Middletown transcript., 1906-09-15
So to eat and 4 rag o

ID our hacks. Not . cent
ahead nor show Of ever stop
ping. I'm getting reckless Tilda-
/ declare, il ] got half q chance
i'd marry anybody who'd ask
meanybodg with q steady job!
/ don't care If he deserted me
inside of a year, I'd go back 10
work and thank him for giving
me and Nellie a years holiday
Mrs. Lane came to an abrupt
pause and mopped her face with
a moist handkerchief. Outside
the thermometor registered 98
degrees In the shade, and here in
the close little room under the
tin roo. .it pointed shamelessly to
1o4 degrees. Several factories
in town had shut down for the
afternoon, because the hands
were on the verge of heat pros
tration, but Mrs. Lane and her
assistant still sewed, because
perforce they must sew. Custo-
mers were clamoring for these
cool, filmy gowns, and this was
daily bread. Men throughout
the country were striking for
higher wages and shorter hours;
but Mrs. Lane sewed by daylight
and lamplight, cold weather and
warm, and gave thanks -sone4
what grimly that she had work
to do.
Wen then, marry. You ain't
old Mrs. Lane, nor ugly either.
Miss Tilda's suggestions were
always brief and practical. Long
years of warning with the world
had taught her the futility Of les.
ing her temper on q hot day.
Who yon think I'd marry? de-
manded Mrs. Lane. with a scorn-
full sniff. There was q grim smile
pulling at the corners of her.
mouth, for 1t was seldom that she
-.
was lost to the humorous side of
situation. Mercy sakes, Tilda,
ifI was dying to msrry / couldn't.
What with working day and night
ten days out Of week, ! don't
30 much Is catch sight of man.
let alone keep company!
There's one now, said Miss
Tilda, composedly, but in a voice
much lower than Mrs. Lanes
clear tones.
Mrs. Lane peeped out of the
window and jerked back again,
a vexed flush creeping over her
face. Then she cautiously peeredI
out again, taking a critical sur
yey Of the man, who had stopped
directly beneath the seWingroom
window. He was locking over
some papers and glancing from
them to the street numbers, eVi-
IDENTIFY a stranger in this section
Of town. He was q large man,
with hair and moustache lightly
touched with gray, and from the
profile view vouchsafed her, Mrs.
Lane decided that he was quite |
personable. He looked we'll fed
and good -humored, and at peace
with the world. She sighed in |
relief as be folded up his papers
and went his way, and then she
bent with renewed energy to her
work, laughing at her own dis
comfiture.
There, Mary Lane. she said
emphatically, I hope that will be
q lesson 70 making snch |
crazy speeches. Il that had been
anybody I knew, / should just
have craWled under the sofa and
died. Il mnst have sounded
awful fat!
As Mrs. Lane appeared TO be
addressing these remarks to the
buzzing Whir Of her machine, Miss
Tilda paid no attention, and did
notlookhp again until steps came
toiling up the narrow stairs, and
a slim girl of ten came in with a
pitcher. and two glasses.
Here's some lemonade I made |
for yon, she announced proudly, |
hovering over the two women
with her glasses. / thought it
would cool you of.
Nellie, you dear little mother
hen! Mrs. Lane laid her hot
cheek against Mellie's arm as
the child presented her offering.
The leEonads might have been
cooler, as drinks go, and it was
thin to the point Of emasiation,
but Nellie vas TOO thrifty d |
housekeeper 10 waste lemons
when water was SO cheap. Mel
lie was thin. zoo, aud while in
more robust health she would
have been pretty, she was young /