Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-12-21

~OMEHOW she looked out OF place
- among the gay throng of Christ
mas travellers that enlivened the
dull waiting room. Whenever
the station masters stcntorian voice
rang through the room she started
tenSely, only to settle back stiff and
alert, as before
She was small and slightly bent. Her
decent black dress. thou2h far from the
latest cut. had n uattin.Ss OF lis own.
She had probably PASSED two>corc ana
ten, yet there was youiEiuneSs about
her that had dehed hard work and
trouble and sorrow. felt sure that
she had experienced ai three. Vt last
she glanced shyly i'll my direction.
It's tiresome waiting. is IL not" |
venturcd.
,'Oh, no. It's all so new and strange
TO me, and then I've only an hour to
wait" Her voice. like herself, had
pleasant alcrtncSs.
Perhaps you're unaccustomed to
travelling" | suggested tentatively.
This morning is the second time
since | was ten years old that I've
been on a train of cars" she answered,
with suggestive accuracy. Il didn't
used to mind staying at home, but the
longing to 20 somewhere has seemed
to grow on me. Why, one time l even
thought of setting in the milk train that
makes up at our station. 1T backs up
and switches round for bout an hour,
so l could imagine I'd started for no.
body knows where. | even got so far
as hoping n cinder ID blow in my eye.
like when | was little girl and went
to the city with father. It's a mercy
| never told my idee. Folks would
have thought l was getting in my do
tage. l amt tiring you, be ~ she
asked anXiously. II don't know when
I've talked so much about myself"
l fastened to reassure her, remark.
ing that home cares had doubtless pre-
vented her getting away.
"How did you know" she said, with
a birdlike turn of the head. why, |
was only eleven when | began making
bread and pies. | was the only Child,
you see, and mother began 10 be lame
then. She kept right on growing worse
and worse till finally her joints all
stiffencd up, just like the bones be-
tween. She suffered dreadful till the
last fifteen years or so, when the sore
ness kind Of left"
How long did you say it was since
YOU rode on the carsf' l asked.
"Just forty years ago this morning.
1t was on my eighteenth birthday. /
was born the day before Christmas.
I'm fifty-cight today"
Il wouldn't have thought it,
That's what folks all tell me. /
should think I'd look as old as Me
thuselah. though somehow | don't feel
it, | remember that day forty years
ago, just as we'll Twas just such
morning rs this, the snow all a-sparllle
and crisp underfoot. Goodloe said
twas like fairyland. 1t was Goodloe
Morton'-a faint flush came on her
faded check-"who took me on the
Christmas excursion to Buffalo We
was going TO the falls, lut something
prevented. II was the next spring he
asked me u marry him. Dear me!
SOu wouldn't think TO hear me running
ON that you're the first person I've ever
told it to. I wouldn't let Goodloe tell
1t neither, ] was that afraid mother
might hear. She was growing worse
fast, and it would have worried her
10 think l couldn't leave home and
marry like other girls Goodloc felt
quite worked up for Il spell, but finally
he married Sally Skinner. She's raised
him big family and been a good wife"
l fancicd n sigh escaped her but aft
er q moment she went on in her CHEEKY
way: well, as l was saying the last
time / rode on the cars was on my
eighteenth birthday. BY pushing a
chair in front of her, mother could
walk a little yet, but | got Susan Ann
Ruggles to look in on her once in
awhile, for father couldn't be depend
ed on if he got after new patent idee
You see, he was always going after
patents. Were they a success? oh, my,
no! He spent pretty much all mother
had. Her folks was pretty well off, you
know The only one of his idees that
was ever any good was n machine for
lifting mother. ! don't know what
we'd have ever done without 1t. It
turned with crank, like a windlass,
SO ] could lift her alone, just as easy,
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