Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-16
sentiment was possible on a job in his

sentiment was possible on job IN his
charge
But, though outwardly Imrie was
pleased and gratified at the kind felici-
tations, there was ever running through
his mind a current of thought that
tainted the sweetness of the occasion.
And what to a young man should have
been welcome and agreeable was all
the more bitter and ironical by it's or
der in the succession Of events.
a matter OF two weeks ago he had
stood at the gate of an old fashioned
homestead In the neighboring village
loved to be his wife. 1t was In the
cleaning of summers evening, in the
shadow of the house which, set back
but few feet from the picket fence.
nesting in a cluster of half grown
elms, was the home Of Barbara Ell
well. You can see from the top of the
cantilever conveyors on the canal, or
from the crest of the spoil bank, its
white walls cleaning among the green
of its surroundings. There, trembling
ly. but with confidence born Of hope, he
had whispered the words that had lain
on his tongue for long time.
And she had given him his answer.
He was forewarned bya laugh-a laugh
apparently sincere, but what there was
to afford merriment is beyond mans
capacity for guessing. She was no
more than a child, and it was the an
swer OF a child, and Of a spoiled child.
She drew away quickly in a fleeting
moment of surprise at the unexpected
ness of it, and then ripping laugh
sounded the deathkncll of his hopes.
He had better taken that as final, cut
ting though it was. But he must know
the why and wherefore. and she had
given him cause to hope and all that,
and was there another?
Miss Barbara E!well was very pref
ty girl Of q breezy, fresh, western brand
of prettiness. and SWANS of Lemont
and Of the neighboring big metropo-
lis had told her so in terms of varying
frankness. Finishing school ideas still
noated through her brain, and she look
ed upon worldly matters from the
standpoint of nineteen-year-old, novel
reading girl. To her the good clothes
Of man were the index Of his WORTH
ness, or ut least such sentiment did in
some degree at this period in her life
mold her opinions Of the other sex.
She put it this way to 1mrie: Marry
q man whose duties require him to as
sociate with those dreadful canal men?
Oh, really, could not think Of it! And
then your work is so-so-well. dirty,
you know. Besides, Mr.. Imrie, I'm sure
l do not love YOU" The last sentence
was uttered with a marked effort to
bring it out in tone that would carry
conviction with it.
Crushed and sore in heart the unsuc-
cessful sutton left her and wendell his
way to his lonesome and cherries room
in the hotel, there to make himself
more miserable with bitter thoughts.
But do not allow yourself to become
prejudiced against her. for she is the
heroine of this story and is brave lit
tie girl.
So Imrie was furnished with one wo-
mans view of his calling and spent
many minutes in the following days in
wondering whether he had been wrong
in liking trade that built railroads
and canals and such mean things and
required him to mix up with ablebod
led, strong men who wore overalls ten
hours out of the twenty-four 1t being
the only business he was cOnversant
with and as he had been fairly success
full at it for man Of his age, he did
not contemplate change in his line
to the home Office asking to be trans
ferred to another job, preferably the
Memphis work, where the climate
would not be as severe on his health.
Such was the reason he offered, and
nobody knew that he wanted to get
away from the vicinity Of Lemont be-
cause it was the scene Of his dlsap-
pointment in woman he had Installed
in his heart as an idol fit for his wor-
ship. He wanted to obliterate all rec
objection of her entirely, to forget her
as though she had not been always In
his thought ever since his advent on
the canal He wanted to forget the sol
itary walks, the buggy rides alone to-
gether over shady roads Of that part Of
the unchaperoned west, which he could
not do while he was obliged to pass
her house four times day to and from
the hotel where he stopped.
With cold, stiff lifting Of his hat
he greeted her when she happened to
be in the garden when he passed, and
in the same spirit was his salutation
returned In her innermost heart, how
ever, she longed for him to stop and
speak, and yet that same heart was all
a-futter with fear lest he should do
so as bis steps brought him nearer the
gate. Her eyes, when his back was
turned, looked shyly out from under
their lashes aud, wistful and pleading,
they followed him down the graveled
walk. Gould he on that evening have
been induced to subdue his mental up
braiding Of all womankind and look
back he might have seen her standing
on the porch with an arm encircling
the post looking longingly in his direc-
ton. For moment, then, his name
was on her tongue to call him back,
! but it remained unuttered until his
figure was lost in the gathering dark
ness. For awhile she stood there and
then, with little sigh, turned and
went into the house.
During the next two weeks there