make to them, repudi-
Gting their proposal. Then happy
thought struck her. Sue got her pen
Huu WTOte Ou tuo OObtOh VI Iuc COIL
pany's letter;
''Yoa may have the land for 500 an
acre. Yours truly. Selma Emmous.
She smiled when she had done this.
How they would feel when they got
that answer! Five hundred dollars an
acre! Why, she wanted to sell the
whole ten acres for 500, aud that had
been Thought too much. For day or
two she smiled whenever she thought
of her answer. and she wished sho
could have seen the faces OF the COM
rany when they opened it.
Then camo the shock OF discovering
that her offcr had been accepted. The
company had her statement is black
and white, with her name signed to
1t, so there was no possible escape for
her.
This was in the fall, and work on
tho electric road would not begin till
spring. Miss Selma felt thankful that
the evil day was so far off. Perhaps
there was chance yet that tho road
would not go through. Nevertheless
she worried and fretted over it oil
winter, and it was the worry, the doc
tor said, that brought on the spell of
sickness in March. She was not seri-
ously i'll, ard by the first OF April,
When work on the road began. she was
around doing her work rs usual.
I'm not going to have folks say |
got sick on account OF that company"
she said. Anyway, it won't do any
good to worry. Let 'em come, but il
they expect me to patronize them,
they are mistaken, that's oil.
wouldn't ride on one OF those cars,
not IL Queen Victoria or the Presiden,
OF the United States told me to. II
other folks want to risk their lives
they can"
The thought OF tho $1,000 was O
great comfort. II seemed like n for.
tune to Der, aud she planned what she
would do with tho interest money
She would have new carpet for th.
parlor the very first thing and hav,
the room papered and painted.
by the middle OF April the work mer
came in sight OF her house, aud for
day or two Miss Selma watched then
with hostile eye. Then, in spite O
herself, she began to be interested il
the work, and rs it came nearer sh,
spent more aud more OF her time o
the windows. When the men wanted
to eas their dinners out under he
chestnut tree aud get water from tn
pump in the yard she gave q willin;
consent. "rhey ere not to blame fo
what the company does" shs said.
One vi the men carried in pail @
water for her one day and got to talk
ing with her. He found out that sh
wanted her little garden spaded up
and the next day the men shortene
their Incoming aud did the work in
little while. The day after that Mis-
Selma CARRIED out to them q hug
dishpau full OF doughnuts, whic
melted away like snow before the sun
When the rails were oil laid by tn
ho1se aud the work was no Iopger. i
sight Miss Selma felt very lonesome
Still! she could see the men go by 8
night and morning, and tho youu
man who had carried the water fo
her always smiled and waved hi
hand.
The first OF June the cars were rur
Mug, and Miss Selma saw them g
by crowded. 1t was amazing. q
didn't know there were so mauy reel
less folks i'll tho world" she scit
She had to admit that there was
certain companionship in seeing a
these people.
On warm days the motormen au
conductors would stop nenrly eve,
trip and get drink OF water at h
pump, aud she took pride in the COG
ness Of the water and in having Il
tumbler out there clean and brigh
After time these men, seeing her q
ways at the window, would speak
her, wish her good morning OF cor
nent on the weather. Tn ere was OF
young motorman who was her especi
javorite, aud he was the FIRST one
discover her aversion to risking h
life on the cars.
"Any time You want to try it,"
told her, lust come along on n
car, aud I'll be extra careful OF you
Miss Selma laughed and told hi
that she would 60 on his car VIII
che went, but that she didn't thil
either one OF them would live lo
enough to see the day.
In August he told her one ia
You'd better 60 with me to.,norro
lt's my last day on this line. l.
been transferred"
''Im very sorry, Mr.. Baily," s.
Selma.
80 an l." he answered.
On his last trip in the afternoon
said: BE ready Mt sharp" til
laughed and swung onto his car a
rlattered away. Miss Selma watch
it across the pasture. Then she to
v long breath, Strengthened up q
said: "I'll do it,"
She looked abou. hsr. 'Its
Eood tius as any, I've got