The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-23
PETERS CREEK :
ELECTRIC ROAD


lived only Is miles apart, yet they hat
not seen each other for three years.
Neither Of them found it easy to tax,
the horses away from their work for tw,
days, and, even II such thing could b,
accomplished now and then, it was i'm
possible for either woman to achieve tn,
journey without some sort of man body
as conductor Of the expedition.
| 1t must not be supposed that the part
of New York state in which this occurred
was unenriched by railroad activity
Dear, no! BY riding 33 miles, thus de.
scribing an acute triangle, and waiting
i've hours at the junction, it was posi-.
bic for Jane to 60 to Susan and for Su-
san to go to Jane.
Its preposterous" said Jane.
"OutrageousW said Susan.
So they did not visit.
There's rnmors afioat of one Of them
electric roads to be built straight long
Peters creek" John Lathrop told Susan,
his wife. '"Thatll take you straight to
James, and no changin Of cars or moth
In"
flaws" cried Susan. GLOW soon'I
1t be builded?"
Bout three years." said Lathrop and
laughed. But Susan was serious.
How many hours'll it take to git from
here to there on lectric carr"
Hours! Minutes, you mean, woman!
Less'n 80 minutes'll do the biz"
What! Me git to Jane in so minutes!"
1t seemed incredible. Then resolution
was born in the economical soul Of Susan
Lathrop. an wait till that there road is
DONE" she declared. eth be savin."
Jane heard of this resolve and COM
mended it.
las Susan says" she remarked to her
husband. it'll be real economy to put off
visitin till that there road is DONE"
"Yes," acquiesced Hank French,
"when we git the 'lectric it'll be quicker
to 90 anywhere than to stay at home"
"Eh? ?" said Jane, looking perplexed.
"Yep" growled Hank. And, vexed at
his wfe's lack of appreciation Of his hui
NOR, he relapsed into silence.
But three years is long time going by.
The sisters stood it with what fortitude
they could. But thousand things had
happened of which they desired to speak.
People had died-people they both knew
and Jane and Susan had had no opportu-
nifty to discuss deathbed speeches, likeli-
hood of frances, details of funerals or the
situation of the bereaved families. Beula
Jones had used Shaker flannel instead Of
all flannel pinning blankets for her baby,
and Susan had had no chance to tell
Jane Lila Gibbs had been married in
green poplin-the idea-and Jane had
lacked an opportunity to tell Susan. Pete
Hines was converted and was almost ex-
ploding with his pent up oaths; 81 Lewis
had taken to drink since he married his
second wife. Was it not pitiful that
these events had remained undiscussed?
Moreover, there were domestic matters
of still greater importance-but these it
would be breach Of confidence to men-
ton.
The twins got so that the first news
they read in The Weekly Herald was
that which related to the construction of
the electric road. When the teams were
put at work upon the roadbed, Susan and
Jane were as happy as birds. When the
first rails were laid, they exulted like
successful politicians the morning after
election. Each was busy upon frock
which she intended to wear to the house
of the other; each was full of childish an
ticipation at the thought of giving a sur
prise to the other.
The time Of waiting passed. A morn
ing of rain dawned, and at each end Of
the road bright yellow car stood wait
ing to make its initial journey. Jane, in
her new frock, was in one care, bound for
Susan's, her arms filled with bundles con- |
tanning gifts, her heart futtering like
that Of a happy girl. Susan in her fresh
gown, was in the other car, destined for
James, her lap heaped with presents, her
heart dancing like an accepted lovers.
The cars started by the watch, spit |
blue fire from the furious wheels and |
green fire from the frantic trolleys and |
made the run in So and 50 minutes re-
spectively, passing each other on the
way.
The summer rain turned into down
pour, and all in the deluge Jane climbed
the hill to Susan's house, and Susan plod-
ded along the common to James.
"Never mind, Jane" said John La
throp to his sister-in-aw. "You just make
yourself to home. Susan'll be back in no
time. Don't you move out O. this here
house till Sue gifts home. She's bin fret
tin and stewin fur you till up and said
to her guess she made mistake in liv-
in with me. 1t was you she ought to
have had"
So Jane staid and looked after Susan's
children and cooked for Susan's husband
and watched every car for the appear
ance of her sister.
As for Susan, she broke down for
when she found that her journey
had been in vain.