The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1902-08-21
rHG:RGLgAsI o. NO. aoi.

be no relief Tor II. NO provision had beel
made tor such contingency, becsnss ih
branch. sheltered by The tress and bist.
had been considered prooi sssipsi spel
misfortune. The engineer. Who bad beeI
on the roo Tor iseniy year., wss loo sstol
ished iof words when The ANAL looomV
tive Jailed 10 eat the driii into which i
bad plupgei 90 conddenily, and hs cal o,
his sesl staring dauhly ai ihs conductor
Who swore sbookipsly and sestieuisiet
with bis arms.
In the coach we're tso passengers, both
young nen. 0as sw the type OF CON
mercisi salesman sent out by small job
binE honses, we'll dressed, ssli-ssssrlive,
crudely philosophic, the other, by sp
Ipesrsnoe. plsinly . farmer lie wore =
bssey, shiny black suit, aud his sbite col
lar vss sttsobed 10 gipshsm shirt BY .
while bone button. sewed with black
thread. His appearance vas enhanced by
10 esreiully trimmed shock Of hair aud
whiskers,
The commercial salesman had arisen
when the train stopped and had walked
10 the door,
| / guess. he remarked after q minute.
that we're stalled.
He whistlod spopulsr melody as be
walked down the aisle, and noled With
come amusement thai the other man vac
cluiohine the back Of Q seai. his eyes Oil
ed With oonsternsiion.
| Provoking, isn't iti the drummer said
as be lighted = oissr and drew . paper.
covered book from bis grip.
Yves. by-cstl the other STAN erred.
Say. do you mean thst we're stuck'
That's I, exactly. Here's the cond uctor.
nov.
The oondustor slam med The door vic
ionsly and shook the snow from his cap.
We're up sgainst II. gentlemen. be ~
uounced in disgust The coniounded tes
kettle is dying like . sick zig ont there
in drift no bigger'n q wssktub. We're
two miles from Dilkpori. and the snow's
so thick you can't see your hand before
your face, Lucky we've been TO supper.
Then We won't get ont tonight asked
the farmer snIiously, looking Q, bis wstcb.
Thsts the size OF II. As we're up here
on the pesyine the section men won'i
learn what's the matter with us til tomo,
row. We've got plenty Of coal. II might
be worse.
Yes. said lbs farmer, l s'pose IL might
but don't see how IL could be much
worse for me.
You see. be explained, fastening tine
buckle. I've got . psrticulsr epgssemep,
up st Dilkpo and II the train sin't going
I've got to hooi IL.
reschipg for the woliskin coat which dst
ged from oue end OF the parcel holder |
The conductor and the salesman conteu
plated him 10 Astonisbment.
But. man, you can't do II possibly, said |
the conductor. You'll fall through sl
bridge or something spi then you'll
freeze TO death.
l reckon tis q bit risky. admitted The
farmer; bat / sin't 1t ell sure 1t would be
riskier not TO. You see. my wifss st Dill
port. and she's sick. She may be dying.
I've got TO 90 10 her.
An expression Of sympathy came upon
the cond ductor's isse aud that Of The sales
man took on sudden gravity.
There are certain circumstances, the
isrmsr continued, in explanation. which
make IL more im portsnt that ! should see
her than you might naturally think from
the plain fact OF her being sick. l haven't
treated her Just right. to tell the truth.
I've been stnpid and unreasonable. We
we're married only yesr sso Iwon her
swsy from three or four other fellows.
Any one OF them woald have made her
better husband than me. Funny how
such things 60, siu't i.i
Irsa blooming queer old world. ssid
the conductor. noddiug bis head ssaely.
And the queeress things 10 II sre girls,
added the salesman 10 the tone OF an sutb
ority.
We we're married st Dilkport. where
she vss raised. std We vent TO my farm to
live. We we're happy - oould be fo'
usy be six months, snd then noticed thst
something vas wrong with beE A sort
Of cloud come over ber 1t Was nothing
bat homesick ness, s'pose. but couldn',
see IL sny other way than thst sbs wss 90,
" she'd nsrried me. And ons day hsp
pepsd to nod sheet Of paper - psrl OF
. letter she'd been writing that had
dropped from her portfolio. and I read H.
There werent msny vofls on the shest.
The nrst one vas "dissppointsd." ending
. sentence she'd began on tts sheet that
vent before. And then II said: at IL not
- l bsd pictured II. | vish 10 40 ONE,
And right there II ended. l said nothing
TO her di3nt ,biak 1t vas necessary TO
hsve . scene. ~ they call II. Bot wss
hurt-hnrt clean 10 the core, snd 10 Try
log 10 cover up ny feeling s'pose vss
onkiud - may be cruel. After two or three
days OF broodipa got into q regular fren
~ snd vss damned, unpstursl. unrssson
able brute.
Correct, said me coaductor. frankly.
told hsr she'd be ter 90 home TO ber
folks. tbst I'd decided We weren't suited
10 each other. When she tried to put
her arms around my neck | wouidn't let
hsr. Then she ssksd for my reasons
Iold her sbe knev veil enough and turn
ID my back.
Well, she vent For foar months I've