The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-10-10
E..-'-'@@lf"-'7F @Fs4'@-.%,% 81; .+tS4 IL
A Won!a!an's Courage.

"A woman 5 Soufa8e'>
The blood-red light. OF sunset was
mirroring itself in crimson splashes in
! the turbid tides Of the great Western
river. and Jonathan Beers. sitting by
his cabin door was thinking OF the
church bells that used to ring at even
ing time in the far-off Eastern village
Where he had been born and brought
I'D like to. hear them bells once
But it amt likely I'll ever 70 Back
!. Even while these disjointed medita-
tons passed through his mind, his
ne :!!Tca Dorothy: came to the door: 49,,
and see une1s "ne slic eSp uo she f
red peaches from the tree you planted
yourself On the south side Of the hill.
i t Esmayne said it wouldn't grow.
ful and a little cream for Israel to-
night. Just to show him.
is I'D" cooy you hans mean that Isreal Esayne
n / aYss' uncle" said Dorothy why
Take care. Dotty. That's ALL"
Uncle, what do you mean"
married to man who drinks! That's
what mean. Dotty.''
%as' sat !e1s i 5 5sa hd 5sE Because
You are mistaken. uncle. Isreal
Esmayne has not touched drop of
promised never to again.
Il hope he never will. nv girl" said
Jonathan Beers. although his tone be-
trf Dordt no very sa ai3sg14 ffelnE
tripped lightly, back and forth about
her household duties her mind was full
or the underlined future.
~ " ;,,v somethin, to do with the
II reckon I have" said Isreal Els.
s asss the rsy 5sn come
...At 9 o'clock
DO you suppose I could go to Nell
set BAG to tn the Station iH IN timer, ea anu
"Well, you might" said Israel; but
you youa would Et have to make it in pretty
"Have q drink. friend?" said the
stranger nasss; drawing a flat flask from his
Il never drink" said 1sreal hoarsely.
such stuff as this" said the man"
soft as oil and strong as fire.
Isreal stood for moment. hesita ting.
Then he cast an eager glance to the
someone might see him. and grasping
at the bottle-drank!
wh nHaye yop any n.y., more IKE q, this?" he
"fS ve sot a G0af5el9 flask Mg but-"
you a good price for it."
n, Ih ~ @d te d6e gst out tafe fash + the hf
It as a sift.'' ' - "0'e
And he was. gone. plunging into the
zs israel erspt f bsek into his house
he kept repeating. Il needed it. yes. I
needed it. I didn't. know how mush
Until until I d had tasted it: Just one more
When the clock struck the Whistle
Of the way train sounded faint and far
off; and Isreal rose to his feet The
walls seemed to reel. about him. the
a;ment overhead. Nothing was real, but
off; and Isreal had gone out at 9
his Wa e he w nKht Q With Sow snd an
steady steps to the cluster Of spice
pushes. where he felt mechanically for
the the; Switch Y, key, He knelt down and
self. IT'S all right. And then the
freight If lS train,,,-half-past nine-a quarter
and let his head fall on the palms.
Am I drunk?" he muttered. half
n al udta % g Go d, have come to this
And the memory Of Dorothy Beers
and ~ sacred promise to her rose in
his mind. as one sometimes remembers
promises made to the dead.
scarcely able to FORM t 5nSnan5
fallen down l9 dead befere-1before i
touched that accused stuff! She would
in mo
Hark! A clear whistle. half a mile
away. cleaving the silence like the call
of some sweet throated bird.
o THE way train passed o at snd Half
freight train followed it. running off a
side track toward the river shore. until
the express should have safely passed:
Isreal to set the switch for the freight
and subsequently, replace it for the
hurrying express.
Had he done this?
he, had had the switch key in his
hand d. nat h, he could also remember.
ed the switches once or twice. or. good
swaying vacuum; the future. strange
20 God!" he groaned aloud. as he
S s5few m hl% IS Oh the ground lam I
The earth beneath him thrilled and
duivered as the express train flew over
the rails and 1sreal Esmayne held his
breath. momentarily expecting the
Hush! The express had passed
through Hurstley--pass through safe
and sound! And Isreal Esmayne. stag
gering onto his feet. .gazed around him
a moment and then fell unconscious.
Uncle, he is coming to. Oh! uncle.
dead!'
And the soft eyes of Dorothy Beers
were the first thing Isreal Esmayne
saw as his soul came, out Of the
shadows and oblivion. with old Jona-
than leaning on his cane.
~" TEL me- r. Dotty,n he !gSasped; How
1T was my girl that did it, said the
old man. She came by. and she heard
the freight a whistlin''. and she saw
the switches wasn't right. no signal.
nor noth M al besn fao
dead e y, says ay sh 2sa,o And NJ there lay the
she clutches It No. and she unloeks i tI1e
S;twitehesI,fyoq showed her how to do
! noon-and she hangs up the white