Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1904-03-05
q g oMEWARD through the murk

7S7 OMEWARD through the murk
ri and gloom of Il November even
X ing, through the dark night air
and gathering fog. along greasy pave
ments and over slippery crossings,
across the great bridge with the ya}m-
ing darkness on either side and down
the mean stress of Southern London
wearily bu steadily Mary MacAlIis-
ter beut her way.
Three years of hard work as typist
In a city Office. three years of lonely
struggle with fortune, had robbed
Marys cheek of the bloom it boosted
when she was nineteen, but still she
strobe ON her way, morning and even
Ing, backward and forward, to and
from the city, where her work lay,
a brave, earnest-minded, steady eyed
woman, typical figure of London's
women workers.
Sometimes there would be a suspi-
clon of moisture in the big gray eyes
when work was more than usually
irksome or employers more than usual
iy irate and unreasonable.
Sometimes for a moment her mind
would stray from the dark, close office
20 the glorious fields and hedgerows
which from babyhood she had looked
upon as hers in time to come. Now
and again rs she ate her solitary meal
In her poor little room in the shabby
house in Il third-rate street just be
yond the Elephant the memory of
the plenty in the old days brought
shadow for moment, and then the
memory of Dick-her Dick--would
chase the little cloud away. II Dick
could be brave and go away to Africa
To win Il fortune for her she would be
brave, too. Dick had faced the crash
which four years ago had ruined alike
his father and hers, quietly and I'M
offer to release her from her engage
ment to him, and with mutual pro
tcstations of love and fidelity they had
parted-he 10 seek wealth across the
seas, she TO earn her living as hes
she could in the great world of Lon
don.
Many letter from Dick lay care
fully folded in her little workboX, lei
tiers Which she had read again and
again when the struggle was hard and
her heart grew faint. They told Of
progress, slow but sure, until eighteen
months before when the black cloud
of war lowered, and ruin had for the
second time in his young life stopped
at Dick Herrick's door.
With the first clash of arms his en-
ployment ceased, the land he had i'll
vested his savings in was seized by
the Beers. while he himself was com
numbered and imprisoned as the re-
suit of his refusing to fight against
his own countrymen. Since then
since she had lived Mt her present adj
dress-no news had come TO enlight-
en- her sorrow, TO relieve her anxiety.
On her doorstep she met her lard
lady, Mrs. Bird, who had been shop
ping around the corner Mrs. Bird
WAS we'll meaning, but rather massive.
and sometimes more than aggressive.
You are late this evening"" Mrs.
Bird asserted tartly.
lam, rather" nervousIy
responded Mary; = was little be-
hind at the office, and I've walked. -
walked a night like this Then
you'd no business. S'pose you caught
cold and got laid un?"
The buses were full and Il
couldn't afford cab, you know.
Mary answered, smiling gently.
NO. in course. though you might
do that night Ike this if you didn't
80 saddhn' yourself with that foreign
fiddler man upstairs
Mrs. Bird closed the door with NJ
angry llte bang $ she followed Mar,
into the passage,
oh, hush. please. Mrs Bird; thinl
how i'll tie poor fellow has been.
"ill-course he has. and you, witt
all you can do TO keep yourself, mus
go and look after him. Nonsense. thar
what call it, What do we pay rate
for, and keep Up that there place rom,
the corner for. if it amt for such
MANI
But. you don't understand. Mrs
Bird; he is not a common man: h
Is an artist and gentleman. 1t woul,