The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-13
CHAPTER l

CHAPTER I
ALL IN A WAY.
What, do you think of him, Floss g..
''Well, can't say I'm struck
Mice fellow?'
Mice enough"
GOOD fellow?' =.
$50 they say" -:
"Steady?" =
YES"
Got good position as fireman."
II don't know"
'Handsome?"
"Tolerable."
"Genteel and lively?"
In way, yes"
Got spirit and carries himself
well?"
Seems so:"
Floss Henry is an Independent young
lady, pretty as a peach and prettter
too" in the language Of an old play
song, and it was said no one ever yet
had won her Indifferent heart.
Josie Marion, who has just been
talking to her, Is a sweet, lively, care
less girl and loves fun. The two are
inseparable friends, and are In for
anything that has tinge Of fair ro-
nance about 1t. They are TOO shrewd
to be deceived by any fair-sounding,
meaningless words. And they honest
ly believed they were.
Their talk had been about Mel
Rimple, a splendid-looking young
man, and a promising fireman of
passenger engine. His very step had
ring Of fresh manhood in it. He was
grand good fellow In every way and
no mistake.
Mel had just met Floss for the first
time. The comments Of the two girls
about him were given after; he had
/ closed the gate and walked. away up
the street. It was a chance acQuaint-
ance that had. just begun. the end of
which the girls made no effort to fore
see.
y saw him looking straight at you,"
laughed Josie teasingly, whirling, round
and Pumping herself down IN q chair
that was handy. .:,,
"Anybody can do that" walking ITO
the door and looking theug fully at
the. warm sunlight upon the. grassy
yard. The jest had a distinct charm
in it. 1t hattered. And few girls are
armor-proof against this.
Hes a railroader, and you and I
are the daughters Of railroaders,"
looking archly at Floss. to see the
effect Of her words.
do care? Not that" swapping her
fingers and turning abruptly around to
ho -
look changed to airiness and she broke
out into unaccountable laughter. Josie
read it correctly.
|. There was tender sympathy: in
his look"
TENDER, fiddlesticks.",
Fact" '...~'-
"Nonsense."
ITS not, neither"
couldn't be; we're not congenial."
IT Floss had fad at all, it was this
idea of congeniality.
There's where you're off. You are
congenial. Anybody can see that" and
Josie's voice rang out I'M a merry,
musical laugh.
II DON'T"
80 you say
OoA yOu Oe41eVe meI
You think you think So" -
II know sol believe So"
mo you DON'T"
Don't II"
And Floss walked over to the piano
and began to rattle off a lively schoti-
sche. In moment Josie was on the
carpet whirling around gaily to the
motion Of the music.
They didn't refer again to Mel.
Not long afterward Floss and Mel
met. again, and then again. and their
acquaintance had extended so far that
they exchanged friendly words and
smiles that might have q distinct
meaning In them-neither could tell.
They felt that each meeting was pos
sible to be the last. Floss scarcely
encouraged him to offer more than
commonplace words, though he was
| sure he wanted to approve himself to
her. He seemed so respectful she
| couldn't tell how he felt. And she was
not sure that she cared to know. But
they had made unconscious progress.
For one thing Mel was certain he
would Like to cultivate a closer ac-
Quaintance with her. He admired her
independent style. She was a born
lady, every inch of her. BY all things
that man dare swear and be honor
| able he vowed to himself he would
know her better, unless she positively
forbade his efforts in that direction
She quietly submitted to his little acts
to be pleasant to her. Yet she mag
med he was somewhat Indifferent
about them. OF course she didn't ex-
pect him to be too efrusive. The truth
is, it was a quiet ripening into a sort
Of genteel friendship, and no more,
Curiously enough 1t happened one
day that he and two other young men
passed her and several other younr
ladies on the street, ana not observ-
Ing her he failed to return her recocni-
ton Of him. Az most independent
girls would she felt provoked, II not
offended, and she declared to herself
she'd show him the next time he at.
tempted to speak to her. Shed cut
him, that she would. *,