The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-30
SOME TWILIGHT PICTURES.

I passed along a road by a home once. at twiiight-the children's hour. From the door ajar came the sound of rough words. two voices, a mans and l woman's in mutual recrimination. Out on the soft lawn in front lay stretched at length a little girl with wan. sallow old face. set with. tired eyes beneath tired lids, hugging a rag doll.
 "Oh. Dolly" she sobbed, we don't like this world( do we Dolly. We are so tired. Dolly, we are so very tired" passed along a street once at twi- light-the home-going hour. l saw group of men standing near a glistening door, behind which brill liant lights cleaned.
 An old man with ruddy face and snowy hair, beckoned to younger. whose face was beautiful with the flush of early manhood. the time when in a life boyhood and manhood meet and greet and pass each other like ships in the night"
 "Ah. come on." coaxed the old man and he held open the shining door. The young man hesitated. Come on, my boy" And they two passed in they two together.
 passed along the summer hotel ve- randa once at twilight--at the hour when mother and baby look for him.
 Together sat two women. One had the beauty of maturity, few gray hairs emphasizing the gloss of the mass of soft dark waves; one with every curve of youthful beauty. Between them romped baby.
 Up the walk strolled a man and woman. Both saw.
 Don't be foolish. enjoy yourself: be the belle you are capable of being" The other, with swimming eyes-"I don't want to-"
 The mother arose and walked away. As the lines of her rounded figure were lost in the gloaming she sighed: An, If she only knew the trne value O. what she prizes so highly"
 l passed along by shop once, at twilight-when the day was done" He was putting up the shutters. He was tired--pitifully tired. Not gleam of anticipated pleasure shone from his sad sunken. lustreless eyes. He left the shop-I followed. Along he shuffied. looking both young and old. He walk ed as if he struggled through life drag ging the burden of the carcass of his own dead youth. On he went; and on I followed to his home. He reached the gate. entered and let it shut him in with click
 From out the door came the sound of crying child--and above all could be heard the harsh voice of "scold." Why had he gone home!-
 
 passed along a factory settlement once at twilight-again at the child ren's hour
 Little tots with swollen eyes set in ashy- faces. walked from out the doors. No vestige of happy child nature was left in them. They all dragged their little forms in the same direction. I followed. Into the big building they wended their way. Into the big hall 1 followed and watched them each take place to stand until morning, mid the dust and grind. while their little hearts beat to the tune of the buzzing machinery until dawn would send them back to sleep. These little old tots whose days are turned to nights. whose nights are turned into .darken- ed days. These little men and wumen who sleep away the sunlight and work away the baby's sleepy time
 No fear have they of the Sand Man."
 passed into a fine home once at twilight. Young people were coming, young people were going. Young peo- pie were starting for drives, young people were returning from drives. All was bright and merry. passed on 10 sn apartment where sat an old woman, with cap and apron. In her lap lay two listless hands with purple veins standing out. Her eyes stared out a window and looked through and be- yond. She was alone; she was forgot ten; she was shut out.