The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-12
PETERS CREEK ELECTRIC ROAD

not seen each other for three years.
 Neither of them found 1t easy to take the horses away from their work for two days. and. even if such n thing could be accomplished now and then. It was i'm. possible for either woman to achieve the journey without some sort of man body as conductor of the expedition.
 It must not be supposed that the part of New York state in which this occurred was unenriched by railroad activity. Dear, mol By riding 33 miles, thus de- scribing an acute triangle, and waiting five hours at the junction, it was possi- ble for Jane to go to Susan and for Su. san to go to Jane.
 Its preposterousw said Jane.
 Courageous" said Susan.
 So they did not visit.
 "There's rumors ahoat of one of them electric roads to be built straight long Peter's creek" John Lathrop told Susan. his wife. "That'll take you straight to Jane's, and no changin of cars or noth. ln."
 "Lawsr cried Susan. How soon'll lt be buildedT
 "'Bout three years" said Lathrop and laughed. But Sdsan was serious.
 "How many hours'll It take to git from here to there on 'lectric carT"
 "Hours! Minutes. you mean. woman! Less'n 90 minutes'll do the biz."
 "what! Me git to Jane in 50 minutes!" II seemed incredible. Then resolution was born In the economical soul of Susan Lathrop. "I'll wait till that there road Is done," she declared. "It'll be q savin."
 Jane heard of this resolve and com mendcd it.
 "As Susan says" she remarked to her husband. "it'll be real economy to prt oh vlsitin till that there road Is Gngr.'
 "Yes." acduiesced Hank French, "when we git the 'lectric it'll be quicker to go anywhere than to stay at home"
 "Eh?" said Jane. looking perplexed.
 "Iepm' growled Hank. And. vcxed at his wife's lack of appreciation of his hu' nor. he rslapsed into silence.
 But thitc years Is long time going by. The sisters stocd it with what fortitudc they could But a thousand things had happened of which they desired to speak. People had dicd-people they both knew and Jane and Susan had had no opportu- nity to discuss deathbed speeches, likeli- hood of frances. details of funerals or the situation Of the bereaved families, Beula Jones had used Shaker flannel instead of all flannel pinning blankets for her baby. and Susan lnld had no chance to tell Jane. Lila Gibbs had been married in green poplin-the idea-and Jane had lacked an opportunity to tell Susan. Pete Hines was converted and was almost ex- ploding with his pent up oaths; Si Lewis had taken to drink since he married h.s second wife. Was it not pitiful that these events had remained undiscussed? !? Moreover there were domestic matters of still greater importance-but these u would be a breach of confidence io men ton.
 The twins got so that the first news they read in The Weekly Herald was that which related to the construction of the electric road When the teams were but at work upon the roadbcd. Susan and Jane were as happy as birds. When tho first rails were laid. they exulted like successful politicians the morning after election. Each was busy upon frock which she Intended to wear to the house of the other; each was full of childish an. ticipation at the thought of giving a sur prise to the other.
 The time Of waiting passed. A morn ing of rain dawned, and at each end or the road a bright yellow car stood wait Ing to make its initial journey. Jane, In her new frock. was in one care. bound for Susan's. her arms filled with bundles con taining gifts. her heart nuttcring like ] fHl iu hnr gown. was in thc other car, destined fol lanes, Ter lnp hcapcd with prc>cntS, her heart drucilg like an accepted l,yer's.
 The cars started by the watch. spi .luc fire from the furious v'rrls aDd rc,n ire Rom ihc frantic trall,ys and nad, tic i..u il 5S and 70 wiuuics re prciiycly. passing each othci on th" way.
 The sun,mcr rain turnrd into a down ,.l~. aut ar iu ihc dcl;gc Jane cliMhcd riil f, S-.1p'> tnu,c. and Su..n plod .,! along tic common lo Jauc's
 "Ncyrr mi d. Jarc." said John ln l h.op tb his si.icr-in-law. "Nuu just make .oursclf 10 home Susan'N be m, in nc 'rc. prut you move ont o' tliS her' .uusc .ill S.c ciis home. Shes bin fret .in and stc-in fur you till up and Saic O her ..,'.,S she made a mistake In lv a with ne |, was you she ought c. lav, had"
 So Jane said and looked nftcr Susan's hildrrn and cco,pd for SuSau's husband .nd wai,hcl every car For the apTsar' ,ucr of Ter sister
 As for Susan. she broke down for a moment when shc found that her journey had been in vain.
 "Nuw see here. Susie" argued hci t.othcr.in.law. Hank French; 'what use ls it Co cry? Jancll come racin home like Maud < when she finds you're hcre. fou stay right where you be-"
 So Susan did as she was bid and visit ei with James husband and hemmed Jane's napkins and made a new kind Of pickle for Jane out of some overripe string beans.
 But on the third day Jane concluded tt 20 home. And on the third day Susan concluded to go home And so-but that's really the end of the story.
 "They're a fool invention tC my mind them 'lectric cars" snid Jane to her hus band.
 Susan dropped tears in the bath as sh' bathed the children.
 "There's too many newfanglcd things in these parts" she said to the children "Next time your ma goes anywhere shes eoin to drive the horses. and then maybe shc'll git somethin thni she wants. -Chf