The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-01-13
THE MILL HANDS DAUGHTER.

THE MILL HANDS DAUGHTER
He hadn' slept soundly. He rare
1y slept soundly now. 1t wasn't his
age, surely, he was only 81; and it
couldn't be his business affairs, for
all his investments were sound and
highly remunerative, and his large
income was rapidly increasing. No,
he must look for the cause elsewhere.
Perhaps it would be we'll to consult a
doctor.
He arose and, lighting the gas,
looked at his watch. 1t was half
past a.. He went to a window that
faced the east and raised the sash.
The air came in cool and fragrant.
Low down by the faraway ridge
streaks Of pale light were showing.
"I'1l see this SUNRISE" said Amos
Brandon. "I haven't seen one since
I was a boy" He hastily dressed
himself and bathed his face and
hands. "I'1l see it from the out
side," he added, and softly creeping
down the stairway found his hat and
opening the great door descended the
stone steps that led to the street.
As he faced the east and moved
slowly along the avenue he snuffed
the air and found it good. He even
took off his hat and let it cool his
head.
cit certainly seems to me that this
is better than tossing on that conf
fortress Mattress" he muttered.
"Wonder why I never thought of it
before?"
The pale streaks in the east grew
broader, pink flush. rose behind the
gadyS Bs BBs tsAf tAf ddsa ddsspsnsd edeap6 p6fss hs5S
light were flung upward, and then
came the sun.
Amos Brandon walked slowly on
ward, eagerly watching these magic
changes.
"Oh," he said, "that's fine. It's
worth the trouble. How many peo-
pie know anything about it? Precious
few. Look at the present audience.
One restless, lonely old man and a
night watchman or two. What a
shame"
He came to a street intersection and
paused and looked at his watch.
Quarter after s." he muttered.
"No, I'll not go home. 1 feel like a
runaway boy. I'll stroll down to the
lake. 1 don't believe I've really
seen the lake in dozen years"
He walked at a leisurely gait,
breathing in the tonicky air and ever
and anon turning his gaze on the sum
tinted clouds. His eyes were bright
er and his step more elastic. He
seemed to grow younger as he adj
vanced. Laboring men, swinging
their dinner boxes, looked around as
they passed him. His was an un-
usual figure at that early hour. Once
he heard man repeat his name to
his companions, and they all stared
curiously at him as they passed.
As he came within sight of the
lakes blue ripples a girl came across
the avenue and turned in on the side
walk jnst ahead of him. She was a
girl of perhaps ID, rather slender,
with a clear olive complexion and
thick dark hair. She was neatly
dressed, save her shoes, which were
dingy and frayed, and in her hand
she carried basket whose contents
were concealed beneath white paper.
Amos Brandon quickened his steps a
little.
"You are an early riser," he said
to the girl. At the moment he was
interested in early risers.
eyes, sir" said the girl, who show
ed no surprise at his abrupt remark.
81 have to rise early to carry my
fathers breakfast to him. He is a
helper at the mills over there" She
pointed to long row of dingy build
Jugs not tar ahead.
She spoke we'll and with lack of
constraint that the old man admired.
"Why doesn't your father come
home to his breakfast" he asked.
"He goes to work at midnight and
quits at noon," she answered.
"And how far do you come? ?"
"About mile and half"
She gave him little nod and turn
ed to cross a vacant field that would
save her few steps. Amos watched
her for a moment as she sturdily
stepped forward.
ga good little woman, and her
father should be proud of her. 1
hope he is" He sighed softly as he
plodded on.
He enjoyed the lake with its dim
ply surface, and the swash of the
little waves as they struck the piling,
and the black banner of smoke trail
ing after a faraway steamer. Pres
entity he turned and stro1led over to-
ward the iron mills. Almost in a
moment he came upon the girl of the
lunch basket. She was sitting on a
low pile of boards, and close beside
her sat a workingman, bare armed
and sinewy a swarthy man, with
small black ewes and a short black