Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-01-28
WHILE
THE TRAIN
WAITED
BY a. 5. Ricbordson
Copyright. 1905. IN 4. G. Mcclure

scrt
The waiter picked up the plate hold
ing an untasted entree
"Why are we stopping here so loag?"
"Freight train OFF de track ahead,
ma'am, but de wreckin' crews heah
ma'am."
Miss Ashton picked up the menu,
read il absentmindedly and laid ii
down again. Then her glance travelled
back TO the panorama spread beyond
the dining ears window. 1t was the
residence district of pretty village
with yellow and white and gray and
white cottages placed at discreet dis
tance apart, with well kept lawns and
budding gardens In between.
Close TO the crossing where the train
had come to sudden standstill was
the church, painted in pearly white,
with dark green shutters and imitation
colored glass windows. Even Mt this
distance Margaret recognized the ma
terial in those windows. They had re-
ceived samples when she was in the
altar guild at st. Pauls.
The waiter arrived with her dessert.
and she selected some white grapes
with elaborate care. When she looked
up again, boy came scanpering down
the drive which divided Two of the cot
tage homes. He swung baseball bat
In signal to another youngster emerg-
ing from another yard. Both homes
T. 4 nj Toll rHs IN
rear, and the boys wore sweaters.
"They have had their tea and have
done their chores" thought Miss Ash
ton, stirring her coffee slowly, land by
and by some one will call them both
in and pull down the shades"
A woman ran across the back yard
of the house nearest the tracks, carry
ing something under her apron. She
disappeared in the kitchen doorway OF
the next house, then reappeared empty
handed and ran back to her own home.
"She had borrowed something, no
doubt" said Miss Ashton to herself.
PERHAPS she had little tea this after
noon. We always borrowed things
from the Marsdens when we had teas
She pushed aside her coffee cup, laid
a bill on the silver tray which the
waiter offered and left the car. Her
chair was in the drawing room car for
ward. She found herself looking
straight into the side yard of trim
little cottage. A young woman sat on
the step of the porch, a "fascinator'
| thrown over Her shoulders. At tlse foot
| Of the step stood another womat hold
! ing d restless baby In her arms. The
| two women were SO earnestly engaged
| III conversation that they did not notice
| how the baby was stripping young buds
off the porch vine.
"Gossiping," murmured Miss Ashton.
She knew the narrow life only too
we'll She had run away from 1t years
before. She wanted to go where your
next door neighbor did not count the
skirts and shirt waists on your line.
where no one insisted that because
young man had shown you a few or
binary courtesies you We're BOUND to
be engaged TO him.
She swung her chair impatiently,
church The sun was setting, and two
people We're walking up the narrow
tagged path. The man pulled out
key, threw open the church door, and
they both passed in. He did not look
like minister He was something OF
an athlete and had an alert air. A mo-
ment later he was opening the window.
The girl was not in sight but Mar
garet was certain that she was putting
flowers in the vase AZ the pulpit
Hes leader in the church no doubt.
A man must always be at the head Of
something" she thought. And Miss
Demure will be sitting down in the
amen corner soon watching him with
adoring eyes because the whole congre-
CATION looks up to him"
What a narrow set these people in
small towns We're. Here was train
stalled in their midst bearing men of
millions, women who had Travelled at
home and abroad, interests that might
affect the world of trade, and they did
not stop so much as to inquire into the
trouble, They were so small, 50 mar
row, so self absorbed!
At last the train moved with great
heaving strain on wheels and springs !
Margaret gave one more glance at the
church. The lights were ablaze, and
the young man was standing in front
of the congregation, book In his hand |
The girl was at the organ.
Margaret leaned back and closed Lcr
eyes. She saw another church, another
mainland herself. Then she turned her
thoughts resolutely into other chan
nels. She glanced down ut her bag
She knew the papers in that bag meant
Insurance policies for thousands all
written by herself. She had stepped in
where other agents feared to tread and
had secured business She was going
back to New York and the approval Of |
her superors She would be glad TO
shut herself in her private Office and |
take up her accumulated correspond |
ence. She must have new cabinet or.
dered for that empty corner of her o.
flee. The papers TO be filed in her de- |
partment were increasing
She gave her number to the cabman |
and was whisked off into the glare Of |
Broadway's lights BY and by they |