The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-21
| A Matter of Signs !
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to the house. They shone along every
fence, they adorned the well curb,
where she stopped for "a drink of water.
At the pig sty she paused and said in
response to friendly grunts You
would have better manners, wouldn't
you, piggy-wig?"
At supper her mother said: well,
10, what did you do about the sign
Nothing" Matilda echoed teasingy;
nothing. OF course not. JOS excite
ments usually end in smoke" then
added, However, there is nothing to
do but let the sign alone. 1t is not
in our way"
II think you do the young man in
Justice" her mother argued, mildly:
"he has always been very polite and
upon the last occasion, when l called
to ask for time in the payment of the
rent, he-he acted most obliging, so
that the interview was not so unpleas-
ant as l feared" But the quiver of
the sad lips spoiled the softening words
and JOS heart was harder than ever,
her resolve strengthened.
1t was dusk and the stars We're dim
points of light in a somber sky when
JOS tall, thin figure emerged from
rickety ladder She paused in the eff
fort to raise it. Somebody was sing
ing a popular air. The loud, but un
certain, tones came from the railroad
track. Going to the fence, she peered
over, and in the half-light saw a man
walking the ties, his step reeling and
slow. 10 recognized hired man from
the Taylor place, whom she had often
seen the worse of liquor.
Still singing, he came nearer. Then
he tried to walk the rails, chucklinS
foolishy as he balanced himself for
second, then fell. full length across
the track, and lay quite still. 10, who
had bent low cautiously, hoping he
would pass without seeing her. rose
now, with quick cry of alarm. Climb
ing to the topmost rail she watched
him intently while he made no sign,
but lay like log Without hesitation,
she ran to him. Just then she heard
distant rumble and the Shrek of
whistle. The train! With desperate
strength she shook the PROSTATE figure.
Get up! the train is coming! oh,
get up! Quickr But there was no
movement in response. wake up,
for heavens sake" Then down upon
her knees, with all her strength, she
tried to drag the limp, unconscious
man from the ties. She raised his
head and her hand was wet. The hor-
ribe dampness sickened her; the
croak of the frogs in the meadow near
was maddening; the sound of the train
grew more distant, and still the heavy,
clumsy body lay where it had fallen,
now held half upright in her arms.
She rose, staggering under the bur-
den, tripped over the ties, and stum-
bled over the steep bank. Down they
sank into a mass Of wild clover bloom
that enveloped them in its cloyins
fragrance.
A frightful shrek aod glare, deaf
ening rumble just over her head. then
all was silence. She was alone, with
the night and the stars; alone in worse
than solitude. She rested the limp
head in her lap; it felt wet and she
dared not look for fear of what she
might see, and seeing, faint at sight Of
Her voice. raised in cry for help, was
| caught by the smothering clover, and
sent back to her in mocking whispers.
Then came what seemed a distant echo.
Hello! Where are you?"
Here"
'Where?' impatiently.
Down here. Help!" And the bend
ing blooms were brushed aside, as a
tall, dark shadow obscured her patch
of sky.
"Why, Miss Josephine, what has hap
| pened? Are you-good helvans!' For
he saw she was not alone. Tenderly,
without wrod. he carried the still
lifeless figure to an open spot, then
returned and helped her to rise. "Tell
me all about it," he said gently, wiping
the blood from her dress with his
handkerchief.
Dazed and fearful 10 explained. II
saw him coming along the track. He
seemed to be-to be tipsy. and. WELL he
fell. Then / heard the train and
dragged him out of it's way. That's
| ALL" And she smiled. and blushed a
little in the darkness at the pressure
of her hand which accompanied his
words: Brave girl"
Then both bent over the man, who
slowly opened his eyes. He is not
dead" she breathed, gratefully and he
said mo, he will soon be all right.
He was unconscious from the blow;