Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-08
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loopyrlght, 1903, by T. G, Mcclure,
WITS Mcguire rolled up her knitting
~ nervous click OF the needles
5. IT that man don't omit bono,no
lound here" she muttered, "'tis in the
crazy house I'll be-
sne rose and turned her back IN tho
ooi OF the outer waiting room. Rut
w mans face haunted her. It was
. we helpless look in his eyes of one
suddenly cut loose from the ordinary
,outlne OF life and cast adrift which
I nls' Mcguire could not forget
ene had seen it many times in the
aast rev days, occasionally during the
ours When he stood watching outward
,oound passengers and more often "a
ne scanned the occupants of the ladies',
"fa1t1ng room. In the WEAKNESS of his
search the vigor of middle life was
giving place to age.
lis neither food nor sleep he's had
This week past" Mrs. Mcguire thought
and turned with a sudden determine
t1on to speak to him.
Even as she did 50 he staggered and
SAT- down weakly. One hand went out
and, grasping a newspaper which Law
near, held 1t before his face Above it
mis- eyes were fixed in a hungry gaze.
Mrs. Mcguire knew that his search
was ended.
She turned slowly, following the d.
1ectlon OF his eyes, and noticed for the
f1rst time small, pale woman sitting
with her profile toward the door. The
brown hair which lazy softly on her
temples was plentifully streaked with
gray. Her blue eyes held the brightness
of unshed tears. The hands, which
held a shabby gripsack on her lap,
clutched it as if it were some fast
slipping resolve
Mrs. Mcguire left the room and went
straight to the man who sat outside.
lis that who you've been looking
dor!' she asked quietly.
He tore his gaze away with start
of surprise and nodded.
'Your wife?'
"Yes."
Mrs. Mcguire waited moment. Then
she ventured again:
what did she leave you for?'
Don't think-it wasn't-her fault
He stopped, choking. ''She thought 1
had stopped loving her."
Suddenly his face began to work.
~Hester," he muttered, with cropping
fingers, "Hester-you don't know
what the house is-without your
Mrs Mcguire laid a hand on his
shoulder and shook him slightly.
Look here" she demanded, lis it
trying to live without food or sleep
you've been this past week?"
His eyes had gone back to the quiet
figure in the ladies' waiting room as if
he grudged losing sight Of it even for a
moment. His face held the look of
one for whom all things were at an
end.
Mrs. Mcguire left him and sauntered
slowly back to her own domain. Pres
emily she approached the woman with
the shabby gripsack.
"Was it you who was asking me
about the western trains, ma'am?" she
inquired casually.
mo" The woman's eyes were
raised in mild surprise for moment
as she shook her head
"'Tis a more comfortable chair you
might as we'll have if you've long to
watt" Mrs. Mcguire said civilly.
'Thank you, but it is hardly worth
while''
Still Mrs. Mcguire fingered with such
evident desire to do something for the
comfort of this passenger that the lat
ter felt constrained by her kindly in
tent to speak again. 1.-The express for
New York leaves at 9:35, does it not?'
she asked.
Eyes, ma'am; at 9:35."
Then Mrs. Mcguire moved away.
She picked up a magazine and leisurely
replaced it on the table, shook out
some pillows on a couch near the door
and slipped outside.
"'Tis to New York she's going" she
whispered eagerly to the man who
still held the paper before his face.
"'You've got twenty minutes Take
your ticket, and for the love Of heaven,
man, get something to eat. IT'S fairly
staggering We are"
What Mrs. Mcguire did not see and
never knew of took place q quarter of