Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-10-25


sophisticated little thing OF other girls
who had left their homes TO meet low
cEs who were rich in promises. or OF
women who haunted the city streets
after nishtfaii-womcn with bold eyes
that had once been soft and innocent.
and haggnrd checks under the p!tiful
mask of paInt7
Does your stcp-pa treat you bad -
he asked presently.
No, she acknowledged. "he don't
treat mo bad. Sometimes he's right
kind: but he hadn't ought to be boss
In me when he aIn't my real paw.
I'm tired OF never bcln' let to do
things like other girls-an' nav TAX
In his S!dc"-
What do you s'posc your mail do
when she finds you're gomez Steve
suggested.
The girl sighed.
Il reckon poor maw1l feel right
bad" she confessed. She's always
made much o. me. NAV has. He said
he'd telegraph when we was married.
but thntll he powerful late. now.
reckon maw'll bc wore out worryin',"
and she looked ut him with troublc,;
eyes.
Steve nodded.
Il guess likely she will. miss" he
asscntcd gravely. Mothers is dread
full hands to worry. specially when
It's night comm on an the winds
blowin." he added. us gust made the
windows rattle.
My mother was that kind" he went
on presently. an 1t riles n. body some
times. worryla' does; but it's mighty
lonesome when there amt anybody TO
care how late you come in-an' to
keep the coffee-pot hot. mebbe, along
with the scoldin'. Sometimes n moth
er's jawin' is mighty kind-meant."
and the big conductor sighed.
Il amt much on advisin' folks" h.
continued awkwardly. but 1t seems to
me that chap thatll coax a girl to
run off an leave her folks amt actin
on the square, specially II he makes
her do the runnin' alone an risk miss
in him in a big city. An II n man
amt square, miss. no girl hadn't
oughter trust him-not II he talks as
beautiful as phonygraph an dresses
as fine as a tailors dummy"
Another passenger stamped out. and
the old man near the stove swore at
the draft in placid West Virginia
drawl. Steve went forward to mend
the fire. and while he was gone tho
girl thought of many things. She re-
called stories that had followed Tessie
Bickford from Philadelphia-bits of
gossip and innuendo. to which she had
loyalty shut her ears; and she thought
of neighbor's allusion to her fine
lover as .'one of that Bickford girls
shady friends" She wondered II what
she had called love had been. after all,
only fiattered vanity; and when Steve
came back he found her sitting erect,
clutching her bag.
I'm goin' back tonight II I have
to walk" she announced bravely.
I'm Just tormented thinkin' about
maw!" and she caught her breath with
sob
Steve took out his watch.
Its only two miles to Tylersyille,"
he suggested. practically, "an' you
could catch the 7:10 on the other road
an be home before 0. l guess / could
see you over there without any danger
of the trains runnin' away while I'm
gone" he added, with cheerful jocu-
larity
They said very little as they splash
ed through the mud. Once the girl
spoke.
you've been awful good" she said
gratefully, AN" in an awed whisper.
Il reckon the Lord must a-made that
tunnel cave in"
Il guess mebbe He did, miss" said
Steve reverently; and then,they plod-
ded on through the wind and sleet.
Two hours later thin. little woman
opened kitchen door and peered anx-
iously out into the darkness. She
listened intently and then gave a sigh
of relief at the sound of a step on the
walk.
Miss Green KEEP you dreadful late,
honey" she said, drawing the girl into
the light and warmth. my, but you're
wet! I've been worryin' some-it's