Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-06-19
The Release
Of No. 2OI
BY DAVID n. TALMADe
Copyright, 1901, by D. H. Talmadge

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the schedule, on the branch road was
stuck in the snow, and-there seemed to
be no relief for it. No provision had
been made for such a contingency be-
cause the branch, sheltered by trees
and bluffs, had been considered proof
against such misfortune. The engi-
neer, who had been ON the run for
twenty years, was too astonished for
words when the small locomotive
failed to cut the drift into which it
had plunged so confidently, and he sat
On his seat staring dumbly at the con-
ductor, who swore shockingly and ges-
ticulated with his arms.
In the coach were two passengers,
both young men. One was the type of
commercial salesman sent out by small
jobbing houses, well dressed, self as
sertive, crudely philosophic; the other.
by appearance, plainly farmer. He
wore baggy, shiny black suit, and his
white collar was attached to a ging-
ham shirt by white bone button,
sewed with black thread. His appear
ance was enhanced by a carefully
trimmed shock of hair and whiskers.
The commercial salesman had arisen
when the train stopped and had walk
ed to the door.
81 guess" he remarked after a min
ute, ''that we're stalled"
He whistled popular melody as he
walked down the aisle and noted with
some amusement that the other man
was clutching the back of a seat, his
eyes filed with CONSERVATION.
Provoking, isn't it?" the drummer
said as he lighted cigar and drew a
paper covered book from his grip.
Yyes-by-catp the other STAN
mered. ''Say, do you mean that we're
stuck" 2"
"That's it exactly. Here's the con-
ductor now"
! The conductor slammed the door vi
ciously and shook the snow from his
cap. Were up against it, gentlemen" !"
he announced in disgust. ''The con-
founded teakettle is dying like sick
pig out there in drift no bigger'n a
swashtub. We're two miles from Dix
port, and the SHOWS so thick you can't
see your hand before your face. Lucky
we've been to supper"
''Then we won't get out tonight /"
asked the farmer anxiously, looking at
his watch.
'That's the size of it. AS we're up
here on this pea vine the section men
won't learn what's the matter with us
till tomorrow. We've got plenty of
coal. 1t might be worse"
"Yes," said the farmer, 81 s'pose it
might, but don't see how it could be
much worse for me-"
He picked up an overshoe.
"You see," he explained, fastening
the buckle, 'T've got particular en-
gagement tonight up at Dilkport, and
if the train amt going I've got to hoof
it,
He put on the other shoe and rose,
reaching for the wolfskin coat which
dangled from one end of the parcel
holder. The conductor and the sales
man contemplated him in astonish-
ment.
"But, man, you can't do it possibly -
said the conductor. you'll fall through
a bridge or something, and then you'll
freeze to DEATH"
II reckon tits a bit risky" admitted
the farmer, "but I amt at all sure it
wouldn't be riskier not to. You see,
my wife's at Dilkport, and she's sick.
She may be dying. I've got to go to
her."
An expression of sympathy came up
on the conductors face, and that of the
salesman took on a sudden gravity.
There are certain circumstances, -
the farmer continued In explanation,
(which make it more important that /
should see her than you might natural
ly think from the plain fact of her be-
ing sick. 1 haven't treated her just
right to tell the truth. I've been stu
pid and unreasonable. We were mar
ried only year ago. I won her away
from three or four other fellows Any
one of 'em would have made her a
better husband than me. Funny how
such things go. amt it?'
cts blooming queer old world
said the conductor, nodding his head
sagely.
"And the queerest things in it are
girls" added the salesman in the tone
of an authority.
"We were married at Dilkport, where
she was raised, and we went to my
farm to live. We were happy as could
be for maybe six months, and then /
noticed that something was wrong
with her. A sort of cloud come over
her. 1t was nothing but homesickness,
l s'pose, but couldn't see it any other
way than that she was sorry she'd
married me. And one day happened
to find sheet of paper-a part of a
letter she'd been writing-that had
dropped from her portfolio, and read
it. There weren't many words on the
sheet. The first one was 'disappoint-
ed ending a sentence she'd begun on
the sheet that went before And then
1t said: 1t is not as l had pictured 1t.
1 wish to go home And right there
it ended. l said nothing to her. /
didn't think it was necessary to have a
scene, as they call it. But was hurt
hurt clean to the core-and in trying
to cover up my feelings spose was
unkind, maybe cruel. After two OF
three days of brooding l got into a
regular bad state. 1 told her she'd
better go home to her folks; that I'd de
cided we weren't made for each other
When she tried to put her arms about
my neck, / wouldn't let her. When
she asked for my reasons, told hel
she knew well enough and turned my